A novel one can listen to

Because I am neither a scientist, nor a mathematician, there is a lot that I cannot enjoy to its fullest extent in this story, like the very ending.
What the contents of the story did to me.
It is the eve of the new millennium; remember, when so many amazing things happened, and the world and us humans were changed forever? Well, contact is made with earthlings from out in space. The novel was published in 1985. Carl Sagan does not seem to be misogynist, and does not demonstrate a strongly tribal mentality. It is almost funny to read in his words that, when Humans are presented with an invitation for five of them to visit another civilization in the galaxy, the American government spontaneously wonders “how many Americans among them ? And how many Soviets?”. Also, if that crew should be all male or include some women… To be fair, the proposal to have an all female crew is made, for practical purposes, but immediately considered frivolous and rejected. Finally, the “machine” takes onboard one American ( Canada? What’s that? LatinoAmerica, what?), one Soviet Russian, one Chinese – representing also Japan, one Indian, and one Nigerian; among them, two women. They represent the humans. The choice seems to be made on the basis of size and/or power of the tribe.
The story depicts a trend of worldly reconciliation and cooperation in the face of this encounter. But let’s not be too enthusiastic! I wonder if we will ever be capable to emancipate ourselves from our tribal mindset...
Also, we encounter a few billionaires who set up their home in orbit. Does that remind me of someone…? And how do they justify spending so much of the Earth’s limited resources to minister to their very egotistical needs? By the fact they can. Shut your stupid mouth, you, loser.
And now, the novel by itself, to which Robert Zemeckis’ movie brought me.
Well written, well read, full of interesting considerations, taking the reader along without fail. A good read, or, in this case, a good novel to listen to.

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