Banned Books Week Begins
Sometimes I reflect on what it would be like to have lived at a time when books were not so readily available and the thought just scares me. To not have the wonderful stories and worlds right there at my fingertips is a frightening prospect. When you think that there was once a time when books were the most sacred and valuable possession someone owned because the printed word was scarce and cost so much you realize how lucky we are that we live now. But to think of a time, our time, when knowledge is readily accessible, when words and books can be found almost anywhere and be available to anyone and then have that taken away by censors. That just terrifies me to me very core. There are appropriate and inappropriate books, there are good books and bad books, but there is no one who has the right to tell you that a book is not fit to be read. Anything that has been written has the right to be read if someone wants to read it. There is not some all powerful governing body who has any right to tell me I can't read a book. Knowledge is not to be monitored, it is to have an ever expanding ceaseless horizon. Go out a increase your world view and read a banned book.
Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2008:
- And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group - His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman
Reasons: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence - TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group - Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
Reasons: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence - Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence - The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group - Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group - Uncle Bobby's Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen
Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group - The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group - Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper
Reasons: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group
Excellent post! I am always fascinated by the reasons books are challenged.
http://starkravingbibliophile.blogspot.com/
Stephanie said... September 28, 2009 at 10:57 AM
And Tango Makes Three is "anti-ethnic"? I thought it was about penguins!
La Coccinelle said... September 28, 2009 at 1:29 PM
Perhaps people REALLY dislike penguins and think no one should ever ever read about them?
Miss Eliza said... September 28, 2009 at 2:49 PM
Just wanted to stop by and say thanks so much for the follow and the advice! =)
The Book Girl said... September 29, 2009 at 8:06 AM
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