Banned Book Week (September 23-30)

[CreamyLady]

Okay. I hate it when people post those things that one receives as part of a mass email, but this is a cause I fervently believe in.

It is absolutely amazing how some people feel they have the right to dictate the reading of others. I remember the look on the librarian's face when I asked for The Decameron; we were reading The Canterbury Tales, and I wanted to do a compare and contrast paper. I had to get a note from my mother; I understand that the book is no longer "available" at our library. They don't have a copy, and no plans to get one, so maybe during Friends of the Library week an anonymous paperback copy will be donated.


Many books have been on this list; some you wouldn't believe. Alice in Wonderland, for goodness' sake! Huckleberry Finn.

Here are some of the books that have been or are listed as banned material:

Harry Potter (the entire series) by JK Rowling
The House of Spring by ?
Go Ask Alice by Anon.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Forever by Judy Blume
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Lord of the Flies by W. Golding
Slaughter House 5 by Kurt Vonneget

The right to have freedom of the press is precious -- GO READ A BANNED BOOK TODAY!!!

 

[KillerMuffin]

I find it wildly interesting that my Library does not stock a single copy of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. This is due to the heinous killing in it and how the innocence of the killer is portrayed. Because the killer happened to be mentally challenged. However, they carry three copies of Hannibal and two copies of Silence of the Lambs. Odd...

 

[Hecate]

*staring in complete puzzlement*

Wait - this list was the ones that were banned CL??? I HAD to read some of those in school. I vividly recall the "lord of the Flies" which besides reading and writing tests about it we had to go and WATCH as a movie ...

The others I think were on the list (many of them anyway ) to choose from for works in literature class ...

*laves shaking head in surprise mumbling something about culture shock*

 

[CreamyLady]

I come out in hives just thinking about it, which means I'm going to be taking a bath in Caladryl lotion soon.

My mother, for all her faults, never censored my reading. She felt if I was old enough to ask, I was old enough to read, and her collection of amazing books was open to me. I can't say that I always understood the nuances of the books, but I did read them.

I had many an interesting book report returned to me, however, with the remark: This book is NOT on the list. Please choose another from the same author for your grad. This one is for Extra Credit.

 

[Rand al'Thor]

Harry Potter (the entire series) by JK Rowling
-I can't stand the people trying to judge this book series... What is the real difference between this and Tolkien. Nobody in their right mind would try to ban Tolkien anywhere, after all, its just fantasy.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
-This is a fucking classic, for crying out loud. This is probably one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. I can't even think of a reason for it to be banned.

Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
-Yes, this book has racial slurs in it. Unfortunately, racial slurs were common in the 19th century, and Twain was simply writing with a hint of realism. I can't stand it when people bash Twain. He was a great writer and philosopher, and I don't want to see his name ruined just because he lived in a rascist era.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
-Steinbeck is one of my favorite authors. Why anyone would want to ban such a lovely book is beyond me. I don't know what to say about this.

Lord of the Flies by W. Golding
-Another good, classic book. Wait, there is violence in it!!! Better ban it. Don't need than dang ol' US Constitution gettin' in tha' way. Better ban it before someone drops a rock on my head.

Creamylady-- Where exactly are these books banned at? Your local library? I have 4 of those books on my personal bookshelf. Didn't know I was such an evil son-of-a-bitch. At least they are screwing around with "The Catcher in the Rye." Let me know if they ban that one, and I'll definitely send them my regards.

Rand al'Thor
The Dragon Reborn

"That's the whole trouble. You can't ever find a place that's nice and peaceful, because there isn't any. You may think there is, but once you get there, when you're not looking, somebody'll sneak up and write 'Fuck you' right under your nose."
-J.D. Salinger

 

[CreamyLady]

I believe the list is compiled by librarians, Rand. The association gathers reports from community libraries and school libraries across the country of what books have been removed, or barred, from their shelves.

That is just a partial list, too. They are not all banned everywhere, but the point is that, in some locations, people feel they have the right to keep these books out of your hands.

I've got to get that lotion . . .

 

[Boo]

Don't forget......

"The Catcher in the Rye", J. D. Sallinger
"Lady Chatterly's Lover", D. H. Lawrence
"The Scarlet Letter", Nathaniel Hawthorne

These are just a few I remember off hand. Where I grew up, the attempt to ban took place in the early eighties and was spearheaded by Jerry Falwell's group....the self-proclaimed moral majority. In truth, as we know, the religeous right is a minority, albeit a very vocal minority. As a staunch upholder of my first amendment rights, I have no problem with this group choosing not to read any of the above listed workds of literature, though I pity the cultural depravation that would ensue in those who chose to follow such a narrow minded education, but, I have a huge problem with any individual or group lobbying to make these works less available to me. My local book seller, amazing we still have one in my small town in this era of franchizing hell, particpates yearly in the "Freedom to Read" movement. This entails displaying prominently in their window all of the banned works and offering them for sell at a discount during the month of September. Unfortunately, my local library is far less enlightened. There is one employee there who covertly suggests the books from the banned list during the month of September as a show of solidarity with the "Freedom to Read" group but as an organization, the stance of the library is officially neutral. Jaded as I am, I don't find it amazing that there are people out there who in the year 2000, still think they can protect their view of morality through lack of information. And as I said above, choosing ingorance as a means of remaining holy is certainly a personal choice. However, for those of us who choose to read, and if you are one, please contact your local libraries and book sellers and voice your opinions about censorship in any form. Okay, off of my soap box....think I'll reread Catcher in the Rye as my passive form of activism.

Boo

 

[Silverlily]

Not only will I read a banned book, I'm taking the kids with me!

Harry Potter series, you have got to be kidding. God forbid children should be allowed to flex their imaginations. Granted, the books are not lovey-dovey and there are some harsh situations, but that is why we read them together. Questions can be addressed along the way.

Tom Sawyer, Of Mice and Men, and Lord of the Flies are all too difficult for them right now, but they are on our bookshelf. I look forward to upcoming discussions.

Ooh, I'm angry. I will be damned if I will allow someone to tell what I may and may not read.

 

[Ticklish Girl]

Here's a cool quote I found that expresses my feelings on the subject:

"I believe that we should only read those books that bite and sting us. If a book we are reading does not rouse us with a blow to the head, then why read it?" -- Franz Kafka

Society always has to be on guard against censorship. What is particularly disgusting is the latest wrinkle: works being banned because they are politically incorrect. There was an article in last week's Weekly Standard about a Catholic school in Louisiana which banned the works of Flannery O'Connor because some of her more famous stories contain the N-word. Parents complained and the school responded by banning her stories and some other famous works. Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" has been banned in some districts for this same reason.

Schools shouldn't let people's delicate feelings dictate the curricula.

 

[BeautyBabe]

Brave New World?
Lord Of The Flies?
Of Mice and Men?

I agree with Hecate, these were required reading when I was at school! Next thing you know, they're gonna ban Shakespeare - sex, violence, cross-dressing, incest, witchcraft...GET REAL!!!!

THe daftest thing I heard was that Enid Blyton's Noddy books had been edited to remove the Gollywog, and any mention of Noddy and Big Ears sharing a bed or getting spanked for being naughty.

I wonder about the people who can find objectionable material in children's books. I guess you could find anything if you look hard enough for it, but what makes them look in the first place?

 

[CreamyLady]

What causes people to look closely for prurient material is a prurient mind, and an unhealthy one at that.

By the way, in some places Shakespeare made the list.

I like the idea of books that sting, tease, prod and poke one to an open mind. I like the thought of a marketplace of ideas, where one can sample, and pick and choose, and exchange.

I like the idea of a child picking a book several years beyond his or her reading level and getting gripped by the story, puzzling through the words, and the concepts, and emerging with a different view of the world.

I've never believed that the striving for knowledge is necessarily corrupting; rather, I believe it is the constant efforts to stifle it, and direct it, that is the corrupting influence.

How about next week everybody reading a banned book?

 

[teresafannin]

Book Banning is very much alive and well in the US. When my son was in grade school, I spent most of my time volunteering in the library. One of the most widely banned authors is Judy Blume. I personally think her books should be required reading-she has written wonderful books about growing up. When JM was in 3rd grade, we had a group called "Moms in Touch" who decided that they should dictate what the school librarian could order. JM did his history fair project on book banning & caused quite a stir, but the MIT's backed off.I was always getting in trouble for reading "inappropriate material" all through my school years. I never censored anything my son read, most of the time I read it too & we discussed it. The most widely banned book in the US is the Bible. It has everything, sex, murder, incest, you name it, it is in there. It was my job as JM's mom to know what he was reading & if he had questions, to answer them. My favorite sweatshirt reads "Celebrate Freedom, Read a Banned Book." I was always taught that once you start banning books, it is easy to start banning other things.