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'''Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.''' (1913 – 2007) was a popular American author famous for his fictional works. His most prominent work, ''Slaughterhouse-Five'' (1969), is based on his personal experiences as a [[prisoner of war]] trapped in the [[Allied]] bombing of [[Dresden]] in [[World War II]].

'''Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.''' (1913 – 2007) was a popular American novelist and short story writer. His most prominent work, ''Slaughterhouse-Five'' (1969), is based on his personal experiences as a [[prisoner of war]] trapped in [[Dresden]] as the [[Allies]] bombed the town [during [World War II]]. ''Breakfast of Champions'' (1973) was his most commercially successful book, though it was not as acclaimed by critics.

''Breakfast of Champions'' (1973) was the most commercially successful though not as acclaimed by critics.

Vonnegut described himself as an [[atheist]], among other things,<ref>Some question whether Kurt Vonnegut was an atheist. He has described himself as a "[[secular humanist]]," and the majority of secular humanists are atheist or agnostic.</ref> and in 1992 won the "Humanist of the Year" award.<ref>http://www.celebatheists.com/index.php?title=Kurt_Vonnegut_Jr.</ref>  He attributed his atheism to having studied anthropology and in ''Hocus Pocus'' one of his characters is disrespectful of those with faith, rebutting the observation of "there were no atheists in foxholes" with the comment, 'There's a Chaplain who never visited the front.'<ref> [http://atheism.about.com/library/quotes/bl_q_KVonnegut.htm Kurt Vonnegut, Hocus Pocus, pg. 182] </ref> Also, in later writings Vonnegut referred to conservative Christians as "not-so-closeted white supremacists, aka “Christians,” " <ref>http://www.inthesetimes.com/comments.php?id=38_0_4_0_C</ref>

Vonnegut described himself as an [[atheist]], among other things,<ref>Some question whether Kurt Vonnegut was an atheist. He has described himself as a "[[secular humanist]]," and the majority of secular humanists are atheist or agnostic.</ref> and in 1992 won the "Humanist of the Year" award.<ref>http://www.celebatheists.com/index.php?title=Kurt_Vonnegut_Jr.</ref>  He attributed his atheism to having studied anthropology. In ''Hocus Pocus'' one of his characters is disrespectful of those with faith, rebutting the observation of "there were no atheists in foxholes" with the comment, "There's a Chaplain who never visited the front."<ref> [http://atheism.about.com/library/quotes/bl_q_KVonnegut.htm Kurt Vonnegut, Hocus Pocus, pg. 182] </ref> Also, in later writings Vonnegut referred to conservative Christians as "not-so-closeted white supremacists, aka “Christians,” " <ref>http://www.inthesetimes.com/comments.php?id=38_0_4_0_C</ref>

While serving as a US Army infantry battalion scout, Vonnegut was captured by the Germans during the [[Battle of the Bulge]] in World War II in 1944.  Taken to Germany as a prisoner of war, Vonnegut was then stuck in an underground meat locker with his fellow prisoners during the firebombing of Dresden on February 13, 1945. 135,000 Germans died in that attack, the same number who perished when the [[atomic bomb]]s were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ''combined''.  Afterwards, Vonnegut and his fellow prisoners were left to dig corpses out of the ruins.  When he returned to America, Vonnegut was awarded a Purple Heart for his service.<ref>http://www.nndb.com/people/928/000022862/</ref>

While serving as a US Army infantry battalion scout, Vonnegut was captured by the Germans during the [[Battle of the Bulge]].  Taken to Germany as a prisoner of war, Vonnegut was then stuck in an underground meat locker with his fellow prisoners during the firebombing of Dresden on February 13, 1945. Afterwards, Vonnegut and his fellow prisoners were left to dig corpses out of the ruins.  When he returned to America, Vonnegut was awarded a [[Purple Heart]] for his service.<ref>http://www.nndb.com/people/928/000022862/</ref>

Robert Scholes gave this review of the ''Slaughterhouse-Five'' in the New York Times Book Review:<ref>http://www.vonnegutweb.com/sh5/index.html</ref>

Robert Scholes gave this review of the ''Slaughterhouse-Five'' in the New York Times Book Review:<ref>http://www.vonnegutweb.com/sh5/index.html</ref>