Contact
by Carl Sagan · first published 1985
33% recommend65% neutral2% critical
Why HN recommends it
Novel about a SETI scientist decoding a radio signal from alien intelligence, weighing science against politics and religion. Readers say it beats the movie, with a payoff idea the film leaves out.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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.
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
I Am Legend
Editorial Editorial Empire, Richard Matheson,Richard, Steve Steve Douglas
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 22 recommend · 2 mention2 recommend · 22 recommend
2008–2024Tiger! tiger!
Alfred Bester
Recommended by 9 · mentioned by 109 recommend · 10 mention9 recommend · 109 recommend
2010–2025The years of rice and salt
Kim Stanley Robinson
Recommended by 10 · mentioned by 1910 recommend · 19 mention10 recommend · 1910 recommend
2008–2026His Master's Voice
Stanisław Lem
Recommended by 49 · mentioned by 6649 recommend · 66 mention49 recommend · 6649 recommend
Imaginary Magnitude
Stanisław Lem, Marc E. Heine
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 136 recommend · 13 mention6 recommend · 136 recommend
2013–2026The dog stars
Peter Heller
Recommended by 7 · mentioned by 97 recommend · 9 mention7 recommend · 97 recommend
2008–2020Slan
A. E. van Vogt, Oliver Wyman, Kevin J. Anderson
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 43 recommend · 4 mention3 recommend · 43 recommend
2008–2026The Stars My Destination
Alfred Bester
Recommended by 34 · mentioned by 4834 recommend · 48 mention34 recommend · 4834 recommend
There’s a great scene in the end of the book “Contact” by Carl Sagan where the main character uses super powerful computers to find a raster image of a circle hidden deep in the digits of pi. This is supposed to be a moment of deep spiritual significance.…
on “Images Created from Prime Numbers” ↗His Master's Voice is also a good entry point, especially if you've read Contact by Carl Sagan. Same conceit taken in two completely different directions.
on “The Future According to Stanisław Lem” ↗In Carl Sagan's Contact (the book, not the very good movie), Ellie is on the life-extension station with SR Hadden and about to land back on earth after the accident. I can't find the exact quoted exchange but it goes something…
on “SETI spots dozens of new mysterious signals emanating from distant galaxy” ↗Heh... I wonder how many people don't even know that Contact was originally a book by Carl Sagan. Although the movie was more true to the book than most, the book was much better than the movie, as is usually the case.
on “'Second Earth' found, 20 light years away” ↗If you are interested in exploring this topic more, the fiction book Contact by Carl Sagan is based on the premise of detecting a radio signal from intelligent life. It is a great book that you will make you wonder what effects contact from intelligent life elsewhere would have…
on “A Universe Full of Planets” ↗Contact by Carl Sagan - A good novel that deals with the politics of Science and religion. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse , A philosophical take on life , reality and belief system. The…
on “Books that have affected you and your life the most” ↗…Age might also resonate. And while both more "near term" and historical, his Cryptonomicon has some very worthy reflections and speculations. And I guess I really can't pass up suggesting Carl Sagan's Contact. Superb. As for films, I'm not the most versed, but the following, more "real" science fiction films come to mind: GATTACA Blade Runner (yeah, yeah, but I just re-watched it) And I'll mention…
on “The Tomorrow Project: science fiction commissioned by Intel” ↗Not just short stories - Carl Sagan's Contact is there. The book had a terrific payoff idea that the movie didn't acknowledge at all, so if you've only seen the movie then you've missed the important stuff. (Avoid the synopsis at kasmana.people.cofc.edu…
on “Math in Fiction – over 1000 short stories involving math or mathematicians” ↗Contact by Carl Sagan. I first read it as an adult and it took my breath away. The movie was a fair adaptation. Also, I like to read Ender's Game once a year or so.
on “Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read? ” ↗Contact, by Carl Sagan. One of my absolute favorites. It's such an intense book emotionally. I read it when I was 14. It changed how I looked at life in general.
on “Ask HN: What is the most mind blowing book you've ever read?” ↗"Contact", by Carl Sagan. It's not "light" and "easy", but it ties our current world to future promise. And it has some wonderful storytelling and writing putting this into context. The main character, Ellie,…
on “Ask HN: What are the best Sci-Fi books you've ever read?” ↗In addition to the existing ones (I'll throw another vote towards any Neal Stephenson or Andy Weir novel): Contact by Carl Sagan. It's a nice tale about a passionate SETI scientist, by an author known more commonly for nonfiction and TV.
on “The Realism of Our Times: Kim Stanley Robinson on how science fiction works” ↗…Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton - Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini - Ice Station Zebra by Alistair MacLean - The Cthulhu Casebooks - Sherlock Holmes and the Sussex Sea-Devils by James Lovegrove - Contact by Carl Sagan - 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke Top 11? :-)
on “Ask HN: What is your favorite fiction book?” ↗The novel Contact by Carl Sagan was pretty good in this area of SETI.
on “SETI spots dozens of new mysterious signals emanating from distant galaxy” ↗…research. High risk with the highest reward. What could fundamentally change humanity more than definitively finding intelligent life out there? Lastly, some commenters need to go read Carl Sagan's Contact. He goes over all of this nay-saying! [1] https://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/ [2] https://www.amazon.com/Three-Body-Problem-Cixin-Liu/dp/07653...
on “Astronomers want public funds for intelligent life search” ↗