Why should you read Kurt Vonnegut? - Mia Nacamulli

Kurt Vonnegut found the tidy, satisfying arcs of many stories at odds with reality, and he set out to explore the ambiguity between good and bad fortune in his own novels. He tried to make sense of human behavior by studying the shapes of stories — ditching straightforward chronologies and clear-cut fortunes. Mia Nacamulli dives into the sometimes dark, yet hopeful works of Vonnegut.

Lesson by Mia Nacamulli, directed by TED-Ed.

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[sarahgraves]

"Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why."

[aaronfaucett]

Now that I'm older I realize that he's writing in a way that reflects how an old man remembers his life. The story jumps around randomly like the memories and nostalgia that one experiences as you get older

[lucillem]

I read Slaughterhouse Five a few months ago, when I was still living in Dresden, and loved its originality. I tried to explain it to people several times but it's very difficult to summarise. And so it goes.

[heyyfirefly]

One of my father's favourite authors was Kurt Vonnegut. When I grow up he would give me his books to read, and soon enough we loved the stories together and quoted them all the time to each other. For my university graduation he got me "If This Isn't Nice, What Is? Advice for the Young" - a collection of Vonnegut's commencement speeches. I absolutely loved it.
Sadly I lost my father two years ago, and I am still not even close to come peace with the fact. But when I saw this video I was so happy, thank you very much for making it!
I hope a lot of people will come to know this absolutely fantastic author because of it.

[ferrettaxi]

I first read slaughterhouse five when I was in the hospital after attempting suicide at age 14. It really made me rethink my whole life. Now 5 years later I have the “everything was beautiful and nothing hurt” illustration tattooed on my thigh. 💛

[OlOleander]

I truly love how faithful this video's art style was to the minimalist, angular line sketches Vonnegut intersperses in some of his books.

[koshmar]

I think "Sirens of Titan" is one of the most underappreciated books in history. An infinite humanity in this book always bring tear to my eyes and makes me feel like I touched something universal.

[sleepless_eremite]

“If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.”

[tasnimnaz]

I am an English major, utterly fascinated and grateful to be reading my subject everyday. Literary videos like these are more meaningful and inspiring to me than you can ever guess. Thanks Ted ed <3

[orenrosenman]

Loved the "if that isn't nice, what is?"at the end, a reference to one of my favorite Vonnegut quotes.

"My Uncle Alex, who is up in Heaven now, one of the things he found objectionable about human beings was that they so rarely noticed it when times were sweet. We could be drinking lemonade in the shade of an apple tree in the summertime, and Uncle Alex would interrupt the conversation to say, "If this isn't nice, what is?"

So I hope that you will do the same for the rest of your lives.

When things are going sweetly and peacefully, please pause a moment, and then say out loud, "If this isn't nice, what is?"

-Kurt Vonnegut

[rasgeleisim]

What I'm surprised about this video that I totally understood what he said.
Even though he used complicated words I didn't miss anything cause he talked very soft and slow and understandable.
This is good. A wonderful diction. A clean voice settings.

[airplane]

prompt burst into tears at the purpose of life is to "love whoever is around to be loved".

[drewmusic]

Vonnegut's work is hilarious, deep, heartbreaking, hopeful, pragmatic, beautiful, poignant, deep, goofy, and poetic all in the same book. Kurt was a beautiful human being, and I'm thankful I was alive at the same time as him!

[ClancyXanecrest]

I read some Vonnegut in my free time during high school but I always found his books boring and confusing. It's 10 years later now and this video gave me a view of his story-telling philosophy that I never knew about (that shape thing was fascinating to me!). I now have a renewed interest in trying his books again. Thank you for these videos!

[cestlavegan]

"Cat's Cradle" blew my young mind away in my early twenties. I'd love to read more Vonnegut.

[uhjyssm]

They should have taught this in English classes. My teacher just taught us how to answer in essays.

[marinislmk]

Is it just me or is this the most interesting channel in YouTube

[BobMcCoy]

*These animations are **_Vonne-good!_*

[funnyavi]

I have read his entire bibliography and I still am willing to fight that he is the greatest American Author. I think you can see even more of his philosophy by reading Mother Night and God Bless You Mr. Rosewater. They are also excellent looks into this thoughts.

[rachelthompson]

My anthology of short stories is called Stalking Kilgore Trout. Reading Vonnegut is what made be a writer.