Kurt Vonnegut was an American author best known for his satirical works such as Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat's Cradle. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1922 and died in 2007. Vonnegut wrote 14 novels, three short story collections, five plays, and five works of non-fiction. His works often explored the effects of war, technology, and science on humanity. He was a prolific writer and his works have been translated into more than 30 languages.