Cat’s Cradle and Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut

The past few days I read two titles by Kurt Vonnegut, because they were mentioned in Among Others by Jo Walton that I read last month. The protagonist in Walton’s book, set in 1979/1980, is an avid reader, also of science fiction and fantasy and her reading includes Vonnegut’s work. Based on those mentions I bought Sirens of Titan (1959) and Cat’s Cradle (1963). Both were Hugo award nominees (1960, 1964 respectively). I thought I hadn’t read them before, but I realised that I have read Sirens of Titan at some time. Vonnegut’s irony and absurdity makes me wonder if something like that would be published nowadays. Like with Slaughterhouse Five I did keep reading, but I’m never absorbed in it, always hovering above the story, seeing the author perform. And of course in the end everyone and their dreams die pointless deaths. So it goes.