How Literature Can Change Your Life | Joseph Luzzi | TEDxAlbany

TEDx Talks
TEDx Talks
183,698
0
Published 2020-01-07
In my talk, I hope to change the way people feel about literature. My aim is to show that literature is not just an elitist collection of “classics, something you are “supposed” to read or have to study in school, but which are difficult, remote, and otherwise disconnected from everyday life. Rather, I will propose that audience members can and should make literature a part of their everyday. I will go ever further and say that, when you are facing extraordinary difficulties and challenges, literature can save your life.
I will base my talk on a personal experience. On November 29, 2007, I left my home in upstate New York at 8:30am to teach a class at Bard College, where I am a professor. Around 10am, as I was settling into my classroom and joking with my students, a security guard showed up at the door and asked, “Are you Professor Luzzi?” The smile disappeared from my face, as I sensed something had gone horribly wrong; that intuition was confirmed when I saw a dean and vice president of the college come tearing up the stairs to fetch me and deliver the news: my wife, Katherine, had had a terrible car accident. I raced to the hospital, but it was too late: Katherine died that morning. She was 8 1/2 months pregnant. Forty-five minutes before her death, our daughter Isabel was miraculously delivered by emergency cesarian. I had left the house at 8:30am; by noon, I was both a widower and a father.

At noon, I had also entered what the poet Dante called “the dark wood,” that universal space of suffering that unfortunately all of us, at one point in our lives, must enter. For my TEDx Albany talk, I would like to speak of how literature in general, and Dante’s poetry in particular, helped save my life during the years of grief and mourning that followed Katherine’s death. Joseph Luzzi (PhD, Yale) is Professor of Comparative Literature at Bard College. His books include “My Two Italies,” a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, and “In a Dark Wood: What Dante Taught Me About Grief, Healing, and the Mysteries of Love,” which has been translated into Italian, German, and Korean. Luzzi is a frequent contributor to publications including the New York Times, Chronicle of Higher Education, Times Literary Supplement, and American Scholar. His work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Review of Books, Bookforum, and Times of London.

Dr. Luzzi is the founder of DeepRead, which offers a radically new approach to leadership and business education by basing its teaching and “test cases” on the great ideas of literature, history, and philosophy. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
All Comments (21)
  • @midi_enjoyer
    This probably the most beautiful talk I’ve heard, regardless of the beautiful way of putting literature, I also enjoyed listening and empathising with him; it was healing as it was educational. Thank you.
  • @letyhaynes
    I can relate to this, we were too poor to afford books. I remember the joy I felt when our teacher took us to the library. I couldn't believe they let me take books home! Things were never the same again. I love this man's voice!
  • @aditi3399
    This gave me goosebumps. I need a teacher like him.😭
  • @stephanieyoung9289
    What a great teacher, great speaker and strong man. Thankful to hear this.
  • @bar06
    Great talk!!! Dr. Luzzi nails it... He really motivated me to go back to books and enjoy the world of literature. His personal story is so touching and vivid. The rule of fours is so interesting!!! Thank you, Dr. Luzzi.
  • @Anoopkumar-xh1zt
    Surprises me to see such less views on such a brilliant talk. Truly inspirational. 👍
  • @1c-moraleshopkin562
    What a beautiful talk Dr. Luzzi, truly the literature can change our lives.
  • @theultimatenoor
    I never got so immersed in a TED talk ever before ! so charismatic he is and all the perspectives are worth consideration as well.
  • @HappyCosmos28
    The amount of passion this man has for literature is palpable. The experience rolling of in waves and now all I wanna do is hold a book and get lost in it after this listening him.
  • @deepalimadan3897
    Simply suuuperb, I don't have words to describe... You have kindled back my love for literature .
  • @nareshdev4119
    Great talk indeed. We call books as best friends on earth because as Luzzi mentioned, they can take you to any part of earth, talk to you, laugh and grieve with you, questioning, loving with beauties, relevance, and whatnot. In fact, here I am remembered of a remarkable story "THE BET" written by great Soviet author Anton Chekov. It was the power of literature and reading that helped Luzzi to overcome the tragic passing away of his wife before leaving behind a beautiful doll with whom he loves to read. Thanks for such a powerful speech. Regards.
  • @BiancaAguglia
    What a beautiful, touching video. It's the kind of video that help us feel less lost, more connected to others, and more appreciative of life. Thank you for sharing your story, Joseph. ❤
  • @aashikluzifer
    Don't know how I missed this video for an year... ♥️ Such a deep vision but a simple one...
  • @ambreenali.
    Dr. Luzzi is so calm and collected with such an inspiring story to tell. Literature can be the cure to life's many problems.
  • @findyourhappyspacewithmich2171
    I enjoyed this very much. I spent weekends at my Nani's, would bring books, and could easily finish one on a Saturday morning. You brought a smile to my face as I remember her telling me to put the books down because I was going to get a headache. I too did not listen. :)