An authorized portrait of the influential twentieth-century American writer draws on first-person accounts and Vonnegut's private letters while offering insight into his youth, the inspirations for his work, and his enduring literary impact.

Out of print and scared to death -- You were an accident, 1922-1940 -- One of the biggest fools on the hill, 1940-1943 -- To war in the bridal suite, 1943-1945 -- Folk Society and the House of Magic, 1945-1947 -- Stop being such a hardheaded realist, 1948-1951 -- The dead engineer, 1951-1958 -- Cooped up with all these kids, 1958-1965 -- A community of writers, 1965-1967 -- The big Ka-BOOM, 1967-1969 -- Goodbye and goodbye and goodbye, 1969-1971 -- Cultural bureaucrat, 1971-1974 -- Ripped off, 1975-1979 -- Looking for Mr. Vonnegut, 1980-1984 -- Dear celebrity, 1984-1991 -- Waiting to die, 1992-2007 -- Appendix. Vonnegut-Lieber family history.