Hardcover, 319 pages
English language
Published June 1, 1971 by Delta.
The Sirens of Titan is an outrageous romp through space, time, and morality. The richest, most depraved man on Earth, Malachi Constant, is offered a chance to take a space journey to distant worlds with a beautiful woman at his side. Of course there's a catch to the invitation—and a prophetic vision about the purpose of human life that only Vonnegut has the courage to tell.
It started off as a fun and weird scifi book, to a fun and cynical take on the human condition, to a beautiful take on the meaning of life. One of Constants last lines on Titan made tears come to my eyes.
Edit: The more and more I think on it the more I like this book. I will definitely be reading it again at some point.
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.
And so it goes.
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.
