In honor of Banned Books Week (September 29 through October 6, 2007), I'm starting a new reading project. The rules are simple: Members of the Banned Books project will read and post about banned books. That's it. No time limit, no required number to complete, just reading any book that has ever been challenged or banned; and registration is always open. Please check it out, and read a banned book or two ... or ten!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Banned Books ~ a reading project
In honor of Banned Books Week (September 29 through October 6, 2007), I'm starting a new reading project. The rules are simple: Members of the Banned Books project will read and post about banned books. That's it. No time limit, no required number to complete, just reading any book that has ever been challenged or banned; and registration is always open. Please check it out, and read a banned book or two ... or ten!
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2 comments:
There's a think going down in the UK at the moment advocating the burning of children's books which do not have happy endings - for example the Lemony Snicket series. I haven't been able to work out if it's genuine, in which case it's horrific, or if it's a huge marketing ploy. Fellow children's writers are equally befuddled by reports.
Freedom to Choose
The subject matter on banned or challenge books sent me on a search of knowledge. Just a few years ago, I had no clue books were banned or even challenged in America, during my lifetime. First, I need to be sure what those two words represent. Banned means forbidden or prohibited from public view. Challenged means, disputed, doubted or mistrusted. The public library was my only resource for books when I was a student, and looking back I can now see books that would not be placed on the shelves for people to read. With access to the in Internet in public libraries all Americans can sit and look up most subject matter. WOW has society changed.
The book I was reading last month The Tenth Circle would have been banned back in the “50” when I was in school. Political, sexual or social books would have been censored by the government, religion, school or library not to be healthy for teens. I would not be surprised to hear books I have read: I know Why the Cage Bird Sing by Maya Angelou, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, The Bluest Eye, Beloved and Song of Salomon by Toni Morrison. These books would have been banned from my library; we had no people of color in school back then. Pregnancy and suicide within our teens is on the rise, I for one, do not believe that is because of books but of the actions of adults which speak louder then words. Thank you Bonnie for bringing up this subject I am hoping to hear what others feel about the freedom to choose issues on books.
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