"In The Writer's Crusade, author Tom Roston examines the connection between Vonnegut's life and Slaughterhouse-Five. Did Vonnegut suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? Did Billy Pilgrim? Roston probes Vonnegut's work, his personal history, and discarded drafts of the novel, as well as original interviews with the writer's family, friends, scholars, psychologists, and other novelists including Karl Marlantes, Kevin Powers, and Tim O'Brien. The Writer's Crusade is a literary and biographical journey that asks fundamental questions about trauma, creativity, and the power of storytelling"--

Kurt Vonnegut, Nazi slayer! -- Slaughterhouse-Fve and the PTSD prism -- The road to Dresden -- Onwards and upwards -- Writing Slaughterhouse-Five, or, this lousy little book -- A reading of Slaughterhouse-Five, or, stopping a glacier -- What really happened to Vonnegut in World War II, or, the war parts, anyway -- A history of war trauma -- A PTSD primer and an infinite jester -- What's wrong with Billy -- Diagnosing Mr. Vonnegut -- Kurt, after the crusade -- Slaughterhouse-Five's place in history (despite that whole timelessness thing) -- One last joke.