Kurt Vonnegut was born on November 11, 1922, in Indianapolis, Indiana, and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was captured by the Germans and witnessed the bombing of Dresden, an event that deeply influenced his work. 'Slaughterhouse-Five', one of his best-known novels, semi-autobiographically covers this experience. Throughout his career, Vonnegut blended satire, humor, and science fiction to explore the human condition and critique contemporary society. He passed away on April 11, 2007.