Thursday Thirteen #28: Banned Books Week

This Saturday kicks off the 26th anniversary of BANNED BOOKS WEEK, which runs through Oct 6. Banned Books Week is the ALA's annual celebration of the right to read who and what we want. It's a time to reflect on this fundamental freedom, to cherish this First Amendment right, and to read what you want to read, no matter what anyone else thinks of that choice. As the author of Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury, said, "You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them."

13 Banned Books I Have Read

1. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT by Erich Maria Remarque (Anti-war novel) -- Banned in Nazi Germany for demoralizing and insulting the Wehrmacht.
2. ANIMAL FARM by George Orwell (Political novella) -- Publication delayed in UK because of anti-Stalin theme. Confiscated in Germany by Allied troops. Banned in 1946 in Yugoslavia.
3. BLACK BEAUTY by Anna Sewell (Novel) -- Was banned in South Africa because of the use of the word 'black' in the title.
4. CANDIDE by Voltaire (Novel) -- Seized by US Customs in 1930 for obscenity. (Was required reading for a college French lit class.)
5. CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger (Novel) -- Banned in various US public schools and libraries for sexual situations and immorality.
6. CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE by Henry David Thoreau (Essay) -- Removed from US libraries during McCarthyism. Banned in South Africa.
7. FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON by Daniel Keyes (Novel) -- Banned in 1970 in the school boards of Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada as well as Calgary, Alberta, for situations involving sex and alcohol consumption.
8. THE LORAX by Dr. Seuss (Children's book) -- Banned in parts of the US for being an allegorical political commentary. (Are you kidding me? We saw the animated film about 50 times in grade school—basically every other day we were kept indoors at lunch due to rain or extreme cold temperatures. It was one of my favorite Seuss stories.)
9. OF MICE AND MEN by John Steinbeck (Novel) -- Banned by some schools and libraries in the United states for promoting "euthanasia" and use of profanity from May 1983 to May 1984, and also in 1993 and 1994. This book is no longer banned.
10. THE DAVINCI CODE by Dan Brown (Novel) -- Banned in Egypt in 2006 because, “We ban any book that insults any religion.” Banned in Iran 2006.
11. THE HANDMAID’S TALE by Margaret Atwood (Novel) -- Banned by the superintendent of one Texas school district in 2006 because it was “sexually explicit and offensive to Christians.”
12. FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury (Novel) -- Challenged by the Conroe, Texas school district in 2006 because of: “discussion of being drunk, smoking cigarettes, violence, ‘dirty talk,’ references to the Bible and using God’s name in vain.” It went against the complainant’s “religious beliefs.” (Note: I saw this evening that Tom Hanks is slated to reprise the role of Guy Montague in a new film version of the classic novel.)
13. THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN by Mark Twain (Novel) Where hasn’t this one been banned or challenged due to “racial slurs”?

I admit I hated Huck Finn the first time I read it, but it had nothing to do with the language and everything to do with a teacher who thought Huck Finn was God. My sister will attest to the fact that that is not an exaggeration, having had the same class the following year. It was the first book we read and the one every subsequent book in the class was compared to—kid you not! I liked it much better when we re-read it in a college American Lit class. It amazes me, though, that people are still challenging what is one of the best works of fiction accurately depicting a volatile time in our country’s history. Yes, it has language some may find offensive, but it is true to the period in which it was written. No teacher I’ve ever known assigned this book because they were prejudiced; it’s assigned because it is great writing and promotes discussions about racism, about what is write or wrong. Nothing wrong with teaching students to think!

Is there a book you love that has been banned or challenged? What are your thoughts on censorship and book banning?

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. Tempest Knight 2. Jane E. Jones 3. Jennifer Shirk 4. Emma
5. Xakara 6. Darla 7. DD Mills 8. Jennifer McK
9. Savannah Chase 10. Rhonda Stapleton 11. Robin Rotham
12. Paige Tyler 13. Morgan St. John 14. Kaige 15. Gina Ardito
16. Sara Thacker 17. Adelle Laudan 18. Seeley DeBorn
19. Tara Nichols 20. Debbie Mumford 21. Lis


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