After the publication of his novel 'Slaughterhouse Five' brought him worldwide acclaim in 1969, Kurt Vonnegut became one of America's most popular graduation speakers. There were years when public speaking was his main source of income and he put a great deal of thought and preparation into the things he said and also in his presentations. 'We are performing animals' is one of Vonnegut's trademark sayings, and he took it to heart when he found himself speaking to graduates.
