Contact

a novel

432 pages

English language

Published Aug. 14, 1985 by Simon and Schuster.

ISBN:
978-0-671-43400-7
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5 stars (2 reviews)

In December, 1999, a multinational team journeys out to the stars, to the most awesome encounter in human history. Who -- or what -- is out there? In Cosmos, Carl Sagan explained the universe. In Contact, he predicts its future -- and our own.

16 editions

Review of 'Contact' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

First written as a screenplay in 1979, it was later brought to the screen in 1997. The action reads like a film, the science and history is wonderful popular science. The relationships and faith are the real impact here, one I didn't get from seeing the film first.

In very brief summary, this is a very personal story of Eleanor "Ellie" Arroway, who today would be a poster child for STEM. Her science leads her and the world to the discovery of alien contact and beyond, but her relationships with scientists and others remains the focus. In a very strong way, this novel is as much about her contact with humanity as with aliens.

This is Sagan's only fiction, which is a shame - the world needs more science in fiction (and outside of it also). I wish I'd read this in college. 4½ stars.