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Cat's Cradle travels from the home turf of Vonnegut's imagination, Ilium, N.Y. to a Caribbean banana republic where an illicit religion called Bokononism is practiced, as a sense of doom (in the form of ice-nine) overtakes mankind.
Customer Review: Wampeters, Foma, & Granfalloons
Cat's Cradle is a unique and creative look at the end of the world. To me, Vonnegut is arguing that the dizzying progress of science and technology in the last century has made the total destruction of life on earth a frightening possibility, and it's not just the "bad guys" that threaten humanity with annihilation. An equal threat comes from the well-intentioned but short-sighted; from the lonely or downtrodden; from the greatest superpower or the tiniest and poorest island nation. In other words, truly destructive technologies, once they exist, become a danger to the entire world regardless of the "good" or "bad" reasons for which they were created, and regardless of whether they fall into the hands of the "good guys" or the "bad guys." The fact that we as human beings are addicted to classifying ourselves into nations and religions and political parties, and then killing and dying for these classifications, only adds to the danger posed by such destructive technologies. Cat's Cradle, then, is Vonnegut's plea to put a stop to the madness before it's too late. Luckily, it also happens to be a wildly funny and perfectly crafted example of truly original fiction. Great book.
Customer Review: Okay, but too short
Didn't know what to expect. Thought it might be difficult reading for some reason. Turns out it was pretty easy. I guess it just gives you a lot to think about instead of looking up words and things like that. I think it could have been a 4.5-5 star book if the story would have been expanded upon to at least 500pp. or so.


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