It's Banned Books Week

[Bardsandsages]

Just wanted to remind everyone that this week is Banned Books Week. The most challenged books between 2000-2005 are:

. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

2. "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier

3. Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

4. "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck

5. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

6. "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers

7. "It's Perfectly Normal" by Robie Harris

8. Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz

9. Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey

10. "Forever" by Judy Blume

The most frequently challenged authors of 2005:

Judy Blume, author of Blubber, Forever, and Deenie
Robert Cormier, author of The Chocolate War and We All Fall Down
Chris Crutcher, author of Whale Talk and The Sledding Hill
Robie Harris, author of It's Perfectly Normal and It's So Amazing!
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, author of the Alice series
Toni Morrison, author of The Bluest Eye, Beloved and Song of Solomon
J. D. Sallinger, author of The Catcher in the Rye
Lois Lowry, author of The Giver
Marilyn Reynolds, author of Detour for Emmy
Sonya Sones, author of What My Mother Doesn’t Know

Celebrate freedom. Read a banned book!

 

[Wombat]

I read banned books

 

[Finster]

I love banned books week!

Sometimes it's hard to decide what to read. There's so much tripe out there it's unbelievable. I now need look no further than this list. Many of these books were required reading in my highschool, so it stands to reason that the rest of the list may be equally as thought provoking.

My fiancee has been reading Harry Potter, I guess I'll have to start too.

 

[Mallus]

Bah! No self-respecting banned book list is complete without "Naked Lunch".

 

[Bardsandsages]

"Once the government can demand of a publisher the names of the purchasers of his publications, the free press as we know it disappears. Then the spectre of a government agent will look over the shoulder of everyone who reads. The purchase of a book or pamphlet today may result in a subpoena tomorrow. Fear of criticism goes with every person into the bookstall. The subtle, imponderable pressures of the orthodox lay hold. Some will fear to read what is unpopular, what the powers-that-be dislike. When the light of publicity may reach any student, any teacher, inquiry will be discouraged. The books and pamphlets that are critical of the administration, that preach an unpopular policy in domestic or foreign affairs, that are in disrepute in the orthodox school of thought will be suspect and subject to investigation. The press and its readers will pay a heavy price in harassment. But that will be minor in comparison with the menace of [345 U.S. 41, 58] the shadow which government will cast over literature that does not follow the dominant party line. If the lady from Toledo can be required to disclose what she read yesterday and what she will read tomorrow, fear will take the place of freedom in the libraries, book stores, and homes of the land. Through the harassment of hearings, investigations, reports, and subpoenas government will hold a club over speech and over the press."—U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, UNITED STATES v. RUMELY, 345 U.S. 41 (1953)

Just to help stimulate thought, I very timely wuote from a former U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Perhaps we should remember this.

 

[Mycanid]

Bah! No self-respecting banned book list is complete without "Naked Lunch".

Blech If ever a book deserved to be banned!

 

[Joshua Randall]

I do not in any way support the banning of books, but "The Chocolate War" is a damn disturbing piece of fiction. I am not sure it is suitable for children/teens.

But of course that's up to each child's parents to decide, not the government.

 

[GlassJaw]

The Thought Police exist.

 

[Crothian]

so do no politics rules

 

[Bardsandsages]

so do no politics rules

I wasn't being political with this post. Banned Books Week is about being aware of what goes on in your own community. It's not a Republican or Democrat thing. It's about being a responsible member of your community and being aware of how the actions of other can affect you and your children. it is particularly important for creative people to be aware of this. Many of the folks in these forums are writers or aspiring writers, so the awareness is important.

The fact is, most challenges to books in the schools or public libraries are not imposed by any government. It happens when an overactive parent decided to steal a book from a library because they believe it should not be there. It happens when a supervisor threatens a librarian's job because even though the school board approved the book he doesn't think it should be in the school system. it happens when extremists vandalize a teacher's home to intimidate her into dropping a book from her course.