I found that a few of my goals revolved around reading more books and different ways to decide what books I wanted to read. For some reason this morning while waiting in the airport I went to Mental Floss and came across their banned book list. In some of the comments people mention other banned books so this got me even more curious about what books are banned and for what reason. I remember there being a big deal over Harry Potter and I never really understood that. Yes, it is about witchcraft but I don't remember any claims ever made about it being real...or did I miss that Oprah. It seems so silly to me that people are so afraid of other people's imaginations. Why is that? I thought that Harry Potter was fabulous and it teaches lots of good lessons like loyalty to your friends, defending evil and all that good stuff. I don't see what the big deal is. If I look at some of the other books on the list, I am faced with the same 'who cares' reaction to having children read it as I had to Harry Potter. I just think that it is a shame that everyone is so afraid of anything that is different from the way that they think and that people are so sheltered. I looked on the ALA's(American Library Association) website and discovered that every year they have a banned book week! Excellent! Here is more information on it. Don't be too surprised when you see on my list that my plan is to read all these books and see what is so controversial about them. I guess I can cross Harry Potter off the list since I have read all 7 of them! Since you guys are all intelligent and like to read, I thought that this might interest you as well. If you look at the bottom of the page you will see that they have lists for 2007, 2006, and from 2000-2005 and a top 100 list from 1990-1999. The top 100 list seems to include a lot of kid's books so not sure I will read all of those (I know my sister had the whole Goosebumps series when we were little- she read those like I read the Babysitter's Club).
Anyway, just some food for thought....banning books just seems so Fahrenheit 451 to me....anyone have to read that in school...I hated it, but it makes good points if you aren't forced to write an essay on it.
7 months ago
2 comments:
If my kid ever got a book banned in his school, I'd buy him the book and order him to read it. I agree, very Fahrenheit 451, my theory is the same with art - you're perfectly entitled to not like it, but if the artist or writer says it's art or literature, we have to accept it as such.
I do remember one banned book for a while was a book on Buddhist teachings...because, you know, the last thing we need in this country is a bunch of nonviolent pacifists running around.
I just don't understand that! I want to learn what other people think, it intrigues me to know how people who think differently from me think and I feel that a lot of times they either show me things that I wouldn't realize otherwise or they confirm my own beliefs. I would do the same thing with a banned book...I would have my child read it and I would read it then we would discuss it. You can't shelter kids forever...they are the ones that go nuts cause they are so naive that they get made fun of. I am excited about working through the list!!
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