Velshi Banned Book Club: ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ by Anthony Doerr

[@bingoskies8564]

Mr. Velshi, you are beloved. Thank you for your journalistic integrity, voluminous research, intelligence, not talking down, and always informative.

[@laurak7409]

This book is one of the finest pieces of literature we have. A Pulitzer Prize winning story subject to banning because people do not our children to know the truth. This sickens me. I’m voting for freedom, not dictatorship and I can only hope these things will set themselves right in a short time. Anthony never stop writhing your fabulous truths!! 💙💙💙💙💙💙

[@joannemoir]

"All the Light We Cannot See" was one of the most beautiful and amazing novels I have ever had the good fortune to read! I kept thinking as I read it -- HOW did the writer do this? How did he create the characters and make every event so real and immediate, with so many parallels to our own world today? Genius! Thank you, Anthony Doerr, for an unforgettable reading experience and that you, Mr. Velshi for highlighting this book -- I had not idea it has been banned anywhere. What travesty. I will have to re-read it!

[@barbaraseymour3437]

Me too (will reread it).

[@jjhorine]

Excellent book. Books are banned by those who do not have the intellect to understand.

[@kevinneighbors1797]

There is much validity to your statement, "Books are banned by those who do not have the intellect to understand." My thought is that this is by far the lesser part of their reasoning. They understand all to well that controlling access to certain literature limits imagination and suppresses the ability to engage in critical thinking.

[@jannichi6431]

COACH Walz and Kamala is on top.of the book issue of Project 2025er wishes.

[@lindaleehall]

Most of the time, the book banners have not read the books. I wonder what their literacy level actually is.

[@Ohm71]

@@kevinneighbors1797 truth

[@shirleyashanti3031]

I disagree with that premise. They do understand that by narrowing your world, they narrow perspective and nuance of it. A travesty.

[@beckymiller5907]

What a wonderful discussion. I just love people who can talk so compellingly, and in complete sentences!

[@fleurgreen9025]

All the Light.....best book I have read in ten years!!

[@t.r.campbell6585]

How in the world could you read this book? According to this presenter. The book has been banned.

[@helendoty4244]

Free will?

[@dorothydotson7154]

@@t.r.campbell6585 Didn't watch the video, eh?

[@waltgodsoe9111]

Thank you Velshi

[@seattlevkk]

Being banned is making me want to read it. It's been on my list for a while

[@mlaiuppa]

I was a school librarian. I used to pull the books on the challenged list for Banned Books Week, put them on a table with a sign saying Banned Books - DO NOT READ. I loved all the kids sneaking them in to the check out line and sweating to see if I would notice.

[@barbaraseymour3437]

Get to it!

[@RodWilliams-m7r]

Hurry up and read it.

[@beanzeani2440]

it's a great book

[@stpd1957]

Do yourself a favour and get a copy of it, it is marvellous.

[@garygone5234]

ALL FREEDOM LOVING 12th graders, across the country, should read this book, even if only in protest, and ask yourself, why would the powers that be, in a certain political party, DO NOT want me to read this? and do everything in their power to literally take it off the shelf, and/or burn it, so that you CAN'T. Just something for you consider.

[@alpine1600s]

Or the fact that MANY 12th graders in the public school system read at a third grade level.

[@Sarah-said]

​@@alpine1600soh lord, it's just excuses, excuses! Never could it be that people in my political party might be doing something wrong! And no use attacking Democrats for the same thing when Democrats are harder on their party members than they are on the Republicans! Remember Al Franken? Republicans were once able to go after their politicians when they were corrupt, even the president of the United States! (Nixon). What happened to those conservatives? Clean your party up and give up all the conspiracies and stop with the so called "fake news" just you don't like the factual reporting of your favorite politicians!

[@vermiliongamboge155]

@@alpine1600s Citation?

[@MM-sf3rl]

I read this book square and joyfully in front of the 16 year old daughter. Modeling is what makes society accessible to all.

[@dayleennis7662]

I listened on Audible before all this banning. This book moved me deeply. Master writing skills and story telling

[@ermaek2145]

Thank you Velshi et al. for this. It is so important to feature the books the extremists don't want us to read!

[@gyrene_asea4133]

Reading books, exploring ideas, trying to understand others, all of these concepts are anathema to the authoritarian mindset.

[@HaughtyRichTransGoddess]

I'll second that!

[@lukeelgon6399]

One of my Year 9 (13/14-yr old) twin grandsons in Australia read this book as his English Literature novel choice for his personal reading project paper this past term. He recommended it to me and I found it both beautiful and otherworldly. If a 13-yr old is OK reading and analysing this book in Australia, what is it that some Americans find too adult in it for 18-yr olds?

[@koiphish333]

Part of the process of losing freedom is being lazy, and just following others blindly. This is part of our USA TV culture!

[@BooksForever]

Because many American adults remain childishly religious.

[@Maggie-zr2ow]

And because many of those American adults remain unable to think for themselves. Ask 5 of those people who support banning this book and 4 of them will be unable to explain why except they were told, by a member of their tribe, it was somehow bad for kids. Followers who refuse to think for themselves.

[@lukeelgon6399]

@@Maggie-zr2ow Yes, from personal experience in having had two children attend US schools for six years, promotion of critical thinking is not something deemed important there. In many European countries this idea is the foundation upon which learning is based.

[@Maggie-zr2ow]

@@lukeelgon6399 Thank you for sharing your perspective and experience. What you’ve said here is sad but true. Our curricula are set by elected officials who are incentivized to demonstrate quick, measurable successes. So our education system focuses on memorization and standardized tests instead of critical thinking and successful adulthood. We are left with an ignorant population that is trained to accept what they’re told at face value. We can clearly see the horrible outcomes of this system, and where it is leading us.

[@dorothydotson7154]

This is gorgeous book. I loved it. I can't believe this book was banned.

[@Sarah-said]

Can you believe that "The Diary of Anne Frank" has also been banned in several districts and (I believe) it was even banned one state? I wonder if this is what it was like before that dictator in Germany took over in the 1930's. (I write it that way because I don't want my comment deleted for writing a word or phrase that KZbin doesn't approve of. I'm not being paranoid, lol! It's just that KZbin is censoring some comments because of some bad actors.)

[@andriannasmyrniotis7386]

Could it be the book was banned because Doerr uncovered ways a current political party uses as resources for selling disinformation? Whatever the unintelligent reason, I am going to purchase "All the Light We Cannot See." Thank you Velshi, and thank you Anthony Doerr.

[@t.r.campbell6585]

The book is not banned. The book is available for sale on a multitude of venues.

[@CKLee-rs4kl]

Its an excellent book and I hope you are as informed by Doerr's writing as was I.

[@MileHile]

​@@CKLee-rs4kl Agreed!

[@Sarah-said]

​@@t.r.campbell6585it's banned by schools then it's banned from the students that are not able to buy it or get to the town/city library. This is especially true in rural, Republican areas, like where I grew up. Why are Republicans so scared of books? Why do Republicans have to suppress voters and gerrymander? If your party is so unattractive to the majority of the public then maybe they should change some of their policies- like stop giving billionaires tax breaks or maybe vote with the Democrats the next time they try to raise the minimum wage. And maybe... Stop banning books 📚😅

[@vermiliongamboge155]

@@t.r.campbell6585 It is banned in some schools.

[@miahill6864]

The people in charge of banning books need to take a human psychology lesson: the more you prohibit any thing, the more human wants it. Young people will find very thrilling reading all the banned books, not because it interest them, but because they are prohibit. If I was a literature teacher I would start my lesson by saying: by the way, I would recommend the reading of____book, however, no, no, oh, I just found out it's been banned, sorry kids. I am sure 99% of the class will read it.

[@Rnankn]

That’s why I read ‘Catcher in the Rye’ when I was 13. The school had it removed, so i made sure to get a copy.

[@kathrynw3413]

Thank you Ali, and thank you Mr. Doerr.

[@MomDeb]

One of my favorite books in my banned book collection! Thank you.

[@pmclaughlin4111]

These days I am really not into nonlinear storytelling but the author is so compelling and excited by the connections that brought about this book, it seems this book is going on my nightstand

[@MileHile]

Plan to read it on a night when you can stay up late- it's difficult to put down!

[@GraphicsGuru37]

I’m looking forward to reading this book. Thank you for the recommendation. 🙏🇨🇦🇺🇸🎶

[@dwp6471]

All the Light.... is a great book. I have recommended it to many people.

[@lauriehassell9328]

I read this wonderful novel a few years ago. I can't even imagine why it would be banned!

[@JudyLight-hc4cz]

Thank you!! For such an important program

[@leesahawes9682]

Our book club in Australia loved it!

[@SueFerreira75]

Why on earth would "All The Light We Cannot See" be banned? It is a beautiful novel.

[@CKLee-rs4kl]

because it might expand peoples understanding of a horrible dictatorship that threatened - tried - to destroy the world.

[@monaedoyle3631]

Nobody even politicians should forbid students or anyone else from reading a particular book. My mother never forbid me from reading books that I picked to read in school. It is wrong that anyone would stop students from reading books including the one mentioned in this interview. Reading is educational for everyone including students in and out of the classroom.

[@deborahosuch4598]

Listening to podcasts reminds me of loving to listen to the radio as a teen. And now, National Public Radio is continuing a long and valuable service.

[@LesFarrington]

What an unbelievably eloquent man. You talk like a literary genius. It is no big mystery. How someone like this man could write such a masterpiece. I live in the state of Texas. Such intellect is rare here. Such compassion and empathy is rare here. Listening to you talk, it was like smelling spring rain

[@berthabridges3483]

"You think your pain and heartbreak 💔 are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive." ~ James Baldwin

[@lizthemightyredhead]

I read this book and immediately fell in love with the characters and the story line. What a compelling book for the youth of today. Please go out and read this book and as someone else said---ask yourself why they DO NOT want you to read it.

[@davidjames2083]

*Marvellous, very important work Ali. Thank you **_sooo_** much. **_CHEERS!_* 👍😎🇬🇧💙📚☕🥃

[@davec5233]

One of my all time favorites, maybe will have to read again ...

[@Aliceoberdorf]

I enjoyed reading this. Yes it has a sort of fantasy aspect but tells a good story. Can’t imagine why it was banned.

[@suescott4330]

I loved this book the writing was AMAZING

[@Jaline_on_YouTube]

This is one of my top favourite books, and it was so satisfying to me when I later heard that it won the Pulitzer Prize. This honour for Anthony Doerr's work is so richly deserved. Mr. Velshi, thank you so much for throwing Light on the many books that have been shoved into the darkness. Luckily, even the dark has light-waves within it and the light will always win through in the long run.

[@lfr980]

Memorable story telling, I savored the beauty of the message and imagery for days after I finished it. Thank you and can't believe it's been banned!

[@MM-sf3rl]

One of the most beautiful books ever written. So vivid, intriguing, and human.

[@carolyn6728]

Mr Velshi, thank you for this important information about books being banned!!! If not for your show I would never know what freedoms of reading whatever book we want is being challenged!!!

[@renee1292]

Ali thank you for forming this book club!! It's so important to keep these books in our schools and libraries. I loved this book!!

[@cheriewolfsen2491]

Such a Wonderful Story & I Love Mr. Doerr's short story collections too! Thank You for shining light on these great stories! No One Should Dictate What Can Be Read! EVER!

[@sassafrasinspired2029]

"All the Light We Cannot See" is the most exquisite book I have ever read. Banning books is ridiculous. (We should ban lying politicians instead.)

[@charlottekylin4169]

I'm constantly appalled by the books that are chosen to be banned. Did the banners even try to read them? I fear for the kids who won't come across these books by accident, let alone be assigned to read them. I was lucky, my parents encouraged me to read anything. But will kids even think about reading if good books aren't available? Once they're out of school, what then? We're seriously dumbing down our future.

[@stpd1957]

It is a marvellous book, I loved it, and have recommended it to many people who have thanked me for doing so. I live in Dublin in Ireland so we do not have our heads wrecked by religious nut jobs.

[@berthabridges3483]

"I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, "Mother, what is war?" ~ Eve Merriam, in "Peacemaking: Day by Day" (1989)

[@ohsublime1923]

I love this book, it is one of my all time favorites, high schoolers should read this book!

[@SpanishEclectic]

Ugh. My mother decided I was old enough to read Brave New World when I was twelve. I also read the Diary of Anne Frank in the 8th grade as a classroom assignment. This subjective moral outrage as justification for banning ideas is making people dumb. Ideas are what started America on it's path to Liberty during the age of Enlightenment. This is an excellent story, and banning it is ridiculous.

[@ruthmarley192]

Utterly fascinating.

[@veronicamillen754]

Brilliant

[@gaffs82]

One of the greatest books I’ve ever read

[@dalebrabb4756]

One more banned book I'm glad I read, one of a long and disturbing list. Personally, when I was in high school, I would have gone out of my way to get a copy of any banned book.

[@RobertSmith-gu7qo]

I'm very glad I discovered this. Thank you.

[@lisabrown7959]

I still can’t understand why banning literature used to expand the mind is acceptable to some people, but the mere mention of rational gun laws triggers such an insane response amongst those same people.

[@laurawoodford1225]

Education will have to happen outside of school. This book and the movie were set o incredible!

[@userunknownx]

A true treasure for any book collection.

[@rubincarter3904]

Thoughtful interview! Thanks

[@Tad-For-Global-Peace]

Ty!!

[@michelepayne3546]

Interesting. This talented author lives in the state that loves to tout its red political status, Idaho. They like trying to ban books too.

[@katsong3302]

some there are pushing the Greater Idaho project, gaining acceptance by several eastern Oregon counties. the project aims to annex large portion of Oregon and eastern northern California.

[@pronolagermain-ni9zq]

I actually read they entire book and it was one of the best books I’ve read in recent memory. I CANNOT image WHY this book would be banned…

[@4estdweller4ever]

Okay, I figured something would come along to make me reactivate my Audible subscription. It’s expensive for me but my eyes are weak and reading is hard. I saw the movie. I love Mark Ruffalo and I loved the movie. I’m a fiend for history so here goes. I’m sick of the regurgitation of the same news stories. I’m excited about hearing this story. The author is fascinating. So intelligent. Thank you!

[@denniscampeau6577]

One of my favourite books ever!!!!!!

[@katsybo]

Great interview

[@RonelScheepers]

It’s a beautiful book! Way on earth would it be banned? Ridiculous!!

[@sadtothebone5767]

I read this book a few months ago. It left me speechless.

[@WhatAWonderfulNameItIs]

This is one of my favorite books EVER! ❤

[@opechoii]

I’m adding this book to my TBR. It sounds so good! What is wrong with America?

[@berthabridges3483]

"The whole world opened to me when I learned to read." 📚 ~ Mary McLeod Bethune 😊

[@JeanVance]

Excellent book.

[@CJScrol]

I love this book. 🩷👏👏

[@janetfrench1576]

Brilliant author. His " Cloud Cuckoo Land" was also masterful. Doerr is in a class with other major authors of the 20th and 21st century.

[@lauracarstiou3505]

I read that book. It was excellent. Why on earth would this book be banned??

[@barbaraseymour3437]

It. Is. A. Wonderful. Book. Get it and read!!

[@MrPoilleke]

I saw this as a movie, an amazing story!

[@talullaclementine7009]

I absolutely loved this book. I've told lots of friends about it to hopefully get them to read it, too.

[@ptgal220]

Loved!!!!! this book. Next up, Sarah's Key. Discovered this movie and now must read the novel.

[@annchang5937]

It was a beautiful, thoughtful, wonderful book and should be required reading for all seniors. 3:28

[@beanzeani2440]

Great video.

[@stevejohnson2321]

Why is ANY book banned? But, for God's sake, WHY this book. It's a sublime treasure. On what grounds is the argument to ban this piece of art based?!?!?

[@audreydakin8130]

Beautiful novel! I’m waiting for his next great novel…

[@antonomaseapophasis5142]

Ali Velshi, a light we can see.

[@salliedixon6424]

I loved this book!

[@clover3309]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@janicel.johnson1683]

This is a good book...read it about a year and a half ago. Don't know why it would be banned...

[@keithhudson1358]

I heard of this book and heard all the literary accolades.

[@winstonrobinson6732]

I can't comment on the latest news with Bernie Sanders as a guest but I'd like to ask Senator Sanders a simple question. I have medicare and additional insurance that covers me and my spouse - in the Senators program of Medicare for all will I NOT have to pay for Medicare and can I drop the additional insurance plan saving us over $700 per month and then that money goes into our checking account??? If this program will be FREE for those who have NOT paid in then I should not have to pay either.

[@AshPaddyCOYS]

Do you not pay for roads either because poor people may not pay for it? And who is to say that a poor person always remains poor. If they're not bankrupted by healthcare costs, they'll enter the middle class and pay taxes

[@jannichi6431]

Velshi is the best. I enjoy hos podcast in full uninterrupted if willing to wait a day or too. MSNBC is difficult to get in a two hour block LIVE. 3rd party Utubers all over channel but leave FOX alone???

[@mwhitney9532]

The book was adapted to a fine Netflix feature.

[@sarahvenable6663]

Excellent book. I see no reason to ban it.

[@Teak701]

Wonderful book.

[@wendyboester7925]

Wonderful book…

[@jannichi6431]

Wish it was easier to get Velshi live on weekends through stream. Suggestions as KZbin isnt accommodateing my 'TUBE'. Premium required???

[@bivideo7]

I didn't like it, but I wouldn't ban it...

[@fawnforest2]

That is coincidentally the book I am reading now.😮

[@WillPenn]

Anyone taking a call from the Vice President in a tee shirt, and sneakers is my guy

[@elysianfields8461]

❤

[@mclaude3]

The book was also recently adapted into a FANTASTIC series by Netflix (starring Hugh Laurie and Mark Ruffalo)

[@RJM56]

And Aria Mia Loberti in her debut acting role as Marie-Laure and German actor Louis Hofmann as Werner Pfennig in what I believe is his first English language role but has many German language film and series credits including Dark and Centre of My World. It was because of Hofmann that I watched All the Light ...

[@tonethymcbuttox5830]

I have read the book and it is a great book but I can see how parts of the book toward the end could be inappropriate for school. Its not a very graphic depiction, but it is depicted.

[@chrisjohnson2460]

According to the wording of these Lawsuits, the books can remain as long as they are inaccessible to inappropriate readers.

[@DJames-fn3cl]

The TV series based on this book is brilliant, mesmerizing and so emotional. I have watched it several times and will continue to view it as a favorite. I have not read the book yet, but I am anticipating that it will surpass my expectations.

[@katsybo]

I loved that book. Why is it banned?

[@victorjcano]

So what was the reason it was banned?

[@suzannecodd2588]

Sorry but a great number of the people in your country are nuts. This was a brilliant book and whatever do those that banned it find to ban? Insanity

[@4estdweller4ever]

Yup