Cat's Cradle
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., , read by Tony Roberts. . Caedmon/HarperAudio, $29.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-06-089873-1
Vonnegut's 1963 satirical science fiction novel still manages to pack a powerfully subversive punch. The new audio release offers listeners an excellent opportunity to connect—or reconnect—with a classic text whose thematic elements—nuclear terror, the complications of science, American imperialism, global capitalism and the role of religion in public life—are remarkably relevant to our 21st-century landscape. The story line centers on a young writer's quest to research the history of the atomic bomb, which leads to a bizarre political soap opera and apocalyptic showdown on the shores of a seedy banana republic in the Caribbean. Tony Roberts brings tremendous energy to his reading, projecting a sardonic tone perfectly suited to Vonnegut. His portrayals of the principal male figures sometimes take the form of interchangeable over-the-top carnival barkers, but given the essence of the material, such a unnuanced approach can be understood and appreciated. The audiobook includes a 2005 interview in which Vonnegut—who died April 11, 2007—discusses how his life shaped his literary craft.
Reviewed on: 12/24/2007
Genre: Audio
Hardcover - 280 pages - 978-0-7838-9267-2
Hardcover - 289 pages - 978-0-8050-1319-1
Hardcover - 978-0-440-01144-6
Mass Market Paperbound - 192 pages - 978-0-440-11149-8
Open Ebook - 1 pages - 978-0-307-56727-7
Open Ebook - 288 pages - 978-0-7953-0272-5
Paperback - 304 pages - 978-0-385-28126-3
Paperback - 176 pages - 978-0-7910-7168-7
Prebound-Glued - 287 pages - 978-0-7569-9062-6