Book Review: "Cat's Cradle"

Kurt Vonnegut is one of those authors I'd never read but felt like I ought to have. So when I opened a gift this morning to find his Cat's Cradle (1963) I decided to take full advantage of a snowy, quiet Sunday to read it. It's the sort of book that lent itself perfectly to a one-sitting extended read, and I laughed and pondered my way through in a couple short hours.

Vonnegut's created an interesting world here, including the bizarre banana republic of San Lorenzo, to which our narrator (the author of a book about the day the first atomic bomb was dropped) takes us along for a crazy mixed up tour of intertwined characters, invented religions and philosophies, and a dip into some wild new scientific ideas which turn out to be not-so-good for everybody.

Some memorable and strange characters and customs, and a brilliant satire on Cold War science (and scientists), political relations, religion, and human nature itself. Quite funny, and whimsical, but with a bit of a sharp bite as well.