A word to the reader Here is a brand new Russian translation of the novel by American writer Kurt Vonnegut " Cat's Cradle ." A topic that has affected the author in his book, has always been an unhealthy interest . Destruction of civilization . Repeatedly one has predicted the end of the world, even called the exact dates . Obviously, we originally were laid out in the instinct of destruction, self-destruction. For those who have not read Vonnegut's novel in the original or the old translation in Russian, we specify, that the author's lampoon was brought in his book to the very end. Eventually he turned the planet into an ice desert. Imagine ice, where you can walk barefoot, feeling the warm touch of it. However, the so-called ice-nine represented itself mortal danger . But you can look about it for yourself when you will buy this book . The main thing is, in whose hands could get, and finally got, such a substance which destroys everything - ice-nine. During the Soviet era in Russia were banned many writers . Kurt Vonnegut was not among them . But now, if you take up the old translation of the novel " Cat's Cradle " and compare it with the original, you can note that may be the translator ( Rita Rite- Kovalyeva ) or publishers worked with a sharp instrument in their hands, cutting and sharpening all direct "corners," sounded dissonant or incompatible with the Soviet ideology . Thus, the names of Karl Marx, Stalin and even Mao Zedong disappeared from the pages of the old translation, the Communists turned into monarchists and a Soviet spy of the Ukrainian ballet Zinka became simply: " Zika from a foreign band ." Should pay attention to the language style of the author. It is unusual . To move the similar style in Russian language is practically impossible, but the translator R. Rite- Kovalyeva tried to do it. Nobody will blame her for it. The translation, which is offered here, executed, how it worked, according to the canons of the Russian literary language . PONY Michurinsk