"His best book," Esquire wrote of Kurt Vonnegut's 1959 novel The Sirens of Titan, adding, "he dares not only to ask the ultimate question about the meaning of life, but to answer it." This novel fits into that aspect of the Vonnegut canon that might be classified as science fiction, a quality that once led Time to describe Vonnegut as "George Orwell, Dr. Caligari and Flash Gordon compounded into one writer ... a zany but moral mad scientist."
The Sirens of Titan was perhaps the novel that began the Vonnegut phenomenon with readers. The story is a fabulous trip, spinning madly through space and time in pursuit of nothing less than a fundamental understanding of the meaning of life. It takes place at a time in the future, when "only the human soul remained terra incognita ... the Nightmare Ages, falling roughly, give or take a few years, between the …
"His best book," Esquire wrote of Kurt Vonnegut's 1959 novel The Sirens of Titan, adding, "he dares not only to ask the ultimate question about the meaning of life, but to answer it." This novel fits into that aspect of the Vonnegut canon that might be classified as science fiction, a quality that once led Time to describe Vonnegut as "George Orwell, Dr. Caligari and Flash Gordon compounded into one writer ... a zany but moral mad scientist."
The Sirens of Titan was perhaps the novel that began the Vonnegut phenomenon with readers. The story is a fabulous trip, spinning madly through space and time in pursuit of nothing less than a fundamental understanding of the meaning of life. It takes place at a time in the future, when "only the human soul remained terra incognita ... the Nightmare Ages, falling roughly, give or take a few years, between the Second World War and the Third Great Depression."
The villainous and super rich Malachi Constant is offered a chance to journey into the far reaches of outer space, to eventually live on the planet Titan surrounded by three beautiful sirens. There is the proverbial "small print" with this incredible offer, which Constant turns down, setting in motion a fantastic chain of events that only Vonnegut could imagine. The result is an uproarious, freewheeling inquiry into the very reason we exist and about how we participate and matter in the scheme of the universe.
The Sirens of Titan is essential, fundamental Vonnegut, as entertaining as it is questing in search of answers to the mysteries of life. As a work of fiction, it is a sure leap, in terms of craft, over his first novel, Player Piano. His writing here is pared down, more concentrated and graceful, richly in the service of his remarkable ideas. Vonnegut summons greatness for the first time in The Sirens of Titan, where the search for the meaning of existence looks and sounds like a kaleidoscopic dream but leaves the reader with a clear and challenging answer.
8 days ago I picked up a different book entirely - one of the classics - and found myself really struggling to get into it. After an hour I'd read the same 20 pages 3 or 4 times. It was no good, I wasn't enjoying it at all - something must be done!
So I put it down and instead reached into the bookshelf for comfort and enjoyment and my hand came across Kurt Vonnegut, as it so often has before.
This book was what the doctor ordered.
This book took me through time and space but mostly just through humanity.
This book taught me everything and nothing - as all good books should.
This book had me laughing out loud in the OBA Public Library, Oosterdokskade, Amsterdam Centraal, Holland, Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.
The thought that always dominates my mind when reading Vonnegut is the wish that I had read him when I was younger. I also wish that more young people come to read him and love his work. The reason for this is that he presents a way of looking at life and living that is kinder, gentler, and wiser than what our current society tends to teach us. He does not use any religious dogma to arrive at his wonderful perspective. He has a remarkable ability to put a smile on our faces, all the while criticizing our values and worldviews. He manages to do this in 'The Sirens of Titan' as well.
I did enjoy this book, and it did make me think of my own perspectives and values. I thought this book was the strongest towards the beginning and towards the end. The middle part is slightly sluggish …
The thought that always dominates my mind when reading Vonnegut is the wish that I had read him when I was younger. I also wish that more young people come to read him and love his work. The reason for this is that he presents a way of looking at life and living that is kinder, gentler, and wiser than what our current society tends to teach us. He does not use any religious dogma to arrive at his wonderful perspective. He has a remarkable ability to put a smile on our faces, all the while criticizing our values and worldviews. He manages to do this in 'The Sirens of Titan' as well.
I did enjoy this book, and it did make me think of my own perspectives and values. I thought this book was the strongest towards the beginning and towards the end. The middle part is slightly sluggish but not bad in any way. While I liked Slaughterhouse-five a bit more, that could be just because that book was my first introduction to Vonnegut. I heartily recommend 'The Sirens of Titan' to anyone, especially to the younger audience.
Vonnegut takes down government, religion and divine purpose. But even though there's humor and his trademark silliness, it's not an easy read. I felt kinda empty after. I don't know if I enjoyed it, but it's worth reading.
