--- product_id: 49264114 title: "Cat's Cradle: Kurt Vonnegut (Penguin Modern Classics)" price: "€ 26.25" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.be/products/49264114-cats-cradle-kurt-vonnegut-penguin-modern-classics store_origin: BE region: Belgium --- # Global satire & apocalypse theme Modern classic edition Ice-nine lethal chemical concept Cat's Cradle: Kurt Vonnegut (Penguin Modern Classics) **Price:** € 26.25 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📖 Unlock the darkly hilarious apocalypse Vonnegut predicted—before everyone else does! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Cat's Cradle: Kurt Vonnegut (Penguin Modern Classics) - **How much does it cost?** € 26.25 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.be](https://www.desertcart.be/products/49264114-cats-cradle-kurt-vonnegut-penguin-modern-classics) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Join the Literary Elite:** Ranked top 250 in Humorous Sci-Fi and beloved by over 12,000 readers—don’t miss out on this cultural touchstone. - • **Cult Classic with a Twist:** Dive into a unique blend of sci-fi, dark comedy, and philosophical musings on apocalypse and survival. - • **Timeless Satirical Genius:** Vonnegut’s razor-sharp wit dissects humanity’s follies with biting humor and irony. - • **Provocative Themes That Resonate:** Explores nuclear threat, environmental catastrophe, religion, and human absurdity—still eerily relevant today. - • **Exclusive Penguin Modern Classics Edition:** Includes a thought-provoking introduction by Benjamin Kunkel for deeper insight. ## Overview Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is a seminal 1973 science fiction satire exploring the dangers of scientific hubris through the invention of ice-nine, a substance capable of freezing the planet. This Penguin Modern Classics edition features an introduction by Benjamin Kunkel and remains a culturally significant work with enduring themes of nuclear threat, environmental disaster, and human folly, praised by thousands and ranked among top satirical and sci-fi literature. ## Description With his trademark dry wit, Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle is an inventive science fiction satire that preys on our deepest fears of witnessing Armageddon - and, worse still, surviving it. This Penguin Modern Classics edition includes an introduction by Benjamin Kunkel. Dr Felix Hoenikker, one of the founding 'fathers' of the atomic bomb, has left a deadly legacy to humanity. For he is the inventor of ice-nine , a lethal chemical capable of freezing the entire planet. Writer Jonah's search for his whereabouts leads him to Hoenikker's three eccentric children, to an island republic in the Caribbean where the absurd religion of Bokononism is practised, to love and to insanity. Told with deadpan humour and bitter irony, Kurt Vonnegut's cult tale of global destruction is a frightening and funny satire on the end of the world and the madness of mankind. Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007) was born in Indianapolis. During the Second World War he was a prisoner in Germany and present at the bombing of Dresden, an experience he recounted in his famous novel Slaughterhouse Five (1969). His first novel, Player Piano , was published in 1951 and since then he has written many novels, including The Sirens of Titan, Jailbird, Deadeye Dick, Galapagos and Hocus Pocus . If you enjoyed Cat's Cradle , you might like Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle , also available in Penguin Modern Classics. 'One of the warmest, wisest, funniest voices to be found anywhere in fiction' Sam Leith, Daily Telegraph 'A free-wheeling vehicle ... An unforgettable ride!' The New York Times 'Vonnegut looked the world straight in the eye and never flinched' J.G. Ballard Review: The novel is almost as fascinating as the reviews.... - Well, that was great fun. I first read Cat's Cradle as a 16 year old in 1973. I loved it as much as anything I had read up to that point. I re-read it very recently and tried as hard as I could to avoid the rosy glow of nostalgia colouring my impressions. I hope I succeeded; in any case I found myself shaking my head every few seconds in wonder at the humour, the ideas and the sheer intelligence on display. I think I probably got more out of the book almost 40 years on than I did at the age of 16, but the fact that a novel, essentially of ideas rather than storyline, left such an indelible impression on my adolescent mind is pretty remarkable. I think Vonnegut is held in even greater esteem today than during his lifetime and the predictions of him going the way of Mark Twain in terms of reputation don't seem too fanciful. So, it was a great re-connection for me and a re-discovery of something dear; then the real fun began when I read the reviews here on desertcart. Fighting the temptation to slip into `defensive fanboy' mode I still find the content of the negative reviews published here fascinating and provocative. There seem to be a few consistent criticisms; * The novel and it's themes are `dated' and no longer relevant * The characters are unbelievable or `unappealing' * The plot is weak * There is no central point to the novel So, is the novel `dated'? Well, it was published in 1973, so by some standards it's bound to be dated - it is nearly 50 years old and our world today is different technologically, politically and environmentally. Given all of that I'm personally astonished at how well it has aged. Yes, we are no longer preoccupied by the Cold War, but with events in Iran how safe do we really feel from the threat of nuclear war? With the rise of militant fundamentalism how less relevant are issues of religion, lies and morality? With global warming how less relevant are the themes of man-made environmental catastrophe and the impact of technology for good and evil? It seems to me that Mr Vonnegut's themes are astonishingly universal and prescient. The characters in Cat's Cradle are certainly a grotesque and flawed bunch. They don't set out to remind you of your friends and acquaintances or evoke sympathy or empathy. I would challenge anyone, however, not to warm to the character of that old scoundrel Lionel Boyd Johnson (unless his religion offends thee, in which case it's just possible you may have missed the point). Being stupid, careless and thoughtless, of course, doesn't make a character unappealing, merely human. The plot certainly doesn't attempt to rival Harold Robbins or even Stephen King. No surprise, though, that Mr. K is a big fan of Mr. V. It's actually, I think, a tight little plot which is more than just a series of hooks for the snowstorm of ideas and invention, but if your taste runs to pot-boilers you will have to look elsewhere. There's no central point to the novel, that's true - but largely because there are more central points as a proportion of words written than in any other novel this side of James Joyce. Personally I find the cat's cradle of ideas about science, religion, family, nationalism and crass but very human stupidity way more exciting than a single central point. So, am I a misty-eyed fanboy or a detached critic? Bit of both perhaps. Is Cat's Cradle a great American Novel or a dated piece of barely-structured, artsy, baby-boomer sci-fi? I'm going to have to go with the former. Will it still provoke debate and divide opinion in another 50 years' time? I can only hope so. Will the world finally see sense and abandon all religions in favour of Bokononism? What a wonderful world that would be. Busy, busy, busy. Review: The End is Nigh and Darkness Lies Within - This is my 12th Vonnegut, one of his own favourite works and lauded as a 'Modern Classic'. Guess what ? I didn't like it. What we have is a 'road to global oblivion' warning from KV, very much in line with, as is often correctly stated, Dr Strangelove. Published in 1963 it was very much of its time - Cuba et al - and pretty much concerns mankind careering towards the end of the world by means of new weaponry (Ice-nine), the industrial complex, ignorance and self-interest. The story is told through a cast of eccentric personalities, typical of all KV's work, and is largely set on the mythic and very dark Caribbean island of San Lorenzo.. So what's wrong ? Well, three things. First of all the characters. They just don't carry the wit and sympathy of those found in the earlier novels (especially the masterly 'Sirens of Titan') or following novels (such as the masterly 'Slaughterhouse 5'). 'Cats Cradle' is a transitory work falling between the genres of these other books, 'Titans' being clear cut Sci-Fi and 'Slaughterhouse' being pretty much that fantastical description defying invention that was to become Vonnegut's own personal style. It has always seemed to me that Vonnegut developed the gift of painting the most complex and fullest of characters with the sparsest most basic of palettes. Here it just didn't work. Secondly, setting. St Lorenzo is dark, brooding and haunting. If it's meant to be a cartoon representation it failed with me. It's just too dystopian and this takes it away from the type of slapstick satire that Vonnegut made his own. Thirdly, plot. It's just too predictable. So, why 4 Stars ? Well, its an important book. Important in terms of the subjects it addresses, important in its place in the counter culture history of the sixties and important in the development of Kurt Vonnegut the satirist. It should be read, just as I had to read 'Howard's End' all those year's ago at college - I didn't like it but it was good for me. So, buy it and read it because you should. HOWEVER, at all costs do not read the Introduction by Benjamin Kunkel until after you've read the book - it's spoiler laden. Actually, don't bother with the Introduction at all - it's awful. ## Features - New Store Stock ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 34,833 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 144 in Satires 221 in Science Fiction History & Criticism 252 in Humorous Science Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 12,697 Reviews | ## Images ![Cat's Cradle: Kurt Vonnegut (Penguin Modern Classics) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1Ln5+WYi+L.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The novel is almost as fascinating as the reviews.... *by G***N on 3 September 2012* Well, that was great fun. I first read Cat's Cradle as a 16 year old in 1973. I loved it as much as anything I had read up to that point. I re-read it very recently and tried as hard as I could to avoid the rosy glow of nostalgia colouring my impressions. I hope I succeeded; in any case I found myself shaking my head every few seconds in wonder at the humour, the ideas and the sheer intelligence on display. I think I probably got more out of the book almost 40 years on than I did at the age of 16, but the fact that a novel, essentially of ideas rather than storyline, left such an indelible impression on my adolescent mind is pretty remarkable. I think Vonnegut is held in even greater esteem today than during his lifetime and the predictions of him going the way of Mark Twain in terms of reputation don't seem too fanciful. So, it was a great re-connection for me and a re-discovery of something dear; then the real fun began when I read the reviews here on Amazon. Fighting the temptation to slip into `defensive fanboy' mode I still find the content of the negative reviews published here fascinating and provocative. There seem to be a few consistent criticisms; * The novel and it's themes are `dated' and no longer relevant * The characters are unbelievable or `unappealing' * The plot is weak * There is no central point to the novel So, is the novel `dated'? Well, it was published in 1973, so by some standards it's bound to be dated - it is nearly 50 years old and our world today is different technologically, politically and environmentally. Given all of that I'm personally astonished at how well it has aged. Yes, we are no longer preoccupied by the Cold War, but with events in Iran how safe do we really feel from the threat of nuclear war? With the rise of militant fundamentalism how less relevant are issues of religion, lies and morality? With global warming how less relevant are the themes of man-made environmental catastrophe and the impact of technology for good and evil? It seems to me that Mr Vonnegut's themes are astonishingly universal and prescient. The characters in Cat's Cradle are certainly a grotesque and flawed bunch. They don't set out to remind you of your friends and acquaintances or evoke sympathy or empathy. I would challenge anyone, however, not to warm to the character of that old scoundrel Lionel Boyd Johnson (unless his religion offends thee, in which case it's just possible you may have missed the point). Being stupid, careless and thoughtless, of course, doesn't make a character unappealing, merely human. The plot certainly doesn't attempt to rival Harold Robbins or even Stephen King. No surprise, though, that Mr. K is a big fan of Mr. V. It's actually, I think, a tight little plot which is more than just a series of hooks for the snowstorm of ideas and invention, but if your taste runs to pot-boilers you will have to look elsewhere. There's no central point to the novel, that's true - but largely because there are more central points as a proportion of words written than in any other novel this side of James Joyce. Personally I find the cat's cradle of ideas about science, religion, family, nationalism and crass but very human stupidity way more exciting than a single central point. So, am I a misty-eyed fanboy or a detached critic? Bit of both perhaps. Is Cat's Cradle a great American Novel or a dated piece of barely-structured, artsy, baby-boomer sci-fi? I'm going to have to go with the former. Will it still provoke debate and divide opinion in another 50 years' time? I can only hope so. Will the world finally see sense and abandon all religions in favour of Bokononism? What a wonderful world that would be. Busy, busy, busy. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The End is Nigh and Darkness Lies Within *by Y***N on 12 June 2020* This is my 12th Vonnegut, one of his own favourite works and lauded as a 'Modern Classic'. Guess what ? I didn't like it. What we have is a 'road to global oblivion' warning from KV, very much in line with, as is often correctly stated, Dr Strangelove. Published in 1963 it was very much of its time - Cuba et al - and pretty much concerns mankind careering towards the end of the world by means of new weaponry (Ice-nine), the industrial complex, ignorance and self-interest. The story is told through a cast of eccentric personalities, typical of all KV's work, and is largely set on the mythic and very dark Caribbean island of San Lorenzo.. So what's wrong ? Well, three things. First of all the characters. They just don't carry the wit and sympathy of those found in the earlier novels (especially the masterly 'Sirens of Titan') or following novels (such as the masterly 'Slaughterhouse 5'). 'Cats Cradle' is a transitory work falling between the genres of these other books, 'Titans' being clear cut Sci-Fi and 'Slaughterhouse' being pretty much that fantastical description defying invention that was to become Vonnegut's own personal style. It has always seemed to me that Vonnegut developed the gift of painting the most complex and fullest of characters with the sparsest most basic of palettes. Here it just didn't work. Secondly, setting. St Lorenzo is dark, brooding and haunting. If it's meant to be a cartoon representation it failed with me. It's just too dystopian and this takes it away from the type of slapstick satire that Vonnegut made his own. Thirdly, plot. It's just too predictable. So, why 4 Stars ? Well, its an important book. Important in terms of the subjects it addresses, important in its place in the counter culture history of the sixties and important in the development of Kurt Vonnegut the satirist. It should be read, just as I had to read 'Howard's End' all those year's ago at college - I didn't like it but it was good for me. So, buy it and read it because you should. HOWEVER, at all costs do not read the Introduction by Benjamin Kunkel until after you've read the book - it's spoiler laden. Actually, don't bother with the Introduction at all - it's awful. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A roller coaster of irony and morbid humour. *by J***S on 17 February 2024* This book has retained its magical meaning and absurdity ever since it was first published in 1963. In fact you could say that the message is even more relevant today than it was during the years of the cold war. It’s a short book but it brims over with important themes like the meaning of life, war, annihilation, religion and a biting social critique. Like most of Vonnegut's work, irony, morbid humour, and parody are used heavily throughout but these facilitate a deep reflection on the themes, while entertaining the reader and hurtling him/her on an emotional roller coaster. Be prepared to be left with a profound sense of unease as you realise that in 2024 we might be closer than we think to Armageddon. One of the greatest strengths of the novel is the way Vonnegut draws out his characters revealing a cast where all are grappling with their own existential dilemmas. ## Frequently Bought Together - Cat's Cradle: Kurt Vonnegut (Penguin Modern Classics) - Slaughterhouse 5, or The Children's Crusade - A Duty-dance with Death - The Sirens Of Titan (S.F. 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