The Sirens of Titan MP3 CD – MP3 Audio, August 4, 2015

Very relevant nowadays

TL:DR;Kurt Vonnegut’s The Sirens of Titan is just outside the fringes of what I normally like to read, and I found myself walking away from the book with a slightly muddled sense of satisfaction. The book left me with plenty of things to think about: human nature and certain philosophies being chief among them. Vonnegut does an excellent job building and shaping his characters. Malachi Constant, Beatrice Rumfoord and Winston Niles Rumfoord all felt very real to me and evoked a wide range of emotions over the course of the book.The story is interesting and compelling as well; however, I did find the beginning of the book to be very bland and a bit off putting (I did later come to see the necessity of the beginning, but that did not make it anymore interesting to read while I was reading it.) Ultimately, I enjoyed the book and I would encourage people to read it, but I would only actively recommend this book to specific readers. If you want to explore human nature, follow one man on his quest for the meaning of life, or experience a small taste of just how indifferent and large the galaxy really is, I would highly recommend this book. If you’re looking for space battles, high action, or physical conflicts, I’d suggest you look elsewhere.The Bad:1. I felt the beginning of the book was weak. Vonnegut's writing struck me as somewhat circular and sometimes a bit wordy (this problem cleared up later. I’m not sure if I just got used to the style, or it slowly evaporated). I also had very little interest in the characters and found the story itself slow. The reasoning for this is revealed later in the book, but that doesn’t excuse having a blunt hook at the start of the story.The Good:1. Once you get past the slow hump in the beginning, the characters become quite interesting and develop real personalities of their own. There are times at which you’ll loathe Constant, pity him, empathize with him, and be happy for him. Vonnegut’s depiction of the sad isolation and creeping depression that Constant deals with really reverberated with me. The same goes for many of the other characters, despite their initial two dimensional presentations they all prove themselves to be multi-faceted gems by the end of the book.2. The story. Again, once you crest the hill that is the beginning of the book, the story really picks up. After the main characters leave Earth and make for Mars (as prophesied by William Niles Rumfoord) things become really interesting, and Vonnegut’s story telling really begins to shine. Vonnegut's thematic elements shine brightly throughout the entire story as well, which gave me a deeper appreciation for the situations that Vonnegut penned.The Meh:1. You’re going to need a little background information to understand this gripe. My editor girlfriend loves, loves, loves semicolons. She loves semicolons an almost inordinate amount. She gets excited when she gets to edit one into something. So I used to love to tease her with this Vonnegut quote.“Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college.”Upon reading some of his work, that quote makes Vonnegut seem like a hypocrite to me. I do not recall coming across any semicolons; however, I came across quite a few words that I had to stop and look up.Synopsis: Winston Niles Rumfoord and his dog, Kazak, are chronosynclastically infundibulated, and every fifty nine days he materializes for a period of hours at his home on the planet Earth. The materializations have always been a private event, until one day Malachi Constant is invited to witness and partake in one of Rumfoord’s materializations. Since he is infundibulated, Rumfoord knows many things, specifically he knows that Constant will travel to Mars, then Mercury, back to Earth again, and then finally on to one of Saturn’s Moons, Titan. Of course Constant doesn’t believe him and leaves the materialization shortly after it ends. It doesn’t take long to discover the first of Rumfoord’s predictions to be true. With each new planet, we explore a new side of Malachi Constant and discover just how little the universe really cares.

I am frankly surprised at the negative reviews of this book. Admittedly, I am a fan of Vonnegut's work. In fact, I like even the books of his that *he* himself wasn't particularly fond of (i.e. Slapstick). Admittedly, the bulk of this book is, to use one of Vonnegut's own popular sentiments, "pessimistic". Perhaps 200+ pages out of the book are a bit of a downer in that it presents an incredibly fatalistic and even cynical view of humanity and life in general. But hey, it's Vonnegut. He's asking you to think a little. He's challenging you to question your beliefs. And, I'm not sure that he's presenting conclusions or answers. I think he's just asking the questions.*Spoilers ahead*Sure, the Tralmafadorians have manipulated life on Earth for nothing more than to deliver a small, perfectly machined piece of metal to Titan. But so what? Vonnegut paints a complicated picture. He doesn't spell it out. He's not stating that it's all fatalistic. I don't think *he* had drawn the conclusions. I think he was asking the questions for himself.I think it is a brilliant and challenging novel. 5 stars. And, I'm surprised at the complexity and the breadth that he weaves so artfully in this, which I believe is only his second novel.With all that said, I wouldn't recommend it to any but the heartiest souls as an introduction to Vonnegut's work since it is, perhaps, one of the most challenging, in my view. Not that most of Vonnegut's writing is exactly *easy*. I mean, it would be a mistake to read Vonnegut expecting, say, Harry Potter. But all the same, I'd probably start with other Vonnegut books to get an introduction to his style and his personality and his voice before reading The Siren's of Titan. To be honest, it's been over a decade since I've read most of his work, so I'm not sure what I would recommend, but from memory, most would be easier starting points.

Sirens of Titan was my second Vonnegut book and while I didn't think that it was quite on par with Slaughter House 5, I did think it was very good book that I enjoyed quite a bit. The book largely follows Malachi Constant as he's placed in various situations and examines the meaning of life utilizing a worldview that takes an existential slant that borders on nihilism in places. The difference between where Vonnegut concludes and where other's view the world through takes them, is that Vonnegut chooses to end up in a warmer, fuzzier, somewhat optimistic place rather than the cold, dark place that others often get to when beginning with the worldview Vonnegut espouses. While I won't spoil the end or the twists that happen along the way the message in the end is largely one of live in the moment you're in, love those around you and no matter who's pulling the strings, do the best to make the world a better place however you can. Sort of a 60's flower power anthem, which, isn't such a bad anthem to be singing.In any case, philosophy aside, the story itself was a pretty fun, quick ride that made me think in a few places, had some good wisdom that most would agree with and even had a few twists along the way that kept the story interesting and moving along nicely. The pieces come together nicely towards the very end to shed light on the earlier events in a satisfying way and while I wouldn't consider this a "classic" or "must read", it is very good and definitely not Sci-Fi enough to turn off anyone who's not a fan of the genre. In fact, while the story happens to unfold on several planets (mostly in our solar system), it's really just a story about man's place in the universe and really can be enjoyed by just about anyone. So, all things considered, another great book by Vonnegut that has me looking forward to whatever next Vonnegut book I'll eventually read next.

A compelling tale of love and human nature. Much recommend

This book shows novels should work: life, although chronological, is not chronological in the emotional and mental experience of how it's lived. It goes forwards, back, loops around, repeats, and will sometimes leave the user feeling like that have no control over it. That is how Vonnegut novels work. He is obsessed (I don't think that is too stronger word) with freewill. Does it exist; how does it operate if it does? That, I think is why time travellers and beings who can see the whole of existence crop up throughout his fiction. His books are funny, in a deadpan kind of way; funny that is also desperately serious (read the last chapter of Cat's Cradle). Put all this together and you have a seriously great writer, one moreover whose style is deceptively simple. Just look at the opening page of Sirens of Titans: it reads almost like a children's book, accept of course it's not. Funny, serious, oddball and just brilliant; just like life.

From an overall humanist standpoint, through a stoic acceptance of fate and the possible meaninglessness of our existence, passing through social comments on inequality to pointing out the absurdity of much human effort, this novel brings to light themes which Vonnegut would develop in at least half of the books he would later write. Indeed, the "universe" he writes of in his major works are nearly all firmly within the one he creates here.If you are unfamiliar with his work, this is the one to start with. If you haven't caught up with this one and have read others, this one is the wellspring of them all.I read it when I was 18 and have just read it now 50 years later and I still find in it that mix of humour, sadness and wisdom that got me hooked on KV back then.No spoilers - read this book!

My Favorite Vonnegut book, and #2 on my all-time best read list. Third time around for this world-wind of a novel. Vonnegut's creativity and story telling par excellence.

爆笑問題の太田さんがラジオで激賞していたので読んでみました。第一章のタイトル「Timid(臆病)とTimbuktu(アフリカのある都市)の間」何のことだろう、全く想像がつかない。「情熱と冷静の間」みたいだけど。答えは「時間(Time)」ますます何のことか分からない。TimidTimeTimbuktu何のことはない、辞書の言葉の並びである。とにかく'ヘン'な小説なのだ。「時間等曲率漏斗」のせいで全ての時空間に偏在する「波動人間」と化し、５９日毎にロードアイランド州ニューポートの自宅に実体化しすぐ消えるラムフォード氏。そのラムフォード氏に、太陽系をさまよった挙句、木星の衛星タイタンで果てることを予言された、父親の残した謎の投資手法で大富豪になった、マラカイ・コンスタント。そのマラカイと火星で結婚することを、同じくラムフォード氏に予言される、ラムフォード氏の妻ベアトリス。そのベアトリスとマラカイを狙う、地球侵略を目論む火星のエージェント。第３章までの間に、読者として一体どこまで真に受けたらよいのか分からないような大風呂敷が広げられる。そのとっ散らかった風呂敷の中身が１２章までかけて、しっかりじっくりと描かれる。序盤にトンデモ設定をブチ込み過ぎて、１０週で打ち切り確実と思ったジャンプのマンガが、３０巻くらいかけて全ての伏線を回収した、みたいな。まさか、本当に全部やるとは…。さらに広げた風呂敷の大きさに比べてどうでもいいようなオチ…第１章のタイトルに込められた意味（意味がないという意味）と終始一貫という意味では、作者は「誠実なメッセンジャー」と言える。もちろんwikipediaにあるように、そこに「自由意志」などのテーマを見出すことは出来る。第１章の意味する「時間」も、この小説における重要なテーマのひとつではある。だが、そういうことでもない気がする。とにかく'ヘン'な小説なのだ。文体はとにかく軽い。文法的に小難しい言い回しはほどんどない。これ読んだ後に、A・C・クラークの「地球幼年期の終わり」を読んだら、「うわ、読み応えあるわ～」と、あまりの違いに驚かされた。その割に、ディテールは細かい。一例を挙げると、ロボットであるサロの説明で、「He was held together by cotter pins, hose clamps, nuts, bolts, and magnets.」とある。何で異星のロボットが「cotter pins」や「hose clamps」で留められてるのかという疑問もさることながら、そんな細かい説明が必要なのだろうかとも思わされる。一事が万事でとにかく説明やエピソードが細かく長くておまけに'ヘン'。「よくこんなこと思いつくな」と感心するか、「いや、長いな！」と呆れるかで、好き嫌いがハッキリ分かれるのではないだろうか。--------------------------------------------------------------以下、読み下しノートラムフォード氏に貰ったタイタンの３美女の写真に勝手に「煙」を書き足し、自らのタバコ会社の広告に使用したマラカイ。３美女から立ち昇るようなエロスの描写に「concupiscence」という難しい単語が使われているが、「concupiscence」の語源を遡ると「煙」に行き当たる。これって偶然だと思いますか？ラムフォード氏のタイタンにおける宮殿「Dun Roamin」。そのままググっても意味不明だが、検索語句を「Dunroamin」とすれば、すぐ分かります。ラムフォード氏が何かの「オチ」に使われているとしてサロに引用した「But what have you done for me lately? 」。そのままググってもジャネット・ジャクソンの歌のタイトルしかヒットせず、さすがの予知能力でも、未来の歌のタイトルまでは分からないだろうから、ここは検索語句に「Alben Barkley」を追加すれば、（恐らく）元ネタがヒットします。最終的にベアトリスを喪い、やる瀬なく、おもむろに両手をこすり合わせるマラカイ。「The only company he had left on Titan was whatever company his right hand could be for his left. 」「もはやこのタイタンで彼に残された温もりといえるようなものは、擦り合わせた両手の、その右手が左手に与えられる程度のものに過ぎなかった」多少意訳になるが、こんな感じだろうか。この、ちょっと文法的に分かりづらいが故に、しっかり読まされてしまう、感傷的な文章はこの小説では珍しく、そのため印象に残った次第です。--------------------------------------------------------------ラムフォード氏のキャラで思い出したのが、アメコミの「ウォッチメン」に出てくる、やはり事故で人類を凌駕する能力を得た「Dr.マンハッタン」のことだ。人間性を失いかけている彼を辛うじて繋ぎとめていたのは恋人の存在だった。では、もはや時間も空間も意味を成さないラムフォード氏を、それでも人間に縛り付けていたものは一体なんだったのだろう。答えらしきものは、この物語の終わりの地であるタイタンにおいて明かされる。先に挙げた「Dun Roamin」は、コテージなどに付けられがちな名前で「放浪の終わり」を意味する。同じく先に挙げた「But what have you done for me lately? 」の元ネタは、ある政治家が、前回自分に投票してくれたのに、今回してくれなかった有権者を問い質した際の返答であり、「関係性の終わり（または変化）」を表している（ジャネット・ジャクソンの歌もそれは同じ）。さらに、サロとの会話中、彼は、サロが自分のことを少年時代の愛称「Skip」で呼ぶことに、激しい苛立ちを度々露わにするが、これなども「少年時代の終わり」を表しているといっていいだろう。いずれも、直線的な時間の概念を喪失した人間には全く無用のことだ。物事を終わりにする、つまり「時間的な区切り」を付けるということが、人間の営みにとって最も重要な事であるということに、失ってから初めて気付いた。彼にとっては「サヨナラだけが人生」だったのだ。そのことは、彼の太陽系における最後の言葉に集約される。「In a punctual way of speaking, good-bye.」