Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., (; November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer. He influenced many other writers. He combined satire, black comedy, and science fiction in his writing. Some of his works include "Slaughterhouse-Five" (1969), "Cat's Cradle" (1963), and "Breakfast of Champions" (1973). He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.