It's Banned Books Week, what are you reading?
Categories: That's entertainment
Since 1982, the last week of September has been designated as Banned Books Week. The American Library Association has a website with all sorts of information, including a list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990 - 2000, an entry on Intellectual Freedom for Young People, and a page Especially for Young People and Their Parents.
I've seen the top 100 list before, but I'm always really surprised when I read through it. Maurice Sendak, Shel Silverstein, Maya Angelou, Mark Twain and John Steinbeck??? J.K. Rowling, Alice Walker, Roald Dahl, Toni Morrison??? Really? I'm just floored by what other people feel they need to protect my family from.
And that's what leaves me so uneasy about the whole idea of censorship; the notion that someone else wants to chose my morals and tell me what materials are okay for my kids to read. No, thanks.
Some of the challenged books are there because they teach kids about human reproduction (including that whole s-e-x thing), or, like Daddy's Roommate, they talk openly about gay and/or lesbian parents. I do understand that there are parents who make a decision to not have books such as these on their own bookshelves, but they shouldn't try to deny these books to the kids who really will benefit from them.
And, please, can someone tell me why the Where's Waldo books are on the list? I'm just baffled.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ann adams 9-26-2006 @ 10:44AM
Since you asked about Waldo:
Shame on him. Pulled from a library shelf because of nudity.
Here's the link - you'll have to read down a couple of paragraph to find it but the whole article about censorship in the schools is fascinating.
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/12_03/cenmain.shtml
You missed Harper Lee - maybe she's not on it this year but she has been.
Someplace in my bookmarks I have a website which lists banned/challenged books through the years, the groups which issued, the challenge, and reason why, and the result. Scary reading.
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LS 9-26-2006 @ 11:52AM
Ann... if you can find that list, I would be very interested to read it. Thanks!
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Jonathon 9-26-2006 @ 11:56AM
There's few things I find more infuriating then this kind of behavior. It's so ridiculously childish and dangerous.
Argh! I know I should laugh it, but it gets me so riled up!
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LS 9-26-2006 @ 12:20PM
After asking Ann for her list, I went looking for one of my own. Wikipedia has a nice list, in alpha order, as well as a brief reason why most books were banned. The list may also be accessed according to country, I believe. Here is the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_books
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Anna V. 9-26-2006 @ 12:23PM
I had no idea so many of my favorite books were on that list. I did my senior year term paper on Brave New World (listed) and 1984 (unsure), and I chose them because they were very powerful books.
I may be conservative, but I abhor censoring books. You and I could read the same book, but each of us would take away something different at the end. That is the beauty of literature, and why we must allow individuals the choice of what they read. Personally, I dislike John Steinbeck (even though I have personally lived in Monterey and have seen Cannery Row and Salinas), but I would never tell another person not to read the book because I think it's poorly written.
I think I might go read my Harry Potter books again, just to celebrate this week. Or Brave New World.
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Anna V. 9-26-2006 @ 12:26PM
Okay, yes, 1984 was on that list too. Such a shame. I also find Catch-22 to be a personal favorite. That list is complete madness.
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ann adams 9-26-2006 @ 12:37PM
LS
Wiki is good but I have another one which is more comprensive. I'll try later in the day to locate it.
You might be surprised at how much you conservatives and we liberal moonbats can find to agree on as long as we treat each other with respect as you and I have done.
And what would life be like if we all agreed on everything? That's one of the main dangers of censorship of course.
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ann adams 9-26-2006 @ 12:46PM
When I first posted this on my "other" blog, a commenter told me my blog would be next (along with his).
Jennifer, LS, and anyone else who might be interested:
Here's a link which looks quite comprehensive. It's much the same as the lost forever in my bookmarks.
http://www.banned-books.com/bblist.html
It's listed by author and then alpha by book title along with the reasons the books were challenged (usually by schools or churches but sometimes but individuals). The challenges don't always come from the conservatives or the religious right. We liberals can and quite often do outdo ourselves in political correctness.
I'm amazed at the response over here.
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LS 9-26-2006 @ 12:47PM
Ann, I lift my glass of ice water in a toast to you. I always enjoy debating with you, because we DO treat each other with respect. You're right, if only we could get EVERYONE to debate that way....
Anyway, now that I've looked over a couple of lists, I feel a little more educated on the subject, and can confidently post.... One paragraph in the article that Ann linked to struck me. It posed the question: What is censorship, and what is deciding upon age-appropriate literature for a child? I am thinking specifically about school libraries getting slammed for "censorship" when they decide not to place a book on their shelves.
I believe that school libraries have a duty to keep off of the shelves those books that are not age-appropriate, for example, "Our Bodies, Our Selves", while an excellent reference tool, probably won't mean much to an elementary-level child, and has no business on that school's shelves. But it is entirely appropriate in the middle- and high-school library. This is not censorship, rather, it is making responsible choices with the tax dollars that schools have to spend.
But for the government to step in and say, "You can't read "Little Black Sambo" because it offends some people" is wrong, and that book, as well as others should be on the shelves of PUBLIC libraries all over the country. If you don't want to read that book, then don't check it out. But don't take away the opportunity for me to read it and form my own opinions.
Now, I am going to join Anna V. in re-reading my Harry Potter series. :)
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VL 9-26-2006 @ 3:05PM
Hmm... maybe its time for me to read Heather Has Two Mommies. I have always wanted to see what all the fuss was about, and Ava is confused by the lesbian couple at Church who just had their first baby. Banned Book Week seems like a good time to me!
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Heather 9-26-2006 @ 4:05PM
WHAT "Julie and the Wolves " is banned!!!!!!! why is that book banned? what is so controversial about a girl getting lost on the tundra??????? That book has won awards here in Canada.
Wow I am quite the rebel having read about 1/3- 1/2 of that list.
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Jen 9-26-2006 @ 4:37PM
Unfortunate that many Judy Blume books are banned, along with Shel Siverstein. I loved Roald Dahl books and R.L. Stein's Goosebumps series! Some of my best childhood memories are in the books listed.
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ann adams 9-26-2006 @ 5:58PM
Conservatives and liberals seem to agree for the most part that decision making is better left in the capable hands of parents.
LS, thanks for the kind words. Something else in common, I'm drinking ice water as I leave to go pick up the two youngest from their bus stop. Cheers.
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jenifer scharpen 9-26-2006 @ 6:11PM
Hello All,
I did link to one of the lists in my post, the blue text where it says, "100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000," and at that website there are links to the top 10 challenged books, and the tops for 1900-2000.
Happy Subversive Reading, everyone!!!
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Christine 9-26-2006 @ 6:25PM
This is awesome crazy stuff! Thank you for posting!
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ann adams 9-26-2006 @ 7:56PM
Heather - "Julie & the Wolves"
Here's the link which speaks for itself with no editorial ranting from me.
http://www.holysmoke.org/cos/julie-of-the-wolves.htm
I've found if I enter the book title and censorship into google all sorts of sites will pop up. I selected the first.
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VL 9-26-2006 @ 10:01PM
Am I correct in believing that none of these books are actually banned, and that they are only challenged?
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ann adams 9-27-2006 @ 1:19AM
VL
There was something in the first article I read about the ALA not being able to call it "challenged" books. Already copywrited perhaps?
Some books are banned by religious groups; some of the "bannings" are limited to one school system, and the majority have just been "challenged".
As far as I know the federal government has not yet begun book banning although they have attempted to monitor what, as individuals, we read (and write).
It's more about the attempts of various groups and/or individuals to impose censor whatever doesn't fit their definition of "suitable".
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ann adams 9-27-2006 @ 1:23AM
Should read
It's more about the attempts of various groups and/or individuals to censor whatever doesn't fit their definition of "suitable".
That's what I get for trying to write a sentence when I should be sleeping.
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VL 9-27-2006 @ 1:38PM
Thanks Ann. That's what I thought, but I haven't been in a school library for many years. I know my local public library has "banned books" displayed right now.
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