corner corner Cat's Cradle

Medium

Cat's Cradle
by Kurt Vonnegut | Mystery & Thrillers
Registered by wingicekween01wing of St. Louis, Missouri USA on Friday, October 08, 2004
Average 7 star rating by BookCrossing Members 

status (set by lostbookisland): travelling


This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!

10 journalers for this copy...

Journal Entry 1 by wingicekween01wing from St. Louis, Missouri USA on Sunday, January 16, 2005

10 out of 10

Vonnegut always amazes me. I love the way he writes and his stories are always so full of great truth and humor. This is one of my favorites. It made me laugh, it made me gasp, and it made me think. His storytelling is real even when the character's situations are absolutely ridiculous. Highly recommended.

From the back cover:

"Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., one of the most daring and irreverent of the new breed of writers called "The Black Humorists", has here concocted a delicious and irresistible fantasy about the end of the world--replete with atomic scientists, ugly Americans, gorgeous Sex Queens, undertakers, God, Caribbean dictators, stenographers and a brand new method of making love."


A sampling of what to expect:

"Listen:
When I was a younger man--two wives ago, 250,000 cigarettes ago, 3,000 quarts of booze ago...
When I was a much younger man, I began to collect material for a book to be called "The Day the World Ended."
The book was to be factual.
The book was to be an account of what important Americans had done on the day when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.
It was to be a Christian book. I was a Christian then.
I am a Bokononist now."

"I do not intend that this book be a tract on behalf of Bokononism. I should like to offer a Bokononist warning about it, however. The first sentence in The Books of Bokonon is this:

"All of the true things I am about to tell you are shameless lies."

My Bokononist warning is this:
Anyone unable to understand how a useful religion can be founded on lies will not understand this book either.
So be it."

=========================================================

"And I remembered THE FOURTEENTH BOOK OF BOKONON which I had read in its entirety the night before. THE FOURTEENTH BOOK is entitled "What Can a Thoughtful Man Hope for Mankind on Earth, Given the Experience of the Past Million Years?"

It doesn't take long to read THE FOURTEENTH BOOK. It consists of one word and a period.

This is it:
"Nothing."

 

Journal Entry 2 by wingicekween01wing at Mailed to fellow Bookcrosser in St. Louis, Missouri USA on Wednesday, January 19, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Released 7 yrs ago (1/19/2005 UTC) at Mailed to fellow Bookcrosser in St. Louis, Missouri USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

sent to fellow bookcrosser dodau to start the ray.

ENJOY!!!

bookray list:


dodau - UK/Intl *
martinburo - Germany/Intl *
Kiki66 - Germany/Intl *
teenage-faerie - Tennessee, USA *
BigJohnLefty - Iowa, USA/Intl *
book-girl-24 - Indiana, USA/Intl *
BookHaven01 - Portugal/Intl *
miss-gonewest - Austrailia/Intl *
jennifer671 - South Carolina, USA *book on its way here*
Luintaurien - Nebraska, USA/Intl
jubby - Australia/Intl


Happy Bookcrossing!!
 

Journal Entry 3 by dodau from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 02, 2005

This book has not been rated.

This is a ring courtsey of Icekween01. I've never read this author before and looking at the cover and synopsis I'm sure it would be one I would never have picked up in the library. But since I've been on bookcrossing I've read and enjoyed several books I wouldn't have otherwise read. I'll be reading this later in the week. 

Journal Entry 4 by dodau from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire United Kingdom on Sunday, February 06, 2005

3 out of 10

I hate to say this about any book but especially one that someone has taken the trouble to send me but I hated it. I thought it was dull and boring and by the end of it I couldn't have cared less about any of the characters. There were several characters that seemed to have no point and when the climax of the book came it was a big disapointment. If this is one of his best books I doubt I'd look for any others of his. 

Journal Entry 5 by dodau at Surface Mail in Fellow Bookcrosser, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, February 16, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Released 7 yrs ago (2/16/2005 UTC) at Surface Mail in Fellow Bookcrosser, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

 

Journal Entry 6 by martinburo from Norwich, Norfolk United Kingdom on Friday, February 25, 2005

7 out of 10

This book arrived yesterday, and I started reading it immediately. I liked the first bit a lot. 

Journal Entry 7 by Kiki66 from Gauting, Bayern Germany on Tuesday, March 08, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Arrived by post today - thanks!
will start immediately... more later.... 

Journal Entry 8 by Kiki66 from Gauting, Bayern Germany on Tuesday, March 29, 2005

5 out of 10

Well... this wasn't one I really liked... in the beginning I thought the individual chapters to be quite funny but in the middle I decided this is too crazy and doesn't interest me at all... so I stopped reading it.
My husband on the other hand thought it is not soo bad but pretty depressing (the end above all...)...

Anyway - this is soon on its way to Tennessee.... 

Journal Entry 9 by Kiki66 at BookRing in -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Bayern Germany on Tuesday, March 29, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Released 7 yrs ago (3/29/2005 UTC) at BookRing in -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Bayern Germany

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Off it went to Tennessee...
have fun! 

Journal Entry 10 by wingicekween01wing from St. Louis, Missouri USA on Tuesday, March 29, 2005

This book has not been rated.

I agree with your husband, it is depressing, but I still loved the book. I also agree with you, that it is crazy, but I think that is Vonnegut's style...who hasn't seen something on the news recently that seemed like madness? I do, almost everyday. I think maybe he presents situations in such an over the top fashion as a mockery of this, maybe? It's interesting to hear other peoples opinions on it. I'm glad that you both read the book!

Happy Bookcrossing!!! 

Journal Entry 11 by teenage-faerie from Dandridge, Tennessee USA on Sunday, April 03, 2005

This book has not been rated.

will read asap! thanks or sharing! 

Journal Entry 12 by teenage-faerie from Dandridge, Tennessee USA on Sunday, April 17, 2005

5 out of 10

i couldnt really get into this book. maybe i didnt devote as much attention as i would have liked to though.... :-(

releasing soon! 

Journal Entry 13 by teenage-faerie at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, April 27, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Released 7 yrs ago (4/27/2005 UTC) at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

sent today! 

Journal Entry 14 by wingBigJohnLeftywing from Des Moines, Iowa USA on Tuesday, May 10, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Received this well-worn book in the mail today - have already started on it; as I've already read it a dozen times since first discovering it, I will go through it in no time. 

Journal Entry 15 by wingBigJohnLeftywing from Des Moines, Iowa USA on Tuesday, May 10, 2005

10 out of 10

After repeated readings, this remains one of the best novels I've ever read. In my opinion, Vonnegut stands as the only legitimate modern-day heir to Twain.
It's all there in this one - satire on religion vs. science, good vs. evil (and the "dynamic tension"), idealism vs. realism, dashes of science fiction thrown in, and believable characters doing weird things.
I devoured this less than 9 hours after plucking it out of my mailbox. 

Journal Entry 16 by wingBigJohnLeftywing at Bookray in Bookray, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases on Friday, May 27, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Released 7 yrs ago (5/12/2005 UTC) at Bookray in Bookray, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

sending this off to book-girl-24 

Journal Entry 17 by book-girl-24 from Knox, Indiana USA on Wednesday, June 01, 2005

This book has not been rated.

I'm just in the middle of it so, it's pretty good so far.
 

Journal Entry 18 by book-girl-24 from Knox, Indiana USA on Thursday, June 16, 2005

8 out of 10

I just finished it and it was really good but depressing at the end. Now, it's off to the next person. 

Journal Entry 19 by -BookHaven- on Saturday, August 13, 2005

This book has not been rated.

it's with me! thanks a lot.
i'm between two rings, but i'll start reading it in a week. 

Journal Entry 20 by -BookHaven- on Sunday, August 28, 2005

9 out of 10

what an amazing book!
i really loved the dark humor in it.
the characters are so strong, and so well motivated.
i agree the end is a bit depressing, but isn't 1984 and brave new world too?
i mean, wasn't that what vonnegut intended, to make us think of all new dawns?:
"The time for the final sentence has come: ...
If i were a younger man, i would write a history of human stupidity; and i would climb to the top of Mount McCabe and lie down on my back with my history for a pillow; and i would take from the ground some of the blue-white poison that makes statues of men; and i would make a statue of myself, lying on my back, grinning horribly, and thumbing down my nose at Youn Know Who."!

i really enjoyed it.
thanks a lot icekween.
i'll be sending it to Australia tomorrow. 

Journal Entry 21 by -BookHaven- on Tuesday, September 27, 2005

This book has not been rated.

i suppose this book should have arrived in Australia by now, but miss-gonewest did say she would go on holidays, so maybe she is away.
i will pm her anyway and try to keep track of the book.
______________________________________
well, she has pm'd me back and the book has arrived safe ad sound, so no worries! 

Journal Entry 22 by miss-gonewest from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, September 29, 2005

This book has not been rated.

This loved looking little book actually arrived a few weeks ago, but I have been overseas and just picked it up. Many thanks to Bookhaven for sending it all the way from Portugal.

I am suffering from jetlag which is allowing me plenty of time to read in the wee hours, so should get this finished in the next few days. Its my first Vonnegut so I'm looking forward to it.

I'll be back with my thoughts & updates. 

Journal Entry 23 by miss-gonewest from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Tuesday, October 11, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Oh look, I feel really terrible as I hate not finishing a book, and I also feel guilty about hanging on this, so I am just going to pass it along to Jennifer671.

I have read the first few chapters as I find them funny, intelligent and interesting, but I can't seem to really sink my teeth into this. The only criticism I have is that the chapters are just so short... they make me feel like I either have to read in a hurry or that I am reading a children's story! It may also be my headspace at the moment (trying to find a new job!) - I really want to escape into a book and this format doesn't allow that.

I don't know but I am sorry to just give up. I will hopefully get another chance to read more Vonnegut, and I may just love it. Thanks so much to icekween for sharing.

(I've PM'd for the next address.) 

Journal Entry 24 by miss-gonewest at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, October 19, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Released 6 yrs ago (10/19/2005 UTC) at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Posted today to Jennifer in the US, via airmail... for what looks to be the last stop on this ray.

Enjoy the trip & I hope jennifer enjoys the book! 

Journal Entry 25 by lostbookisland on Monday, March 06, 2006

This book has not been rated.

This bookray seems to have taken a wrong turn some where. Mailed out to the next participant many months ago it has not yet checked in with a journal entry. It is hoped that after a little time at the Lost Book Island this book will get all the rest and relaxation it needs to continue on the bookray journey that it once started those many moons ago.

When the new journal entry comes to tell us this book's fate many will rejoice in its safe return to the BookCrossing world and get enjoyment from its future travels as it picks up new readers along the way. 



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