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Kurt Vonnegut, interviewed by Larry Josephson in 1970 from the Pacifica Radio Archives

Kurt Vonnegut, a seminal figure in American literature, died on Wednesday night at the age of 84. The prolific author of over a dozen essays, short stories, plays and novels including “Cat’s Cradle,” and “Breakfast of Champions,” passed away after suffering brain injuries following a fall at his Manhattan home. Born in Indianapolis on November 11th 1922, Kurt Vonnegut studied at Cornell University before joining the Army during World War II. As a soldier, Vonnegut was taken prisoner in Dresden, Germany when the city was heavily bombarded by Allied forces. His own personal experiences helped him write perhaps his best known novel, “Slaughterhouse Five,” which was released during the tumultuous era of the Vietnam War. Known best for his keen sense of humor and pessimism, Vonnegut’s novels made him a literary icon of American counterculture. As a committed humanist throughout his life, Kurt Vonnegut once remarked about the similarities of Christianity and Socialism as he accepted the Carl Sandburg Literary award in 2002. In his speech, Vonnegut said, “Christianity and Socialism alike, in fact, prescribe a society dedicated to the proposition that all men, women and children are created equal, and shall not starve.” In the last years of his life, Kurt Vonnegut continued his principled humanism as an outspoken critic of the Bush Administration and the war in Iraq. His last book, “A Man Without a Country,” became a bestseller in 2005. In response to the frequently asked question on why he continued to write, Kurt Vonnegut once said, “I care about the same things you care about. You are not alone.”

Today we’ll play Kurt Vonnegut in his own words, from 1970, courtesy of the Pacifica Radio Archives. In an interview with Larry Josephson, Vonnegut comments on the Vietnam War and other issues.

Special thanks to Mark Torres and the Pacifica Radio Archives. Call 1800-735-0230 for more information