Trivia

A soldier in the US Army during World War II, Vonnegut had been captured by German forces and imprisoned in a POW camp in Dresden, Germany. The infamous firebombing of Dresden occurred while he was there, and his survival of it and his experiences during it were the basis for his novel "Slaughterhouse-Five".

Adopted his sister's three young children after her death.

December 22, 1944, Vonnegut was captured during the Battle of the Bulge while a battalion scout with the 106 Infantry Division. May 22, 1945, Vonnegut released to return to the U.S. Awarded the Purple Heart.

Ex-father-in-law of Geraldo Rivera.

Was considering abandoning writing and taking a teaching job when ''Cat's Cradle'' became a best-seller.

His mother committed suicide just before he left for Germany in World War 2.

An ardent socialist, having taken inspiration from fellow Indiana natives Powers Hapgood and Eugene V. Debs.

Started writing in his mid-twenties.

He adopted his sister's three children after she died, for a total of 7 children.

Some of his novels were banned & also burned for suspected obscenity.

Father of daughter Lily, from his second wife, Jill Krementz. Mark, Edith (Edie Vonnegut) and Nanette (Nanny Vonnegut) from his first wife, Jane Marie Cox. Adopted his sister's children after her death, James, Steven and Kurt Adams.

Studied chemistry at Cornell University before joining the U.S. Army.

Teaches advanced writing at Smith College (September 2000)

Kurt Vonnegut has been referred to in numerous teen-themed movies: in Footloose (1984), Kevin Bacon argues the merits of the novel "Slaughterhouse Five" with the town minister; in Varsity Blues (1999), James Van Der Beek (as a high-school backup QB) reads "Slaughterhouse Five" instead of his team's play-book; James Marsden discovers William Sadler's supposedly retarded janitor reading "Slaughterhouse Five" in Disturbing Behavior (1998); Can't Hardly Wait (1998) ends with Ethan Embry going to Chicago for a writing course, headed by Kurt Vonnegut.

Attended Cornell University (Chemistry) and earned an MA from University of Chicago.

Senior editor and columnist at "In These Times" magazine.

Dedicated his novel "Slapstick" to "Arthur Stanley Jefferson and Norvell Hardy, two angels of my time" (Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy).

Vonnegut's career at Cornell was cut short by his enlisting in the Army in WWII.

There is a "Creepypasta" Urban Myth Corresponding to "Welcome to the Monkey House".

Championed the play "Opportunites in Zero Gravity," which was written by Stephen Geller (screenwriter of Slaughterhouse-Five (1972)) and Kae Geller (Mankovich).

Younger brother of Bernard Vonnegut.

His parents were both of German descent.