Contact by Carl Sagan *****

Contact by Carl Sagan is hard Science Fiction with lots of real science, information theory, physics, mathematics, astronomy, biology, chemistry, etc. The story concerns a message from Vega (26 light-years distant) that includes instructions to build The Machine, which five scientists use to tour the galaxy. The main plot lines are SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence), and the nature of faith. The beginning emphasizes SETI and the conclusion is about faith.

The protagonist is Ellie Arroway, a brilliant scientist. The President of the United States is also female. A secondary theme is women’s rights. In addition to advocating for women, the book also supports individual scientists over institutions.

[School-age Ellie asked,] “How could anybody know that decimals go on and on forever?”
“That’s just the way it is,” said the teacher with some asperity.
“But why? How do you know? How can you count decimals forever?”
“Miss Arroway” – he was consulting his class list – “this is a stupid question. You’re wasting the class’s time.”

Thus, early in the book, Sagan established the dichotomy between this smart woman and an ignorant, but powerful, man.

Ellie chooses Harvard over MIT for college, maybe her only lapse in good judgment.

The first information decoded within the message from Vega is a sequential list of prime numbers. Echoing the earlier classroom incident, when Secretary of Defense Michael Kitz suggests that he will classify the message, Dr. Ellie Arroway, responds,

“You want to classify the prime numbers?” she asked, her eyes wide in mock credulity.

The author notes that all space flight is subversive. Viewed from space, the earth is small and political boundaries are invisible. This book, in favor of scientists of all genders and ethnicities, also intends to be subversive laughing at political and religious institutions of power.

If you are interested in science, especially SETI, along with the philosophy of religion, this is the book for you. The writing, science, and philosophy are all excellent.