Kurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis in 1922 and studied biochemistry at Cornell University. After serving in Europe during the Second World War, he specialised in anthropology at the University of Chicago before becoming a full-time writer. Author of more than fifteen published novels, Vonnegut is perhaps best described as a social satirist. A writer of almost prophetic vision, his work not only covers a wide variety of genres, including science fiction, but also often mixes genres within the same book. His amazing versatility and imaginative range have earned him international acclaim for his novels, which include 'Player Piano', 'Slaughterhouse-Five', 'Deadeye Dick' and 'Bluebeard'.

Kurt Vonnegut died at the age of 84 on April 11, 2007.