I consider anybody a twerp who hasn't read the greatest American short story, which is 'Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,' by Ambrose Bierce. Kurt Vonnegut More Quotes by Kurt Vonnegut More Quotes From Kurt Vonnegut The city was blacked out because bombers might come, so Billy didn't get to see Dresden do one of the most cheerful things a city can do when the sun goes down, which is to wink its lights on one by one. Kurt Vonnegut cheerful light cities Big, undreamed-of things — the people on the edge see them first. Kurt Vonnegut bigs people firsts The highest treason in the USA is to say Americans are not loved, no matter where they are, no matter what they are doing there. Kurt Vonnegut treason usa matter Do you think Arabs are dumb? They gave us our numbers. Try doing long division with Roman numerals. Kurt Vonnegut roman-numerals numbers thinking Most writers are not quick-witted when they talk. Novelists, in particular, drag themselves around in society like gut-shot bears. Kurt Vonnegut novelists society bears Writers can treat their mental illnesses every day. Kurt Vonnegut mental-illness treats illness His mother understood my illness immediately, that it was my world rather than myself that was diseased. Kurt Vonnegut illness mother world He ate a pear. It was a hard one. It fought back against his grinding teeth. It snapped in juicy protest. Kurt Vonnegut juicy pears teeth What had made me move through so many dead and pointless years was curiosity. Kurt Vonnegut curiosity years moving ... life, by definition, is never still. Kurt Vonnegut still-life definitions life High school is closer to the core of the American experience than anything else I can think of. Kurt Vonnegut experience school thinking And Lot's wife, of course, was told not to look back where all those people and their homes had been. But she did look back, and I love her for that, because it was so human. So she was turned into a pillar of salt. So it goes. Kurt Vonnegut wife home people The person who writes the bank's commercials is not the person who makes the loans. Kurt Vonnegut business management writing A committee of three can accomplish much if two don't show up. Kurt Vonnegut three business two You have never seen greatness in a Presidency; I have. It was a rich kid who you would think had every reason to be a horse's ass - Franklin Roosevelt. He was humane and wise and resourceful. He was called a traitor to his class. With George Bush, that charge would never stick. Kurt Vonnegut greatness wise kids Incidentally, I am honorary president of the American Humanist Association, having succeeded the great science fiction writer and biochemist Dr. Isaac Asimov. John Updike, who is religious, says I talk more about God than any seminarian. Socialism is, in fact, a form of Christianity, people wishing to imitate Christ. Kurt Vonnegut religious wish people The most racist, nastiest act by America, after human slavery, was the bombing of Nagasaki. Not of Hiroshima, which might have had some military significance. But Nagasaki was purely blowing away yellow men, women, and children. I'm glad I'm not a scientist because I'd feel so guilty now. Kurt Vonnegut military men children The Circle Theatre, black people had to sit in the balcony. Any theater with a balcony, black people had to sit up there. Black people couldn't check into any hotel except their own. And black people couldn't eat anywhere except in their own restaurants. Kurt Vonnegut circles black people The thing my father was proudest of was the Ayres clock at the intersection of Washington Street and Meridian. That made him so happy. Ayres complained because he wouldn't send them a bill. There was stuff my family had done there - particularly my father and grandfather - that was quite permanent and wonderful. Kurt Vonnegut bills done father You know, the Emancipation Proclamation was like giving freedom to domestic animals. Kurt Vonnegut emancipation-proclamation animal giving
