Comments on: Banned Books Week

By: Lisa Kenney

Lisa Kenney — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:26:02 +0000

Gosh, I own tons of these. And it’s a good thing half the other books I read aren’t submitted into public schools or they’d be on the list too!

By: Cat B

Cat B — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:56:17 +0000

What a strange and curious list! Tom Sawyer is banned but Huckleberry Finn is not. Hmmmm. I might just reread Huckleberry Finn even though it’s not on the list. It’s a good one to read every once in a while for Huck’s beautiful relationship with the black runaway slave, Jim.

By: Tink

Tink — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:28:48 +0000

My favorite teacher was my 9th grade English instructor. She handed us the banned book list and told us to pick one. We picked Catcher In The Rye. Then we all read it aloud in class.

By: Eryl Shields

Eryl Shields — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:29:56 +0000

What this list tells me is that people don’t trust each other to make their own reasoned interpretations. How on earth, otherwise, can Huck Finn be banned anywhere, it’s one of the greats of American fiction? As for banning Chaucer, good god! I would despair if it weren’t for such events as Banned Books Week, but it is irritating that such events have to exist at all, why can’t we just be treated like the adults we are?

As for what’s on my bookshelves: I’d probably be burned at the stake if I told…

By: David

David — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:10:03 +0000

I agree with Barrie. I didn’t realize I owned so many banned books. I feel like an outlaw!

By: Barrie Summy

Barrie Summy — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 05:45:04 +0000

I’m surprised to see how many of these books I’ve read/own.

By: Laura/centerdownhome

Laura/centerdownhome — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:38:39 +0000

I loved reading through the list on that link, Debra. Funniest was “Where’s Waldo”! Ha!

I was surprised how many I had read or were familiar to me. Hmm. How to choose one to read next week?

I think The Brother’s Grimm and Fairy Tales. My daughter is doing a unit for her art classes on fairy tales, and we just hunted down our Brother’s Grimm DVD, and our “Storyteller” DVD.
http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Hensons-Storyteller-Complete-Collection/dp/B0000A2ZU6

Oh, my God, did you watch this with your girls? I love Fearnot. So funny.

Hey, did I just ramble miles away from Banned Book Week? Well, then. Anyway.

By: Mary Witzl

Mary Witzl — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 04:39:27 +0000

We have — (or had!) — at least a dozen banned books on our shelves, many of which my kids turned their noses up at as old fogey books. It is funny just how opinions change over the years as to what is racy or subversive.

I have immense respect for the librarians that protect our freedom of speech and expression. More power to them and long may they continue to do their jobs!

By: Patti Abbott

Patti Abbott — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 03:01:46 +0000

Nice discussion. If you have time to do a book for next Friday, send me the link. Patti

By: Jodi aka soNOTcool

Jodi aka soNOTcool — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 01:22:00 +0000

My unschooled daughter and myself are each going to read at least one book from The Forbidden Library next week. (Thanks for the link.) I was surprised to find that I’d read so many.