Ned Vizzini
A writer who channeled the acute pressures of teenage anxiety into candid, life-affirming novels that resonated with a generation.
1981–2013 (age 32)·American writer·Birthday: April 4·Millennials
Biography
Ned Vizzini published 'It's Kind of a Funny Story' in 2006, a semi-autobiographical novel drawn from his own hospitalization for depression. Born in 1981, he wrote his first book about his experiences at Stuyvesant High School while still a teenager. The novel became a critical and commercial success and later a major motion picture. Vizzini's voice was conversational, witty, and deeply empathetic. He wrote with honesty about adolescence and mental health, providing recognition for countless readers. He died in 2013 at age 32.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Ned was born in 1981, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ned Was Born
The biggest hits of 1981
#1 Movie
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Best Picture
Chariots of Fire
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Ned's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1981Born
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1986Started school
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1994Became a teenager
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Could drive
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
1999Could vote
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Turned 21
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2011Turned 30
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2013Died at 32
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Wrote the bestselling young adult novel 'It's Kind of a Funny Story', which was adapted into a feature film in 2010.
- Published his first book, 'Teen Angst? Naaah...', a collection of essays, at the age of 19.
- His novel 'Be More Chill' was adapted into a successful off-Broadway and later Broadway musical.
Did You Know?
He began writing for New York Press at the age of 15.
Vizzini was a writer for the first season of the MTV television series 'Teen Wolf'.
He was a National Merit Scholar and attended Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan.
“I think there’s a lot of pressure on kids to be perfect, and I think that’s a really dangerous thing.”
