"Cat's Cradle" is a novel by Kurt Vonnegut, first published in 1963. The novel is a satirical commentary on modern society and science, and it features a cast of characters who are grappling with the consequences of the development of a new substance called "Ice-nine," which has the ability to freeze all the water on Earth.

At the center of the story is a narrator named John, who is writing a book about the life of a scientist named Felix Hoenikker, one of the creators of Ice-nine. As John investigates Hoenikker's life, he becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue involving the scientist's children, the military, and a religious cult known as the Bokononists.

Throughout the book, Vonnegut employs elements of black humor and irony to skewer the human obsession with science and technology, and to highlight the dangers of unchecked progress. He also uses the idea of Ice-nine as a metaphor for the destructive power of knowledge, and the way in which people can be manipulated and controlled by those who hold it.

Overall, "Cat's Cradle" is a thought-provoking and entertaining novel that offers a unique perspective on the nature of truth, the dangers of science and technology, and the human condition.