• Contact

  • By: Carl Sagan
  • Narrated by: Laurel Lefkow
  • Length: 14 hrs and 45 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (5,523 ratings)

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Contact  By  cover art

Contact

By: Carl Sagan
Narrated by: Laurel Lefkow
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Publisher's summary

The future is here...in an adventure of cosmic dimension. 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.

©1997 Carl Sagan (P)1997 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Contact deals with issues...worth pondering. The range and depth of ideas is quite uncommon." ( New York Times Book Review)

"Like a good mystery, Contact keeps us curious to the end...ingenious and satisfying." (Newsweek)

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What listeners say about Contact

Average customer ratings
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Beautiful written and narrated

Sagan writes this story with such intention to show how we are all more alike than different. His intention to show we are all here by design is a very uplifting, hope filled message. Laurel Lefkow performs beautifully and kept me engaged in the story for the whole 14+ hours.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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A Fabulous Fiction

Wonderfully different than the movie. Once upon a time I saw Sagan speak at a Planetary Society meeting. Frequent mispronunciations by this edition’s narrator.

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3 people found this helpful

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Incredible

this was one of the most well performed audiobooks I've ever listened to. and one of the most wide-ranging books I've read since the three body problem. though this book moves along so much faster than that trilogy.

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1 person found this helpful

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Amazing story. Way better than the movie!

I am an Engineer and always have loved Science Fiction. I saw the movie "Contact" years ago and lived it but I never knew the author was Carl Sagan, the great astrophysicist popular TV and radio personality in the 70's and 80's. The audio book was rivetting. I could barely stop listening. The movie has similarities to the book; but the book is so much better with respect to technology,the characters and the deep message. Truly an unexpected insight into the heart, intellect and artistry of Carl Sagan I never knew he could write such a great story and also describe physics and technology of everything. The ending has a great twist at the never reflected in the movie. Excellent Listening. Jodie Foster in the movie did a great job conveying the main character in the book you will discover.

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Intelligent science fiction

Just the kind of science fiction book I would have expected Carl Sagan to write. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it.

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Again, I love this book

Forget the movie -- though it was good.
The book is different and I think better. I read it long ago and recently listened to it when it was on a deal -- and it is EXCELLENT! Great narrator, and thank God they didn't do two narrators -- Timely, evocative, amazing story.

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very good. very thorough

A bit slow at points but incredibly thorough and man do the revelations more than pay off for the periodic slowness. Wow what a good book!

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A Symphony of Excellence

Contact is a transcendent masterpiece. I've read it several times and listened to it a few more. Each time is as beautiful as the last. I respect any issues you might have with it being dense, long, or multifaceted, but it is worth it.

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No comparison to the movie!

I am a little shocked at how different this book is to the movie, and the movie was good, but the book is great! Had I read the book first I would have been so disappointed in the movie because so many important things were left out. I mean really important things that give the story so much more depth and complexity and ultimately, to the reader, more satisfaction! Spend the credit!

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I watched the movie first

Despite having seen the movie first, this book was remarkable. The movie was gorgeous to me. It made me think outside my normal views but, this BOOK! This book was incredible. Even this many years of enjoying the film, I was still in awe of the story. The narrator’s voice was fantastic in her telling of it. She was adept at conveying each character. I can’t recommend this story and this narrator enough. Thank you for letting me relive it all again anew. It’s beautiful.

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