Kurt Vonnegut, a veteran and native of Indianapolis, wrote Slaughterhouse-Five in the aftermath of the bombing of Dresden. His son, Mark, said he witnessed atrocities firsthand and undoubtedly suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Now the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library, located in Indianapolis, is sponsoring an upcoming event to “spotlight the importance of the arts and humanities to help veterans both heal from and understand better their experience of war."
On Nov. 11, 2012 — Kurt Vonnegut’s birthday as well as Veterans Day — the Library is sponsoring “Veterans Reclaim Armistice Day: Healing through the Humanities.” This free event, which will be held at the Indiana War Memorial, features workshops and speakers such as Dr. Jonathan Shay, a psychiatrist who specializes in treating the psychic wounds of war, and Steve Inskeep, host of NPR’s Morning Edition.
MFRI Director Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth will be participating, and the event is also supported by Lilly Endowment Inc. Registration is now open at the Library’s website.