Facts about Kurt Vonnegut

1. 05

   Born in Indianapolis in 1922, Kurt Vonnegut studied biochemistry at Cornell University before being drafted into the US Army during World War II.

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2. 04

   A self-described humanist, Kurt Vonnegut served as honorary president of the American Humanist Association.

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3. 03

   Twelve of Kurt Vonnegut's fourteen novels were rejected by publishers before Slaughterhouse-Five finally achieved commercial success in the late 1960s.

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4. 02

   Vonnegut's 1969 novel Slaughterhouse-Five sold fewer than 5,000 copies in its first year but became a counterculture classic after gaining popularity among Vietnam War protesters.

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5. 01

   In 1945, Kurt Vonnegut survived the firebombing of Dresden while sheltering in an underground meat locker, experiencing the deaths of approximately 25,000 people.

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