November 11, 2005

Happy birthday, Kurt Vonnegut

It's Kurt Vonnegut's birthday. The irony of his being born on Veteran's Day is not lost on him, I'm sure. Vonnegut is, of course, the author of one of the great, American anti-war novels, Slaughterhouse-Five. A Purple Heart recipient, Vonnegut was an advance scout with the U.S. 106th Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge. He witnessed, first-hand, the bombing of the once beautiful city Dresden, Germany, while being held as a prisoner of war.
Dresden, before and after


Thanks, Adolf (look what you forced us to do)! So it goes.

Favorite Vonnegut novels (in no particular order) are:


Poo-tee-weet

3 comments:

Keith said...

Really nice tribute!

Of course, whenever I hear Vonnegut's name now, all I can think of is that Rodney Dangerfield scene in BACK TO SCHOOL.. "And another thing, Vonnegut!". LOL

Chris said...

Thanks, Keith! That's right! I'd forgotten he made a cameo appearnace in that flick. Another little trivial fact about him is that Geraldo Rivera was married to his daughter for a while.

Keith said...

Really?! I did not know that.