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Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr.

(Encyclopedia) Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr.Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr.vŏnˈəgət [key] 1922–2007, American novelist, b. Indianapolis. After serving in World War II, he worked as a police reporter and wrote short…

anti-hero

(Encyclopedia) anti-hero, principal character of a modern literary or dramatic work who lacks the attributes of the traditional protagonist or hero. The anti-hero's lack of courage, honesty, or grace…

black humor

(Encyclopedia) black humor, in literature, drama, and film, grotesque or morbid humor used to express the absurdity, insensitivity, paradox, and cruelty of the modern world. Ordinary characters or…

Pynchon, Thomas

(Encyclopedia) Pynchon, ThomasPynchon, Thomaspĭnˈchən [key], 1937–, American novelist, b. Glen Cove, N.Y., grad. Cornell, 1958. Pynchon is noted for his amazingly fertile imagination, his wild sense…

Gödel, Kurt

(Encyclopedia) Gödel, KurtGödel, Kurtgöˈdəl [key], 1906–78, American mathematician and logician, b. Brünn (now Brno, Czech Republic), grad. Univ. of Vienna (Ph.D., 1930). He came to the United States…

Jooss, Kurt

(Encyclopedia) Jooss, KurtJooss, Kurtk&oobreve;rt yōs [key], 1901–79, German dancer, producer, and choreographer. Jooss was a student of Rudolf von Laban and was influenced by Émile Jacques-…

Lenya, Lotte

(Encyclopedia) Lenya, LotteLenya, Lottelôtˈə lĕnˈyä [key], 1898–1981, Viennese singer and character actress, b. Karoline Blamauer. The wife of the composer Kurt Weill, Lenya was the foremost singer…

Tucholsky, Kurt

(Encyclopedia) Tucholsky, KurtTucholsky, Kurtk&oobreve;rt t&oomacr;khôlˈskē [key], 1890–1935, German political satirist and journalist. Ranging over a wide variety of subjects and styles,…

Koffka, Kurt

(Encyclopedia) Koffka, KurtKoffka, Kurtkŏfˈkə, Ger. k&oobreve;rt kôfˈkä [key], 1886–1941, American psychologist, b. Germany, Ph.D. Univ. of Berlin, 1908. Before settling permanently in the United…