“There was a photograph of Trout. He was an old man with a full black beard. He looked like a frightened, aging Jesus, whose sentence to crucifixion had been commuted to imprisonment for life.”

American novelist and short story writer of the mid-to-late 20th century He blended dark humor with sharp social commentary, exploring themes of war, human suffering, and the absurdity of existence in works like *Slaughterhouse-Five* and *Cat’s Cradle*. His distinctive, conversational style made complex ideas accessible and memorable.