Authors: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

100 Life Altering Kurt Vonnegut Quotes

Famous As: Writer Known For His Satirical and Darkly Humorous Novels
Born On: 1922
Died On: 2007
Born In: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Died At Age: 84

Kurt Vonnegut was an American author, essayist and novelist known for his science-fiction elements and satirical literary style. He published five plays, three short stories, five fiction works and 14 novels in his writing career that spanned over 20 years. Cat's Cradle, Player Piano and Breakfast of Champions were two of its best works. The darkly satirical Slaughterhouse-five was the bestseller of 1969. The writer of great characters was a bit of a character himself. A patron of counterculture, Vonnegut wrote great books, won several hearts and did some weird stuff. He graduated from Cornell University in early 1940s. Thereafter, he was enlisted for the U.S. army. The army sent him to study engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. Having fought in the Battle of the Bulge, Vonnegut was captured as a war prisoner. After his release, he began his professional career in writing. It's surprising that Kurt graded his novels to evaluate his writing skills. Being a hardcore supporter of anti-censorship movement, Vonnegut's revolutionary ideas, coarse language and objectionable scene in Slaughterhouse-five stirred up several controversies in the society. His book was banned and challenged in different areas. To honor his literary talent, astronomer Charles W. Juels-- a discoverer of several asteroids named am asteroid in Vonnegut's name on his 77th birthday. We have collected some of most celebrated quotes from Kurt Vonnegut's various works.  Presenting some life altering quotes by Kurt Vonnegut that will change the way you see it.

Listed In:
We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.

We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.

Kurt Vonnegut
Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand.

Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand.

Kurt Vonnegut
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center.

I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center.

Kurt Vonnegut
Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt.

Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt.

Kurt Vonnegut
If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC

If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph: THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD WAS MUSIC

Kurt Vonnegut
We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.

We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.

Kurt Vonnegut
And so it goes...

And so it goes...

Kurt Vonnegut
Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college.

Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college.

Kurt Vonnegut
And I asked myself about the present: how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep.

And I asked myself about the present: how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep.

Kurt Vonnegut
Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are,

Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, "It might have been.

Kurt Vonnegut
How nice -- to feel nothing, and still get full credit for being alive.

How nice -- to feel nothing, and still get full credit for being alive.

Kurt Vonnegut
And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.

And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.

Kurt Vonnegut
The last thing I ever wanted was to be alive when the three most powerful people on the whole planet would be named Bush, Dick and Colon.

The last thing I ever wanted was to be alive when the three most powerful people on the whole planet would be named Bush, Dick and Colon.

Kurt Vonnegut
Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum.

Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum.

Kurt Vonnegut
Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning do to do afterward.

Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning do to do afterward.

Kurt Vonnegut
Being a Humanist means trying to behave decently without expectation of rewards or punishment after you are dead.

Being a Humanist means trying to behave decently without expectation of rewards or punishment after you are dead.

Kurt Vonnegut
I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different.

I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different.

Kurt Vonnegut
Tiger got to hunt, bird got to fly;
Man got to sit and wonder 'why, why, why?'
Tiger got to sleep, bird got to land;
Man got to tell himself he understand.

Tiger got to hunt, bird got to fly; Man got to sit and wonder 'why, why, why?' Tiger got to sleep, bird got to land; Man got to tell himself he understand.

Kurt Vonnegut
Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why.

Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why.

Kurt Vonnegut
True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.

True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.

Kurt Vonnegut
The universe is a big place, perhaps the biggest.

The universe is a big place, perhaps the biggest.

Kurt Vonnegut
Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.

Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.

Kurt Vonnegut
One of the few good things about modern times: If you die horribly on television, you will not have died in vain. You will have entertained us.

One of the few good things about modern times: If you die horribly on television, you will not have died in vain. You will have entertained us.

Kurt Vonnegut
I have this disease late at night sometimes, involving alcohol and the telephone.

I have this disease late at night sometimes, involving alcohol and the telephone.

Kurt Vonnegut
The only difference between Hitler and Bush is that Hitler was elected.

The only difference between Hitler and Bush is that Hitler was elected.

Kurt Vonnegut
Like so many Americans, she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops.

Like so many Americans, she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops.

Kurt Vonnegut
Who is more to be pitied, a writer bound and gagged by policemen or one living in perfect freedom who has nothing more to say?

Who is more to be pitied, a writer bound and gagged by policemen or one living in perfect freedom who has nothing more to say?

Kurt Vonnegut
I was a victim of a series of accidents, as are we all.

I was a victim of a series of accidents, as are we all.

Kurt Vonnegut
Maturity is a bitter disappointment for which no remedy exists, unless laughter could be said to remedy anything.

Maturity is a bitter disappointment for which no remedy exists, unless laughter could be said to remedy anything.

Kurt Vonnegut
Science is magic that works.

Science is magic that works.

Kurt Vonnegut