Cat's Cradle: A Novel“A free-wheeling vehicle . . . an unforgettable ride!”—The New York Times Cat’s Cradle is Kurt Vonnegut’s satirical commentary on modern man and his madness. An apocalyptic tale of this planet’s ultimate fate, it features a midget as the protagonist, a complete, original theology created by a calypso singer, and a vision of the future that is at once blackly fatalistic and hilariously funny. A book that left an indelible mark on an entire generation of readers, Cat’s Cradle is one of the twentieth century’s most important works—and Vonnegut at his very best. “[Vonnegut is] an unimitative and inimitable social satirist.”—Harper’s Magazine “Our finest black-humorist . . . We laugh in self-defense.”—Atlantic Monthly |
Contents
THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED | 1 |
NICE NICE VERY NICE | 2 |
FOLLY | 4 |
A TENTATIVE TANGLING OF TENDRILS | 5 |
LETTER FROM A PREMED | 8 |
BUG FIGHTS | 13 |
THE ILLUSTRIOUS HOENIKKERS | 18 |
NEWTS THING WITH ZINKA | 19 |
A GOOD TIME TO COME TO SAN LORENZO | 141 |
THE STRONGEST THING THERE IS | 144 |
HYUOOOKKUH | 147 |
HOONYERA MORATOORZ | 149 |
A BIG MOSAIC | 150 |
TUTORED BY BOKONON | 153 |
THE HAPPINESS OF BEING AN AMERICAN | 154 |
THE PISSANT HILTON | 156 |
VICEPRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF VOLCANOES | 20 |
SECRET AGENT X9 | 21 |
PROTEIN | 24 |
END OF THE WORLD DELIGHT | 25 |
THE JUMPINGOFF PLACE | 27 |
WHEN AUTOMOBILES HAD CUTGLASS VASES | 30 |
MERRY CHRISTMAS | 32 |
BACK TO KINDERGARTEN | 35 |
THE GIRL POOL | 37 |
THE MOST VALUABLE COMMODITY ON EARTH | 39 |
NO MORE MUD | 42 |
ICENINE | 44 |
THE MARINES MARCH ON | 47 |
MEMBER OF THE YELLOW PRESS | 48 |
THE LAST BATCH OF BROWNIES | 50 |
WHAT A WAMPETER IS | 52 |
THE MAIN THING ABOUT DR HOENIKKER | 53 |
WHAT GOD IS | 54 |
MEN FROM MARS | 55 |
MAYONNAISE | 58 |
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN | 60 |
ONLY SLEEPING | 61 |
ANOTHER BREED | 63 |
DYNAMITE MONEY | 64 |
AN UNGRATEFUL MAN | 66 |
VINDIT | 69 |
HOBBY SHOP | 73 |
MEOW | 77 |
A MODERN MAJOR GENERAL | 79 |
BARRACUDA CAPITAL OF THE WORLD | 81 |
FATA MORGANA | 82 |
HOUSE OF HOPE AND MERCY | 84 |
A KARASS BUILT FOR TWO | 86 |
BICYCLES FOR AFGHANISTAN | 88 |
THE DEMONSTRATOR | 92 |
COMMUNIST SYMPATHIZERS | 96 |
WHY AMERICANS ARE HATED | 98 |
THE BOKONONIST METHOD FOR HANDLING CAESAR | 99 |
DYNAMIC TENSION | 101 |
JUST LIKE SAINT AUGUSTINE | 103 |
A FISH PITCHED UP BY AN ANGRY SEA | 104 |
A NICE MIDGET | 109 |
O K MOM | 110 |
NO PAIN | 114 |
THE PRESIDENT OF FABRITEK | 116 |
COMMUNISTS NAZIS ROYALISTS PARACHUTISTS AND DRAFT DODGERS | 118 |
NEVER INDEX YOUR OWN BOOK | 119 |
A SELFSUPPORTING SQUIRREL CAGE | 123 |
THE QUEASY DREAM | 125 |
TYRANNY WITH A DIFFERENCE | 127 |
FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS | 129 |
AN UNDERPRIVILEGED NATION | 132 |
WHAT A CORPORAL WAS WORTH | 134 |
WHY HAZEL WASNT SCARED | 136 |
REVERENT AND FREE | 137 |
PEACE AND PLENTY | 139 |
BLACK DEATH | 159 |
CATS CRADLE | 163 |
GIVE MY REGARDS TO ALBERT SCWEITZER | 166 |
JULIAN CASTLE AGREES WITH NEWT THAT EVERYTHING IS MEANINGLESS | 168 |
ASPIRIN AND BOKOMARU | 170 |
RING OF STEEL | 172 |
WHY MCCABES SOUL GREW COARSE | 174 |
THE WATERFALL STRAINERS | 176 |
A WHITE BRIDE FOR THE SON OF A PULLMAN PORTER | 180 |
ZAHMAHKIBO | 183 |
DR SCHLICHTER VON KOENIGSWALD APPROACHES THE BREAKEVEN POINT | 185 |
BLACKOUT | 187 |
A PACK OF FOMA | 189 |
TWO LITTLE JUGS | 191 |
THE CUT OF MY JIB | 194 |
WHY FRANK COULDNT BE PRESIDENT | 197 |
DUFFLE | 199 |
ONLY ONE CATCH | 201 |
MONA | 203 |
ON THE POETS CELEBRATION OF HIS FIRST BOKOMARU | 205 |
HOW I ALMOST LOST MY MONA | 206 |
THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN | 210 |
SEE THE HOOK | 212 |
BELL BOOK AND CHICKEN IN A HATBOX | 213 |
THE STINKING CHRISTIAN | 216 |
LAST RITES | 219 |
DYOT MEET MAT | 220 |
DOWN THE OUBLIETTE GOES FRANK | 223 |
LIKE MY PREDECESSORS I OUTLAW BOKONON | 225 |
ENEMIES OF FREEDOM | 227 |
A MEDICAL OPINION ON THE EFFECTS OF A WRITERS STRIKE | 230 |
SULFATHIAZOLE | 232 |
PAINKILLER | 235 |
WHAT BOKONONISTS SAY WHEN THEY COMMIT SUICIDE | 237 |
FEAST YOUR EYES | 239 |
FRANK TELLS US WHAT TO DO | 240 |
FRANK DEFENDS HIMSELF | 242 |
THE FOURTEENTH BOOK | 244 |
TIME OUT | 245 |
NEWTS MOTHERS RETICULE | 248 |
HISTORY | 250 |
WHEN I FELT THE BULLET ENTER MY HEART | 252 |
AS IT HAPPENED | 257 |
THE GRAND AHWHOOM | 259 |
SANCTUARY | 261 |
THE IRON MAIDEN AND THE OUBLIETTE | 263 |
MONA THANKS ME | 267 |
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN | 270 |
AM SLOW TO ANSWER | 273 |
THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON | 275 |
OF MICE AND MEN | 276 |
FRANKS ANT FARM | 279 |
THE TASMANIANS | 282 |
SOFT PIPES PLAY ON | 284 |
THE END | 286 |
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Common terms and phrases
agreed American Angela asked Bokonon Bokononist bomb Breed called Castle close cried dead didn't died don't door eyes faced father feel feet Felix fingers Frank gave girl give going hands happened happy Hazel head heard Hoenikker hook Hoosier Hope hundred ice-nine idea Ilium interested island Johnson Julian Castle karass kind knew letter little Newt living looked Lowe Crosby McCabe mean midget Minton Miss Mona Monzano mother never Newt nice night once painting Papa Papa's person Philip picture play President remember San Lorenzo seemed seen sort stand stone stopped suggested suppose sure talked tell thing thought told took trying turned understand wanted wife woman wonder young