Cat's Cradle Deluxe Edition

Any one received Cat's Cradle Deluxe edition? And if so what are your thoughts on the quality of this edition? Any pics would be great also. Thanks

Well, for one thing, the author signature is on a bookplate (actually, calling it a bookplate is kind -- it's a separate piece of paper that was pasted onto a page at the front of the book). This is not as valuable as when a page in the book is actually signed by the author (even if the entire page is tipped in after printing).

EP has pulled this stunt before -- with the Deluxe Illustrated Edition of Elie Wiesel's Night. As this thread attests, this was not very popular among member of this group.

Rumor has it that Vonnegut was contracted to sign this edition; however, after it was printed, he flat out refused to do so.

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Thank you for letting us know about the signature. Given that this DLE came out so long after his death, I was afraid that would be the method of "signature." I own Night but only kept it because I was actually quite fond of the design and illustrations. I was terribly disappointed however in how EP handled the signature (as you describe). It was barely any better than if the author had put initials on a post-it note and stuck it on the title page. Now that you have let us know Cat's Cradle is the same, I can safely remove from my wish list!

I should have mentioned this, but with Cat's Cradle the "tipped in" signature doesn't look like an afterthought (as it did with Night). The signature page was clearly designed with the signed bookplate in mind (there is a perfectly-sized gold frame printed onto the page into which the plate has been pasted). It actually looks very nice. So...my joke about Vonnegut "flat out" refusing to sign the finished book was not only in marginally bad taste, but also misleading (I suppose I just can't resist an opportunity to be a smart ass).

Nevertheless, when you purchase a book described as "bearing the personal signature of Kurt Vonnegut", you'd expect that an actual page of the book be signed (even if the entire page is tipped in after printing). I didn't buy this book as an investment, so I am not bothered by this all that much (as I said, it has actually been done quite nicely). Nevertheless, I do not doubt that there will be disappointment--if not outright consternation--among some of those who bought this relatively expensive edition before it sold out. I do not imagine that this feature will be mentioned when the book is sold on the secondary market, so buyers beware!