Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion

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This was my first Vonnegut… ever. I’ve always heard him referenced by pretentious readers and writers alike and I believe I was inadvertently prejudiced against his work accidentally at the outset. However, I absolutely enjoyed this a ridiculous amount. It reminded me very much of Catch-22 in style which is one of my all time favorite novels and I was completely in love with the melding of what I felt were themes of both religion and science and flaws within humanity all with a humorous slant.

An excellent book. Satire with elements of science fiction. I think I might become a Bokononist. (; I really like the writing style, as well as the wide array of different characters. A book that "made" me laugh out loud and also think deeply.

I read a few Kurt Vonnegut books when I was a teenager (well over a generation ago) when his books were everywhere. I enjoyed them then, and was curious to see how I felt about them now. Cat's Cradle is the first of his books I've read in decades.

I was not disappointed. In fact, I was dazzled. The humour and quirkiness are still there, but I am extremely struck by the depth at which themes are explored and the way the prose is crystal clear and flows. It's like there isn't a word out of place.

The insights into religion are remarkable. That we all have significant foibles, even people who are building nuclear weapons or are running countries, is presented in a way that makes a deep impact, but is somehow a digestable factual insight into human nature, rather than the sort of rage-filled screed that is often what we might see on these topics.

After finishing Cat's Cradle, I ordered another Vonnegut book, Slaughterhouse Five, from the library and have just started re-reading it. So far it's the resonant wisdom, so clearly presented, that I notice.