The Secret of Life [Hardcover]

Rudy Rucker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1985

Bawdy, hilarious, and brisk, The Secret of Life tours the sixties with Conrad Bunger, alter ego of award-winning cyberpunk Rudy Rucker. Almost suicidally reckless, Conrad doesn't seem destined to reach legal drinking age. However, thanks to the supernatural powers he manifests when in crisis, not even the most severe mishaps interrupt his quest for booze, girls, and enlightenment. From a Catholic high school to college, he gradually awakens to his secret identity as an energy being from outer space. His solemn commission: to proceed incognito and return with the ultimate prize—knowledge of the Secret of Life. Problem is, he's having too darn much fun to keep it together.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 246 pages
• Publisher: Bluejay (June 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312943989
• ISBN-13: 978-0312943981
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,605,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Good enough to enjoy., July 5, 2011

By 

helium123 "helium123" (fla) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret of Life (Hardcover)

The Secret of Life is another delightful and bizarre ready by Rudy Rucker. This time we enter the world of the '60s, and the life of an alien, Conrad, sent by his own to live the life of a normal human being while exploring for them the meaning of life for humans. (Of course, Conrad doesn't know his true identity as a human body is fashioned for him and he is woven into the life of a Louisville family, altering their memories to include this second son.)

Will it be drugs, existentialism, love or simply the pursuit of meaning itself? Will Conrad want to remain a human once he realizes his true identity?

With a bit of exploration of alienated '60s youth and teen to young-adult life, you come to care enough about Conrad and his struggles to keep reading.

I say: worth it.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Juvenalia, June 27, 2007

By 

The Yawning Horror (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Secret of Life (Hardcover)

Surpassed by every other Rucker book I've read, I can only imagine this being enjoyed by someone who hasn't had their expectations set high by better works - perhaps an adolescent not yet assigned to read 'Stranger in a Strange Land' and 'The Catcher in the Rye' would find in this book something novel.