James Earl Jones Reads Kurt Vonnegut’s Inspiring Response to Students Who Contacted Him in 2006

During the 2018 Letters Live show in New York City, the great James Earl Jones used his gorgeous baritone voice to read a humorously inspiring response letter by author Kurt Vonnegut to a group of Xavier High School students who contacted him as part of a 2006 school project.

In 2006, a group of students at Xavier High School in New York City were given an assignment by their English teacher, Ms. Lockwood, that was to test their persuasive writing skills: they were asked to write to their favorite author and ask him or her to visit the school.

Jones captured Vonnegut’s light yet serious advice that he was giving to the boys.

Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow. …Dance home after school, and sing in the shower and on and on. Make a face in your mashed potatoes. Pretend you’re Count Dracula.