Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922–2007) was an American novelist and short story writer. This major voice in American literature was celebrated for his insightful, satirical depictions of the horrors and the ironies of 20th century civilization.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Vonnegut served in the air force in World War II, was detained by the Germans, and endured the bombing of Dresden in 1945. He used this experience in his most famous novel, Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children’s Crusade (1969.)
Much of Vonnegut’s literature is characterized by a fatalistic worldview that embraces modern humanist values. Highlighting the comic absurdity of the human condition, he frequently portrayed characters who search for meaning and order in a meaningless and disordered world.
Vonnegut’s first novel, Player Piano (1952,) depicts a New York factory town whose mechanized make-up turns its workers and scientists into near-robots. Other notable novels include Cat’s Cradle (1963,) Breakfast of Champions (1973,) Slapstick (1976,) Jailbird (1979,) Deadeye Dick (1983,) and Hocus Pocus (1991.)
Vonnegut’s short stories were collected in Welcome to the Monkey House (1968.) He also published two collections of essays and speeches, Fates Worse than Death (1991) and A Man Without a Country (2005.)
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Who is more to be pitied, a writer bound and gagged by policemen or one living in perfect freedom who has nothing more to say?
—Kurt Vonnegut
I was taught that the human brain was the crowning glory of evolution so far, but I think it’s a very poor scheme for survival.
—Kurt Vonnegut
Topics: Intelligence, Intellectuals
Maturity is a bitter disappointment for which no remedy exists, unless laughter can be said to remedy anything.
—Kurt Vonnegut
Topics: Laughter, Aging
Thinking doesn’t seem to help very much. The human brain is too high-powered to have many practical uses in this particular universe.
—Kurt Vonnegut
Topics: The Mind
Be careful what you pretend to be, because you are what you pretend to be.
—Kurt Vonnegut
I have been a soreheaded occupant of a file drawer labeled “Science Fiction” and I would like out, particularly since so many serious critics regularly mistake the drawer for a urinal.
—Kurt Vonnegut
Topics: Science Fiction
Another flaw in the human character is that everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do maintenance.
—Kurt Vonnegut
What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.
—Kurt Vonnegut
Topics: Loneliness
Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion … . I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.
—Kurt Vonnegut
Beware of the man who works hard to learn something, learns it, and finds himself no wiser than before. He is full of murderous resentment of people who are ignorant without having come by their ignorance the hard way.
—Kurt Vonnegut
Topics: Learning, Caution
I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can’t see from the center.
—Kurt Vonnegut
I can think of no more stirring symbol of man’s humanity to man than a fire engine.
—Kurt Vonnegut
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