If we've managed to pique your interest you can download an audiobook version of Slaughterhouse Five for free here: adbl.co/2DPI5Ys And thanks! Every free trial started through this link helps support our nonprofit mission.
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
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.
+heyyfirefly I am sorry about your father,I'd love to imagine he's up there somewhere hanging out with Vonnegut.I haven't read Vonnegut yet but now I want to read him.Thanks for sharing your story and i pray that you find your peace....
@@hrishikeshparab1236 Thank you very much for the nice words, it really made me smile and also that is such a good picture to imagine! I hope you will love the books ! :)
Thank you for sharing such a sweet and personal story. I lost my deadbeat dad 2 years ago too, and it was his dying (long and painful) that made me realize I had to accept him just as he is. Acceptance of death and learning unconditional love was what my dad gave me. ✌️❤️
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.
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. 💛
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.
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
@Celtic Revival / Adfywiad Celtaidd I am Bengali myself, and yes, I am well aware that other cultures have beautiful literature as well.❤️ I love exploring foreign writers and taking a peek into their culture
@@tasnimnaz7109 Agreed, Ted-Ed is a blessing for us all in ways... Hopefully our country could possibly come to a sense of moral, social and civil awareness and the importance of it's integrity in the future, I imagine we won't be seeing this in our time but perhaps after we're long gone at least a significant no. of Bangladeshis would finally understand the basics of what it means to live as fellow countrymen, to work selflessly and not seek any sort of meaning or selfish satisfaction behind the deeds (taking a page or two from good ol' Kurt Vonnegut), which could possibly ultimately contribute to a nation TRULY making a leap in the right direction.
@@ConfuseingGameing Teaching, reporting, proofreading, advertising, free-lance writing, ghost-writing. Many lawyers start out with an English degree before entering law school. If you have or can learn another language, translating is an option. There is a whole field emerging in forensic language (does the "suicide note" really follow the use-of-language used by the deceased before his death?) I'm not being snarky here, but why are you majoring in something for which you apparently have no passion and can see no future?
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
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.
@@aaronabraham2814 Why would you? If there is something you don't know or don't understand, you have every right to ask it everywhere, everyone and everytime. So don't feel like spiting something. But I'm sorry I didn't understand you. I watched the video again and couldn't find the word of "condibulum". Find things similar it but the exact word. Could you tell me the time the voice tells it.
Okay. Sorry for not knowing that term. Since it's a scientific term and I'm just someone who only knows a little English. Even though I had some guesses based on what they showed us I checked and found this explanation. "A point in space where, upon a person entering it, that person's existence in space-time ceases to be linear, becoming discrete. This means that a person that has entered a chronosynclastic infundibulum exists at multiple points and lines in space-time. For example, such a person could exist at all points in time in one place and also appear at another point for five minutes. " I don't know if you ever watched fringe but there were a cult who can do that and it was explained like that; Think the time and space flow like waterfalling and there is a point you can watch it from outside and see the beginning and ending in the sametime. I hope I made the right explanation.
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!
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!
Kenyce I don’t think age is necessarily relevant to the novel. I just remember feeling like it was one of the most imaginative works of literature I had read at that point in my life.
My first was "Player Piano". Written in 1952; highly prophetic then, and more relevant than ever now, in 2020. Cat's Cradle is another long-time favorite that particularly resonates with me; and Galapagos as well. When Kurt died, Jon Stewart said, "our world became a little less interesting today".
@Mr. E They probably thought that a bunch of Shakespeare's gonna do us good, but these kinds of stories also helps us acknowledge different perspectives (ps I love Shakespeare).
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.
Agreed. If there's a Heaven, and I doubt there is, you'll find Mark Twain with a cigar and Kurt Vonnegut with his cigarettes discussing the beauty and foolishness of humans and also personal hair styling techniques.
I'd say maybe greatest American literary philosopher? rather than author. His prose is stark and simple, sometimes comically so. There are no beautiful descriptive passages (at least none I can remember). He was not a master of the English language, but the thoughts that he managed to put down on paper! and great compassion; he had a huge heart.
I was hooked on Vonnegut when I read "Welcome to the Monkey House". I became convinced of his genius when I read "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater". I believe I've read everything he wrote, and can comfortably assert that he's never failed to delight and enlighten. I don't think it's possible to fairly name a single greatest American Author, but Kurt Vonnegut, as far as I'm concerned and without a doubt, is a member of the set of "Great American Authors", or even, "Greatest American Authors". But. And I'm sorry to say this. If I could only select one American Novel to be alone with on a desert isle, it probably wouldn't be a Vonnegut. I'm not sure what it would be, please don't make me choose, because, oh my god, wouldn't that be an awful choice to have to make?
I absolutely recommend "Mother Night" by Kurt Vonnegut. I read it for my English 300 class about 2 years ago, and it was an amazing book that expanded my outlook on living, through the obscurity of being human through the good and the bad.
I got to hear him give a talk at a university once. I wish I could remember more of it. I got a sense that he was a pleasant and thoughtful person. The thing that I remember though was his castigation of his daughter's ex-husband and how mad he was about the way she was treated by her ex.
A former employer of mine owns a small private fishing lodge in KY. There's a framed sketch of Kurt's hanging on the wall thanking them for all the great times he had just "getting away" there. Its just a simple sketch of a crane feeding on the creek. Always been a fan of his, but to know that he and I share a love for such a little known place, feels pretty good.
Thanks for this video. I never read Kurt Vonnegut until I hit my mid thirties. I was struck by a quote in one of his autobiographies about needing to be in the " right stage of life" to understand certain books. That's something I have to agree on. Had I read Vonnegut any younger, it would not have resonated with me, not yet having enough life experience. I remember schoolmates whining about having to read " The Siren's Of Titan" and how they hated it.It is now one of my favorite novels. I got introduced to Kurt with " Breakfast Of Champions", and have turned on a few freinds to Kurt's genius with this book! I loved Slaughterhouse 5, and it should be required reading... Thank you again.
The first time I read Slaughterhouse Five, I was 11. I found it one of the most amazing, moving novels I have ever read. I loved how we jumped through time, although I never really was certain whether or not the zoo was real. I also loved that callback at the end, the protagonist being shown the same picture that was once shown to him by a fellow soldier.
I finished Slaughterhouse Five a few months ago. What an absolutely brilliant book! The scene where Billy is seeing the war film in reverse will stick with me forever. I will definitely be reading more Vonnegut in the future.
He had first hand experiences from The Dresden Inferno (sic) which was a cruel and maningless revenge only killing innocent civilians. And exactly this first hand experience - thats where great literatur derives from (you can call it authentic writing!!)
Slaughterhouse Five, the only book that has *two* really great first sentences: "All this happened, more or less" and later "Listen: Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time."
One of my all time favorite authors. He challenges to truly reflect on the human condition, even if some of his views are somewhat pessimistic (though as the video points out optimistic too). This was a wonderful short analysis of his work. Thank you. I may try to find a way to squeeze this into my courses I teach.
I thought Ted Chiang's Story of your life later adapted into Arrival was original. But this genius is doing all along. Thanks for introducing us to Kurt. I'm looking forward to his works
You'll love Vonnegut if you enjoy thinking. He is why I became a writer. My short story collection, Stalking Kilgore Trout, is dedicated to Kurt's memory. details about my books at rcthom.com
I can't think of a reason NOT to read Vonnegut. I've read every novel he's published. My favorite author. Funny, insightful, witty, brilliant. Hard to ask for much more.
I have gotten introduced to Kurt through the Harrison Bergeron short story... That story got me thinking a lot, about our philosophical and ideological aspirations and meanings we fit to way of life... Looking forward to exploring more of his stories...
For my final in English Composition 2, we were given a list of books to choose one from and write an argumentative piece on. I came across Cat's Cradle through this and instantly fell in love with it the moment I read the vague summary for it online. After I finished it, I found it not very difficult to get myself into researching because the book is so fascinating. I really recommend his books he's a good author :0!!
I loved Kurt's stories when I was a bit younger, and it's easy to recommend him for his simple prose, unconventional style, and absurd and interesting stories and humor. He was by far my favorite author during my late teens/early 20s. As I grew older I realized that message-wise his books left me with a real feeling of despair. There's a sense that he's trying to make a comedy out of the immense tragedies of life, but in the end even he doesn't really believe it, and he's mad and deeply distraught about that. His absurdism and fancifulness is, you know, fun, but it's also a mask over deep cynicism and anger. I have no ability to judge whether that's justified or not, but I wanted people to know what they're getting into. I found his books incredibly funny, interesting, and easy to read. But, you know... caution. You know what Les Miserables is going to be like going in, Kurt, not always so much.
I'm glad I discovered this TH-cam channel, as an 11th grade student here in Philippines, I'm learning a significant and valuable knowledge that I definitely know one day would be of use to me
This is really insightful as it pulls together aspects of Vonnegut's work as a whole. Particularly our relationship with time and with fellow humans. No wonder his reputation has been growing.
@@RajuyCh-ug9ok it is hard to explain, guess you watched the video. it mentions in 3:26, basically about a writer who wants to write a book about life of the inventer of the atom bomb and bokononism
Excellent conclusion...YES, I had a teacher who inspired my life and career and have alway been guided by his enthusiasm for his students and their lives! Thank you Ken Hallman!
i did a project about slaughterhouse five for my AP English 2 class this year. that was my first introduction into Kurt. lets just say, i don't regret it reading it one bit. hopefully i'll have time to read more of his stuff.
I absolutely adore Slaughterhouse-Five! Our English teacher assigned it to us to read, annotate and analyse, but something about it has really made a significant impact on me and has turned it from a simple assignment to a book I'm genuinely enjoying to read on free time. I can't express why, but I'm beyond glad this video was recommended!
This is one of my favorite videos on youtube. I just find it to be well written as well as well narrated, and the illustrations are so on point it's astonishing. P.S: If you're ever in Cody, Wyoming, just ask for Wild Bob
Same here. I loved the story but forgot who wrote it until I found it again in “welcome to the monkey house”. Even after reading so many of his novels I never put it together until decades later.
This is a wonderful channel. As an avid reader who once only sought out contemporary work, this channel has opened my horizons to work I might've missed otherwise; works of Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury, George Orwell, to name a few. I even bought War and Peace just the other day because the video piqued my interest---still not sure if that'll pan out, but who knows, right?Thank you!
Timequake is not a conventional novel based on plot lines and action, but rather a dissertation on humanism and the reflections of a thoughtful man nearing the end of his stay on planet earth. And for that, I adore it.
I have to just add--as one who appreciates this video and the work it does--that it's not "Bokonism." It's "Bokononism." Because it matters, even if it doesn't matter.
Just finished Cat’s Cradle a few days ago. My first Vonnegut book and I loved it. I immediately ordered Slaughterhouse Five,Sirens of Titan,Welcome to the Monkey House and Breakfast of Champions on Amazon. Can’t wait to read them.
thanks for the memories, however foggy, of my 70s. and making this clearer- Vonnegut was required reading back then, and assumed it was today, but gave my college-student daughter my collection, and she's now a fan
I've read & re-read & re-re-read his books. They break my heart. They hurt me on every page. They fill me with laughter, reminding me no matter how crummy the circumstance, there's a higher calling: Goddamn It Be Kind. #KurtVonnegut
I’ve read his whole cannon of work. I return to Breakfast of Champions often, and I also love A Man Without a Country. Just read Cat’s Cradle again a few months ago.
Didn't really understand or enjoy reading Vonnegut in college. Years later, I gave it another shot and loved reading Breakfast of Champions on a road trip to Mexico. This video inspired me to add Slaughterhouse-Five to my list for 2021.
He is my favorite author. His method of writing is completely unparalleled by any. Everyone needs to experience his work, it has actually changed my lookout on life
Ready Vonnegut in the following order -Slaughterhouse 5 -Cats Cradel -Galapagos -Breakfast of Champions (my favorite) -Mother Night -Bluebeard -Mr. rosewater -Player Piano -Jailbird
It is so short and jumbled and jangled, Sam, because there is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre. Everybody is supposed to be dead, to never say anything or want anything ever again. Everything is supposed to be very quiet after a massacre, and it always is, except for the birds. And what do the birds say? All there is to say about a massacre, things like "Poo-tee-weet?" - excerpt from _Slaughterhouse-Five_
I read "Slaughter House 5" when I was deployed as a flight medic during Iraq. It was pretty impactful, meaningful and painful to digest. As a scientist and science fiction writer - I feel like I can understand Vonnegut more than most. His work has been a high and difficult standard to judge my own work by.
This is SUUUCH a good Vonnegut summary wow. Sending this to people from now on instead of trying to find the right words to explain how much I love him😂
Indianapolis really enjoys Kurt Vonnegut. We actually have a small Vonnegut museum on Indiana Ave. I learned so much about him in school and he's always stuck out to me.
It's funny for me to watch this episode... I used to be an avid reader, until around 3 and a half years ago when I started reading Vonnegut's Timequake. I picked up the book without knowing anything about it nor the author, and although the premise sounded promissing, the story never quite got anywhere. I was getting more and more bored, but insisted in keeping reading, thinking it would become interesting and everything would connect, but that was never happening. Alas, near 4/5 of the book I gave in to the anger and tossed it away, never to open it again. My insistance in reading against my will spoiled books for me though. I thought it was just a fase as I turned to other hobbies, but after many tries later, I still can't get back to the habit of reading. Weird how a single (small) book can do that to you.
Timequake is a terrible one! I read it because I love some of his other novels, but it was a challenge ... Maybe Vonnegut isn't for you, but don't give up on novels! :)
before the internet this could not have happened to you. I believe I might have tried Timequake in the late 80s. No internet to take me away from book reading altogether.
Thirty years ago, I went into a coffee shop in Laguna Beach, Calif., and a girl I'd never met before handed me a copy of "Cat's Cradle," and said: "This book will change your life." She was right. He's still my favorite.
Veterans coming back home often report missing the war because of the camaraderie and sense of belonging. They rather be at war with other soldiers than in our disjointed society. Let that sink in.
@@AL-fc5sz well, it's our disjointed society that sends them out in the first place. Vets' are incredibly, painfully aware of this. Vonnegut protested Vietnam, I'm sure Iraq and Afghanistan broke his heart.
AL That sense of comaradary comes from two places. At first it is created by the military because they need them to be willing to think as a group and not as individuals for both their safety, but also to make them willing to sacrifice themselves for a cause. They create this with both gruelling methods and other simple things like uniform s and symbols. Then, later, once these young and often naive young people actually experience war and combat, they become disallusioned about what they are doing, but often experience this awakening together so they are still willing to continue to help protect their comrades. Those comrades then become the only ones who they feel can truly understand them. This is why anyone that serves their country should never be without medical care, specifically psychological help. They were programmed at the start and need de-programming. What they need most of all is a lot of support in every area of life. When you live to just survive day to day, it must be so surreal to just be thrown back into a desensitized society that still holds on to outdated stigmas. I honestly can't imagine and I have PTSD myself, but not from war or combat like that. I don't think I could survive that either unless there was a real structure to get the help they need psychologically and just to integrate back into society. People are still to quick to judge because I guess understanding takes more effort or even being able to look deeper inside yourself and question ideas we were taught as truth that aren't necessarily truth at all. Most people seem to just rather ignore it and go shopping or whatever makes them NOT think.
I read slaughterhouse Five around a year ago in 8th grade,and now I can't stop reading his books, I've now read slaughterhouse five, mother night, slapstick, the sirens of titan & the cat's cradle. Mother Night is my favourite till now.
Rayan Sm I love Mother Night because it's so relevant to any society still today. Also, the conflict of knowing who he is...it's very existential. Is he who he pretended to be or who he secretly was? What he pretended to be had an effect and was real to many people, but who he really was, in secret always, creates an internal conflict of knowing who he is even to himself. It's more common on a smaller level, like the phrase "be careful who you pretend to be" because we all at some times have facades for many reasons. Fitting in, pleasing others, even good reasons can still create a conflict within us as individuals. It takes a lot of work, time, and awareness to just know and be your true self and it's not as easy as it sounds. It's really a life-long process because we continue to grow and change if we are truly being honest with ourselves. It's also relevant on a larger scale because it shows that two governments, even at war, are usually more similar than different. They both want power, they both have secrets and corruption, they both will claim to care about the citizens as individuals, but really they both just want everyone to do what they say without questioning. That doesn't really leave room for the true individual with independent thought.
Did you say 8th grade? Wow! I didn't read him until 11th. I've commented to others that his work also has similarities with existentialist writers like Camus in particular. If you just look up some Camus quotes, you will get the idea, but I think it's also something you would understand if you already like Vonnegut so much. There's also a TV show that is 50 years old and now has a huge following. It was surreal like much of Vonnegut and explored similar themes. It was called The Prisoner and it's only 17 episodes. There was a remake but it was awful so skip that, lol. It was mostly about the individual vs. society, but it is extremely relevant today and amazing how prophetic it was. It influenced many shows and movies from Lost and The Leftovers, to The X-files and The Matrix. You just have to remember if you watch and think "this is a theme I've heard before" that it was actually first.
I was told that a film adaptation of that novel was made starring Bruce Willis. I thought they were bulls***ng me but no, it is a real movie. Have not seen it but plan to. Bruce Willis.....🤔
I never heard about him until 2 weeks ago, when I heard Dear Hank and John podcast, which was a Kurt Vonnegut special. So any Dear Hank and John listeners here?
If we've managed to pique your interest you can download an audiobook version of Slaughterhouse Five for free here: adbl.co/2DPI5Ys And thanks! Every free trial started through this link helps support our nonprofit mission.
Congratulations for 8 millions subscribers
How you get all this information?
it's a good thing that I have Ted--ed around to be loved
Who else is here who don't understand anything ?????
TED-Ed Audible says it’s $14, not free...
"Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why."
Any affiliation to the Smashing Pumpkins: "Here Is No Why"
I draw from the absurd three consequences which are my revolt, my freedom, and my passion.
@@Blackstreak8 Probably.
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
He was born in 1936 - Slaughterhouse 5 was first published in 1969 - Vonnegut was still a young 30 something when he wrote Slaughterhouse 5.
I am pretty sure he was not born in 1936, as that would have precluded his service in WW2, in the 106th Division.
Vonnegut born 1922.
@@51Dss Damn bro you didnt research did you?
I really wish he could see this comment, the laugh would be legendary
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.
+heyyfirefly I am sorry about your father,I'd love to imagine he's up there somewhere hanging out with Vonnegut.I haven't read Vonnegut yet but now I want to read him.Thanks for sharing your story and i pray that you find your peace....
So it goes.
@@hrishikeshparab1236 Thank you very much for the nice words, it really made me smile and also that is such a good picture to imagine! I hope you will love the books ! :)
that is a beautiful story that brings a tear to my eyes . i hope that i can have as beautiful of a connection with my daughter .
Thank you for sharing such a sweet and personal story. I lost my deadbeat dad 2 years ago too, and it was his dying (long and painful) that made me realize I had to accept him just as he is. Acceptance of death and learning unconditional love was what my dad gave me.
✌️❤️
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.
wanna see my summary from my book report?
wait, let me find it
oh wait, it was very bad. And so it goes...
You might like my short story collection, Stalking KIlgore Trout, molded after Kurt's influence. Learn more at rcthom.com
The problem is that you probably were not well connected.
I truly love how faithful this video's art style was to the minimalist, angular line sketches Vonnegut intersperses in some of his books.
I thought the same thing too!
agreed! i love his art style, honestly it’s like he predicted the modern style of minimalist tattoos
And they correctly made KV left handed.
I lost it at the flag in the Granfalloon part!
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. 💛
Love this
We are glad you are here, Rachel!
Glad your better, that sounds neat
I have his self portrait on my calf, cheers!
There is no such thing as the future.
“If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.”
I love that, out of tall the stories he told about his family, his uncle saying that on a calm day is a lesson that always stuck with me.
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.
God, I literally just read it for the first time. Can't believe no one's talking abt it. I recommend this book to anyone who can read
@@yochabelfatima5260 i just read it too! i enjoyed it very much
The first time I read it in the late '60s, I was depressed for a week. Can't wait to read it again.
Based
The Sirens of Titan is literally my favorite book haha
prompt burst into tears at the purpose of life is to "love whoever is around to be loved".
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
@Celtic Revival / Adfywiad Celtaidd I am Bengali myself, and yes, I am well aware that other cultures have beautiful literature as well.❤️ I love exploring foreign writers and taking a peek into their culture
@@tasnimnaz7109 Agreed, Ted-Ed is a blessing for us all in ways...
Hopefully our country could possibly come to a sense of moral, social and civil awareness and the importance of it's integrity in the future, I imagine we won't be seeing this in our time but perhaps after we're long gone at least a significant no. of Bangladeshis would finally understand the basics of what it means to live as fellow countrymen, to work selflessly and not seek any sort of meaning or selfish satisfaction behind the deeds (taking a page or two from good ol' Kurt Vonnegut), which could possibly ultimately contribute to a nation TRULY making a leap in the right direction.
every day, meaning each day. everyday means ordinary. I run for exercise every day. My everyday exercise program includes running.
As an English Major, I am in utter need of a job and a direction in life
@@ConfuseingGameing Teaching, reporting, proofreading, advertising, free-lance writing, ghost-writing. Many lawyers start out with an English degree before entering law school. If you have or can learn another language, translating is an option. There is a whole field emerging in forensic language (does the "suicide note" really follow the use-of-language used by the deceased before his death?) I'm not being snarky here, but why are you majoring in something for which you apparently have no passion and can see no future?
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
Also one of my all time favorites
That is a beautiful story and quote. It touches me to the core.
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.
Uh I don't want to spite you but what is that Condibulum thingy?
@@aaronabraham2814 Why would you? If there is something you don't know or don't understand, you have every right to ask it everywhere, everyone and everytime.
So don't feel like spiting something.
But I'm sorry I didn't understand you. I watched the video again and couldn't find the word of "condibulum". Find things similar it but the exact word. Could you tell me the time the voice tells it.
@@rasgeleisim I'm sorry I messed up the letters It's This 3:04
Okay. Sorry for not knowing that term. Since it's a scientific term and I'm just someone who only knows a little English.
Even though I had some guesses based on what they showed us I checked and found this explanation.
"A point in space where, upon a person entering it, that person's existence in space-time ceases to be linear, becoming discrete. This means that a person that has entered a chronosynclastic infundibulum exists at multiple points and lines in space-time. For example, such a person could exist at all points in time in one place and also appear at another point for five minutes. "
I don't know if you ever watched fringe but there were a cult who can do that and it was explained like that;
Think the time and space flow like waterfalling and there is a point you can watch it from outside and see the beginning and ending in the sametime.
I hope I made the right explanation.
@@rasgeleisim Hmm I did search that and still didn't understand hence I asked . Anyway thanks for trying.
Btw What's Fringe?
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!
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!
"Cat's Cradle" blew my young mind away in my early twenties. I'd love to read more Vonnegut.
I will send you a copy of God Bless you, Mr Rosewater.
I'm 20, is it relatable or smth?
Kenyce I don’t think age is necessarily relevant to the novel. I just remember feeling like it was one of the most imaginative works of literature I had read at that point in my life.
Noah Hopkins I’d love that! 😁
My first was "Player Piano". Written in 1952; highly prophetic then, and more relevant than ever now, in 2020. Cat's Cradle is another long-time favorite that particularly resonates with me; and Galapagos as well. When Kurt died, Jon Stewart said, "our world became a little less interesting today".
They should have taught this in English classes. My teacher just taught us how to answer in essays.
cham there's a lot of swearing in slaughterhouse five.
@@vivek7154 they could have taught it in uni. Haha
@Mr. E They probably thought that a bunch of Shakespeare's gonna do us good, but these kinds of stories also helps us acknowledge different perspectives (ps I love Shakespeare).
I read this in my junior english class in highschool
Andres Guttierrez me too it’s a fantastic book to read especially nowadays when a lot of the messages seem especially relevant
Is it just me or is this the most interesting channel in TH-cam
It is..
I bet he did this for likes
depends, really
One of, definitely. Depends on your mood tbh
its just you
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.
funnyavi god bless you is one of my favorite books. Its very endearing and thought provoking.
Agreed. If there's a Heaven, and I doubt there is, you'll find Mark Twain with a cigar and Kurt Vonnegut with his cigarettes discussing the beauty and foolishness of humans and also personal hair styling techniques.
I'd say maybe greatest American literary philosopher? rather than author. His prose is stark and simple, sometimes comically so. There are no beautiful descriptive passages (at least none I can remember). He was not a master of the English language, but the thoughts that he managed to put down on paper! and great compassion; he had a huge heart.
I was hooked on Vonnegut when I read "Welcome to the Monkey House". I became convinced of his genius when I read "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater". I believe I've read everything he wrote, and can comfortably assert that he's never failed to delight and enlighten. I don't think it's possible to fairly name a single greatest American Author, but Kurt Vonnegut, as far as I'm concerned and without a doubt, is a member of the set of "Great American Authors", or even, "Greatest American Authors". But. And I'm sorry to say this. If I could only select one American Novel to be alone with on a desert isle, it probably wouldn't be a Vonnegut. I'm not sure what it would be, please don't make me choose, because, oh my god, wouldn't that be an awful choice to have to make?
Cuvtixo D I agree 💯%
*These animations are **_Vonne-good!_*
96th viewer
Gut in German means good
Who are you, your everywhere
that pun sucked. i vonnegut out of here
Puns for days!
I absolutely recommend "Mother Night" by Kurt Vonnegut. I read it for my English 300 class about 2 years ago, and it was an amazing book that expanded my outlook on living, through the obscurity of being human through the good and the bad.
I got to hear him give a talk at a university once. I wish I could remember more of it. I got a sense that he was a pleasant and thoughtful person. The thing that I remember though was his castigation of his daughter's ex-husband and how mad he was about the way she was treated by her ex.
A former employer of mine owns a small private fishing lodge in KY. There's a framed sketch of Kurt's hanging on the wall thanking them for all the great times he had just "getting away" there. Its just a simple sketch of a crane feeding on the creek. Always been a fan of his, but to know that he and I share a love for such a little known place, feels pretty good.
*_The Tralfamadorians wants to know your location_*
What
But they already know it
if that happened to me, the aliens would have picked sarah huckabee for me to mate with🤔
I hope PTSD was like that...
Is that why Google maps keeps giving me Google play services errors until I give them permission to the camera?
My anthology of short stories is called Stalking Kilgore Trout. Reading Vonnegut is what made be a writer.
Thanks for this video. I never read Kurt Vonnegut until I hit my mid thirties. I was struck by a quote in one of his autobiographies about needing to be in the " right stage of life" to understand certain books. That's something I have to agree on. Had I read Vonnegut any younger, it would not have resonated with me, not yet having enough life experience. I remember schoolmates whining about having to read " The Siren's Of Titan" and how they hated it.It is now one of my favorite novels. I got introduced to Kurt with " Breakfast Of Champions", and have turned on a few freinds to Kurt's genius with this book! I loved Slaughterhouse 5, and it should be required reading...
Thank you again.
The first time I read Slaughterhouse Five, I was 11. I found it one of the most amazing, moving novels I have ever read. I loved how we jumped through time, although I never really was certain whether or not the zoo was real. I also loved that callback at the end, the protagonist being shown the same picture that was once shown to him by a fellow soldier.
I finished Slaughterhouse Five a few months ago. What an absolutely brilliant book! The scene where Billy is seeing the war film in reverse will stick with me forever. I will definitely be reading more Vonnegut in the future.
He had first hand experiences from The Dresden Inferno (sic) which was a cruel and maningless revenge only killing innocent civilians. And exactly this first hand experience - thats where great literatur derives from (you can call it authentic writing!!)
Years ago I read all that Mr. Vonnegut had written. Your video makes me want to re read them. Thanks!
Slaughterhouse Five, the only book that has *two* really great first sentences:
"All this happened, more or less"
and later
"Listen:
Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time."
You forgot: Everything you ever need to know about life is in the book “The Brothers Karamazov”, and it’s not enough anymore.
Kurt is king of curt beginnings
'Poo-tee-weet?'
One of my all time favorite authors. He challenges to truly reflect on the human condition, even if some of his views are somewhat pessimistic (though as the video points out optimistic too). This was a wonderful short analysis of his work. Thank you. I may try to find a way to squeeze this into my courses I teach.
In high school, in the 1970s, Vonnegut was one of my favorites. And among my friends also. Herman Hesse also. Times sure have changed.
I thought Ted Chiang's Story of your life later adapted into Arrival was original. But this genius is doing all along. Thanks for introducing us to Kurt. I'm looking forward to his works
Hey ikr i thought of Story of your life while reading Slaughterhouse Five as well!
Read more, kid.
@@KilgoreTrout-vo7uy Life is short, You can't read all of them.
And Slaughterhouse-Five is in turn inspired by The Fateful Adventures of Good Soldier Svejk.
You'll love Vonnegut if you enjoy thinking. He is why I became a writer. My short story collection, Stalking Kilgore Trout, is dedicated to Kurt's memory. details about my books at rcthom.com
I can't think of a reason NOT to read Vonnegut. I've read every novel he's published. My favorite author. Funny, insightful, witty, brilliant. Hard to ask for much more.
I have gotten introduced to Kurt through the Harrison Bergeron short story... That story got me thinking a lot, about our philosophical and ideological aspirations and meanings we fit to way of life... Looking forward to exploring more of his stories...
Harrison Bergeron is a gem of a story. Thought-provoking indeed, especially in this day and age.
For my final in English Composition 2, we were given a list of books to choose one from and write an argumentative piece on. I came across Cat's Cradle through this and instantly fell in love with it the moment I read the vague summary for it online. After I finished it, I found it not very difficult to get myself into researching because the book is so fascinating. I really recommend his books he's a good author :0!!
I loved Kurt's stories when I was a bit younger, and it's easy to recommend him for his simple prose, unconventional style, and absurd and interesting stories and humor. He was by far my favorite author during my late teens/early 20s. As I grew older I realized that message-wise his books left me with a real feeling of despair. There's a sense that he's trying to make a comedy out of the immense tragedies of life, but in the end even he doesn't really believe it, and he's mad and deeply distraught about that. His absurdism and fancifulness is, you know, fun, but it's also a mask over deep cynicism and anger. I have no ability to judge whether that's justified or not, but I wanted people to know what they're getting into. I found his books incredibly funny, interesting, and easy to read. But, you know... caution. You know what Les Miserables is going to be like going in, Kurt, not always so much.
Excellent critique. Now that I'm older I can read his pessimism with a great of salt and enjoy the prose and simple life messages
Ted Ed Animation are truly an inspiration and knowledgeable.
@@Castaccio @Castaccio Nut the kind of tea TED-Ed viewers WANT to drink (most of us)
I'm glad I discovered this TH-cam channel, as an 11th grade student here in Philippines, I'm learning a significant and valuable knowledge that I definitely know one day would be of use to me
Literature explained through animation is hauntingly beautiful.
Keep up the good work, Ted ed :-)
I LOVE all the random Vonnegut references! Great Job TED-Ed!!
Oh my God! Best episode yet! Holy cow, on point!
This is really insightful as it pulls together aspects of Vonnegut's work as a whole. Particularly our relationship with time and with fellow humans. No wonder his reputation has been growing.
Thanks for covering such an underrated author
Not so much underrated as underread. People who read Vonnegut rate him highly I think.
Slaughterhouse Five is my favorite book ever. Love to see this type of stuff.
“Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt”
Mother Night and Breakfast of Champions are my two favorites.
Great video...
Space Alien Jesus Those are my two favorites too 🙂
i had just finished the "cat's cradle" and saw the video, what a lovely coincidence!
Cats cradle
What is it about buddy?
@@RajuyCh-ug9ok bout to ask the same question when i saw this xD.
Same the book name come up like a trillion times, whats it about. can you tell me a nonspoilery review >?
@@avigokuu
Ohh god you heard a trillion times and too lazy to google about it .....
Just like me 😁😁
@@RajuyCh-ug9ok it is hard to explain, guess you watched the video. it mentions in 3:26, basically about a writer who wants to write a book about life of the inventer of the atom bomb and bokononism
Kurt visited our college on Cape Cod, in the late sixties, he was entertaining and the wisdom was apparent.
just finished reading Mother night and omg, It definitely is my favourite Vonneguts book
I'm especially fond of Bluebeard, read it every few years.
Bluebeard is my second-favorite Vonnegut book. Sirens of Titan has always been #1 for me. I feel like Bluebeard doesn't get enough credit.
I discovered KV at the age of 13. I am now 64.
He had a profound effect on the way I look at the world.
His death was truly Vonnegutian. So it goes.
*”We are all here to just fart around”*
True. Very true.
Excellent conclusion...YES, I had a teacher who inspired my life and career and have alway been guided by his enthusiasm for his students and their lives! Thank you Ken Hallman!
I'm reading Cat's Cradle. I think that Its plot also applies to current events like politics and the media.
My favorite author in highschool, and still my forever favorite author :3
i did a project about slaughterhouse five for my AP English 2 class this year. that was my first introduction into Kurt. lets just say, i don't regret it reading it one bit. hopefully i'll have time to read more of his stuff.
I absolutely adore Slaughterhouse-Five! Our English teacher assigned it to us to read, annotate and analyse, but something about it has really made a significant impact on me and has turned it from a simple assignment to a book I'm genuinely enjoying to read on free time.
I can't express why, but I'm beyond glad this video was recommended!
This is one of my favorite videos on youtube. I just find it to be well written as well as well narrated, and the illustrations are so on point it's astonishing.
P.S: If you're ever in Cody, Wyoming, just ask for Wild Bob
"Yeah well I go two words for you Vonnegut?" If you know that reference you can do a Triple Melon. That movie inspired my love for his work.
Pls make more “why u should read...” series 😍These videos are simply inspiring and aesthetically appealing
i read his “ harrison bergeron “ in English class!
Me too.
Which one of these two would you prefer to me
Same here. I loved the story but forgot who wrote it until I found it again in “welcome to the monkey house”. Even after reading so many of his novels I never put it together until decades later.
This is a wonderful channel. As an avid reader who once only sought out contemporary work, this channel has opened my horizons to work I might've missed otherwise; works of Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury, George Orwell, to name a few. I even bought War and Peace just the other day because the video piqued my interest---still not sure if that'll pan out, but who knows, right?Thank you!
Please do: Why should you read George Orwell?
Yes! Or even more apt for today's zeitgeist: Why should you read Aldous Huxley?!?!
Timequake is not a conventional novel based on plot lines and action, but rather a dissertation on humanism and the reflections of a thoughtful man nearing the end of his stay on planet earth. And for that, I adore it.
I love slaughterhouse 5 but its so difficult to convince other people to read it.you did a great job!😊😊😊
The Sirens of Titan is currently my favorite book of all time. I've also read and enjoyed Slaughterhouse Five. This guy was an incredible author.
I have to just add--as one who appreciates this video and the work it does--that it's not "Bokonism." It's "Bokononism." Because it matters, even if it doesn't matter.
Just finished Cat’s Cradle a few days ago. My first Vonnegut book and I loved it. I immediately ordered Slaughterhouse Five,Sirens of Titan,Welcome to the Monkey House and Breakfast of Champions on Amazon. Can’t wait to read them.
2:10 cat's cradle... I see what you did there
thanks for the memories, however foggy, of my 70s. and making this clearer- Vonnegut was required reading back then, and assumed it was today, but gave my college-student daughter my collection, and she's now a fan
I've read & re-read & re-re-read his books. They break my heart. They hurt me on every page. They fill me with laughter, reminding me no matter how crummy the circumstance, there's a higher calling: Goddamn It Be Kind.
#KurtVonnegut
I’ve read his whole cannon of work. I return to Breakfast of Champions often, and I also love A Man Without a Country. Just read Cat’s Cradle again a few months ago.
Ted-Ed is impressive as usual😄😄 you guys always do such a great job..hands down for that animation...
Didn't really understand or enjoy reading Vonnegut in college. Years later, I gave it another shot and loved reading Breakfast of Champions on a road trip to Mexico. This video inspired me to add Slaughterhouse-Five to my list for 2021.
I loved Slaughterhouse Five so much it hurt. Maybe I'll try the other titles mentioned here!
Galapagos.
“If that isn’t nice I don’t know what is” nice vonegut quote reference, one of my favorites.
He is my favorite author. His method of writing is completely unparalleled by any. Everyone needs to experience his work, it has actually changed my lookout on life
Ready Vonnegut in the following order
-Slaughterhouse 5
-Cats Cradel
-Galapagos
-Breakfast of Champions (my favorite)
-Mother Night
-Bluebeard
-Mr. rosewater
-Player Piano
-Jailbird
Brady Broderick Breakfast of Champions is my favorite too with Mother Night being a close second.
It is so short and jumbled and jangled, Sam, because there is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre. Everybody is supposed to be dead, to never say anything or want anything ever again. Everything is supposed to be very quiet after a massacre, and it always is, except for the birds.
And what do the birds say? All there is to say about a massacre, things like "Poo-tee-weet?"
- excerpt from _Slaughterhouse-Five_
Please do a video about Thomas Pyncheon. Please.
Dan Ceteras ayyyyy Eraserhead
I read "Slaughter House 5" when I was deployed as a flight medic during Iraq. It was pretty impactful, meaningful and painful to digest. As a scientist and science fiction writer - I feel like I can understand Vonnegut more than most. His work has been a high and difficult standard to judge my own work by.
Do "Why should you read Agatha Christie?" too. She's also classy and mysterious. Her subjects and detective stories are mind blowing too.
I grew up in Cody, Wyoming so it was great to see it mentioned in a book. I could never find Wild bill though.
so it goes
This is SUUUCH a good Vonnegut summary wow. Sending this to people from now on instead of trying to find the right words to explain how much I love him😂
I love Kurt Vonnegut! This was awesome
Indianapolis really enjoys Kurt Vonnegut. We actually have a small Vonnegut museum on Indiana Ave. I learned so much about him in school and he's always stuck out to me.
It's funny for me to watch this episode... I used to be an avid reader, until around 3 and a half years ago when I started reading Vonnegut's Timequake. I picked up the book without knowing anything about it nor the author, and although the premise sounded promissing, the story never quite got anywhere. I was getting more and more bored, but insisted in keeping reading, thinking it would become interesting and everything would connect, but that was never happening. Alas, near 4/5 of the book I gave in to the anger and tossed it away, never to open it again. My insistance in reading against my will spoiled books for me though. I thought it was just a fase as I turned to other hobbies, but after many tries later, I still can't get back to the habit of reading.
Weird how a single (small) book can do that to you.
Timequake is a terrible one! I read it because I love some of his other novels, but it was a challenge ... Maybe Vonnegut isn't for you, but don't give up on novels! :)
before the internet this could not have happened to you. I believe I might have tried Timequake in the late 80s. No internet to take me away from book reading altogether.
Thirty years ago, I went into a coffee shop in Laguna Beach, Calif., and a girl I'd never met before handed me a copy of "Cat's Cradle," and said: "This book will change your life." She was right. He's still my favorite.
soldiers willing for die for a country that has high suicide rate for veterans. PTSD is the cost of not dying, after serving your country.
As far as I know Kurt Vonnegut struggled with depressions coming and going for the rest of his life.
Veterans coming back home often report missing the war because of the camaraderie and sense of belonging. They rather be at war with other soldiers than in our disjointed society. Let that sink in.
+AL sinking in... wow 💯 🍻
@@AL-fc5sz well, it's our disjointed society that sends them out in the first place. Vets' are incredibly, painfully aware of this. Vonnegut protested Vietnam, I'm sure Iraq and Afghanistan broke his heart.
AL That sense of comaradary comes from two places. At first it is created by the military because they need them to be willing to think as a group and not as individuals for both their safety, but also to make them willing to sacrifice themselves for a cause. They create this with both gruelling methods and other simple things like uniform s and symbols. Then, later, once these young and often naive young people actually experience war and combat, they become disallusioned about what they are doing, but often experience this awakening together so they are still willing to continue to help protect their comrades. Those comrades then become the only ones who they feel can truly understand them. This is why anyone that serves their country should never be without medical care, specifically psychological help. They were programmed at the start and need de-programming. What they need most of all is a lot of support in every area of life. When you live to just survive day to day, it must be so surreal to just be thrown back into a desensitized society that still holds on to outdated stigmas. I honestly can't imagine and I have PTSD myself, but not from war or combat like that. I don't think I could survive that either unless there was a real structure to get the help they need psychologically and just to integrate back into society.
People are still to quick to judge because I guess understanding takes more effort or even being able to look deeper inside yourself and question ideas we were taught as truth that aren't necessarily truth at all. Most people seem to just rather ignore it and go shopping or whatever makes them NOT think.
I read slaughterhouse Five around a year ago in 8th grade,and now I can't stop reading his books, I've now read slaughterhouse five, mother night, slapstick, the sirens of titan & the cat's cradle. Mother Night is my favourite till now.
Rayan Sm I love Mother Night because it's so relevant to any society still today. Also, the conflict of knowing who he is...it's very existential. Is he who he pretended to be or who he secretly was? What he pretended to be had an effect and was real to many people, but who he really was, in secret always, creates an internal conflict of knowing who he is even to himself. It's more common on a smaller level, like the phrase "be careful who you pretend to be" because we all at some times have facades for many reasons. Fitting in, pleasing others, even good reasons can still create a conflict within us as individuals. It takes a lot of work, time, and awareness to just know and be your true self and it's not as easy as it sounds. It's really a life-long process because we continue to grow and change if we are truly being honest with ourselves.
It's also relevant on a larger scale because it shows that two governments, even at war, are usually more similar than different. They both want power, they both have secrets and corruption, they both will claim to care about the citizens as individuals, but really they both just want everyone to do what they say without questioning. That doesn't really leave room for the true individual with independent thought.
Did you say 8th grade? Wow! I didn't read him until 11th. I've commented to others that his work also has similarities with existentialist writers like Camus in particular. If you just look up some Camus quotes, you will get the idea, but I think it's also something you would understand if you already like Vonnegut so much.
There's also a TV show that is 50 years old and now has a huge following. It was surreal like much of Vonnegut and explored similar themes. It was called The Prisoner and it's only 17 episodes. There was a remake but it was awful so skip that, lol.
It was mostly about the individual vs. society, but it is extremely relevant today and amazing how prophetic it was. It influenced many shows and movies from Lost and The Leftovers, to The X-files and The Matrix. You just have to remember if you watch and think "this is a theme I've heard before" that it was actually first.
Please tell me why I should read Robert A. Heinlein!
Stiltzkin Vanserine omg I love him too!!!!!
This actually really really made me want to read this novel. You just might have introduced me to my new favorite author
My favorite of his books would be breakfast of champions.
I was told that a film adaptation of that novel was made starring Bruce Willis. I thought they were bulls***ng me but no, it is a real movie. Have not seen it but plan to. Bruce Willis.....🤔
maritimus17 it’s awful. But fun to watch, like a car accident you can’t look away from.
@@falions_ 😂
sure miss vonnegut and trout, thank you for giving a new generation audiobooks of his important work
Dang it. Someone wrote a story type i wanted to as well. But well, doesn't mean I can't write it now
Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favorite authors. His books are simply wonderful
I never heard about him until 2 weeks ago, when I heard Dear Hank and John podcast, which was a Kurt Vonnegut special.
So any Dear Hank and John listeners here?
You didn't pique my interest, but you did remind me of why Vonnegut is my favorite writer. So, thanks for that.