Book Recommendations
Galapagos
By Kurt Vonnegut
Fiction, Literary, Science Fiction, Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic, Satire | 336 pages
1 recommendation
“A madcap genealogical adventure . . . Vonnegut is a postmodern Mark Twain.”—The New York Times Book Review
Galápagos takes the reader back one million years, to A.D. 1986. A simple vacation cruise suddenly becomes an evolutionary journey. Thanks to an apocalypse, a small group of survivors stranded on the Galápagos Islands are about to become the progenitors of a brave, new, and totally different human race. In this inimitable novel, America’ s master satirist looks at our world and shows us all that is sadly, madly awry–and all that is worth saving.
Praise for Galápagos
“The best Vonnegut novel yet!”—John Irving
“Beautiful . . . provocative, arresting reading.”—USA Today
“A satire in the classic tradition . . . a dark vision, a heartfelt warning.”—The Detroit Free Press
“Interesting, engaging, sad and yet very funny . . . Vonnegut is still in top form. If he has no prescription for alleviating the pain of the human condition, at least he is a first-rate diagnostician.”—Susan Isaacs, Newsday
“Dark . . . original and funny.”—People
“A triumph of style, originality and warped yet consistent logic . . . a condensation, an evolution of Vonnegut’s entire career, including all the issues and questions he has pursued relentlessly for four decades.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Wild details, wry humor, outrageous characters . . . Galápagos is a comic lament, a sadly ironic vison.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“A work of high comedy, sadness and imagination.”—The Denver Post
“Wacky wit and irreverent imagination . . . and the full range of technical innovations have made [Vonnegut] America’s preeminent experimental novelist.”—The Minneapolis Star and Tribune
Galápagos takes the reader back one million years, to A.D. 1986. A simple vacation cruise suddenly becomes an evolutionary journey. Thanks to an apocalypse, a small group of survivors stranded on the Galápagos Islands are about to become the progenitors of a brave, new, and totally different human race. In this inimitable novel, America’ s master satirist looks at our world and shows us all that is sadly, madly awry–and all that is worth saving.
Praise for Galápagos
“The best Vonnegut novel yet!”—John Irving
“Beautiful . . . provocative, arresting reading.”—USA Today
“A satire in the classic tradition . . . a dark vision, a heartfelt warning.”—The Detroit Free Press
“Interesting, engaging, sad and yet very funny . . . Vonnegut is still in top form. If he has no prescription for alleviating the pain of the human condition, at least he is a first-rate diagnostician.”—Susan Isaacs, Newsday
“Dark . . . original and funny.”—People
“A triumph of style, originality and warped yet consistent logic . . . a condensation, an evolution of Vonnegut’s entire career, including all the issues and questions he has pursued relentlessly for four decades.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Wild details, wry humor, outrageous characters . . . Galápagos is a comic lament, a sadly ironic vison.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“A work of high comedy, sadness and imagination.”—The Denver Post
“Wacky wit and irreverent imagination . . . and the full range of technical innovations have made [Vonnegut] America’s preeminent experimental novelist.”—The Minneapolis Star and Tribune
Latest recommendations
Taylor Sokolovic
"Galápagos by Kurt Vonnegut is a fantastic book to read before traveling to Ecuador or the Galápagos Islands because it offers a unique lens through which to view the region’s rich natural and evolutionary history. The novel’s setting on the islands ties directly to Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking work on natural selection, making it an imaginative companion to understanding the significance of this remote ecosystem.
Vonnegut uses the Galápagos as a backdrop to explore how the environment shapes survival and evolution, which mirrors the islands’ real-life role as a living laboratory for biodiversity. By reading Galápagos before your trip, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the delicate balance of life in the region and the randomness of evolution, themes that resonate as you encounter the unique flora and fauna found only there.
The novel also critiques human impact on the planet, a perspective that adds meaning to visiting a place so focused on conservation. It’s both a humorous and sobering reflection that encourages travelers to think about humanity’s place in nature—a mindset that enhances the experience of seeing the Galápagos firsthand.
If you’re heading to Ecuador or the Galápagos, this book is a thought-provoking way to prepare for what makes this destination so extraordinary."
Vonnegut uses the Galápagos as a backdrop to explore how the environment shapes survival and evolution, which mirrors the islands’ real-life role as a living laboratory for biodiversity. By reading Galápagos before your trip, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the delicate balance of life in the region and the randomness of evolution, themes that resonate as you encounter the unique flora and fauna found only there.
The novel also critiques human impact on the planet, a perspective that adds meaning to visiting a place so focused on conservation. It’s both a humorous and sobering reflection that encourages travelers to think about humanity’s place in nature—a mindset that enhances the experience of seeing the Galápagos firsthand.
If you’re heading to Ecuador or the Galápagos, this book is a thought-provoking way to prepare for what makes this destination so extraordinary."
