Lisa reads: Banned Books

In preparation for Banned Books Week (September 26-October 3rd), the American Library Association has released their annual list of the books that the pro-censorship crowd tried to pull from library Shelves.  You can read the list here ^[1], as well as get prepped for the holiday with t-shirts and posters.

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read.  One does not love breathing.”
Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

Now, I understand a parent wanting to know what their kid is reading, I really do.  I have a little sympathy (still not much, to be honest) with parents who are concerned about books in their schools.  I mean, I might agree that The Joy of Gay Sex is not suitable for a middle school library – but that isn’t where people tried to censor it.  They wanted to remove it from the public library, where adults also check out books.  So they didn’t just want to make sure their tween son or daughter didn’t have access to it, they wanted to make sure that NO ONE had access to it — and you haven’t seen cranky until you try to take my books away.

There are some old favorites on the list: Cathcher in the Rye, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Go Ask Alice and the newest regular on the list, And Tango Makes Three — because really, what could be more threatening than gay penguins.  There are also some books I’ve not seen before that show up, mostly books about dealing with being a teenager.  For example, Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya, is described this way:

The book is about a boy maturing, asking questions about evil, justice and the nature of God.

Well, that certainly isn’t anything we want!  Kids asking questions?  Thinking about justice?  Stop them, I say!

There are all the usual complaints: dealings with the occult, sex, “cuss words” and other graphic language.  I was particularly amused by the folks who wanted to ban To Kill A Mockingbird because the racial issues might upset black students.  Honestly, if you are not upset by the racial issues in that book, no matter what color you are, you must have been reading something else.

So, check out the ALA website ^[2] for more information on Banned Books Week and how you can get involved.  Personally, I plan to add The Book of Bunny Suicides: Little Fluffy Rabbits Who Just Don’t Want to Live Anymore to my Christmas shopping list for the nieces and nephews.  (Count on Auntie Lisa as a corrupting influence).  I also plan to check my local library — I have no idea what the procedures and policies are there for restricting a book and how that is communicated to the public.  As a Frequent Patron, I ought to know. But most of all, I plan to read Banned Books and encourage others to do the same.