21st century book banners

The last week in September every year has for the last several years been designated as Banned Books Week, an event celebrating the freedom to read. It is sponsored by the American Library Association and a number of other groups interested in access to books and the freedom to read. It brings together readers of all types with librarians, publishers, journalists, booksellers, and teachers, all of whom are united in the support of the free expression of ideas, even those that may be controversial or unpopular.

In a world where information on just about any subject is only a click away, it seems an exercise in futility for anyone to try to ban or censor a book, and indeed it is. And yet people still try. The books featured on lists published by the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. But even if a book is banned, in most cases it continues to be available. At its most extreme, burning the book will not suffice in the age of Kindles and other eReaders.

It must be said that the motives of many of those who seek the removal of some books are pure if misguided. They sincerely feel that the dissemination of certain ideas, particularly in children's books, is harmful. They do not take into account that ideas are stubborn and elusive things that cannot be contained. It is better to let them flow freely and discuss them openly. Oppose them, argue against them if you must, but don't try to impede their expression.

Year after year, the top reasons for challenges to books remain much the same. "Sexually explicit" material leads the list, followed by "offensive language," "unsuited to age group," "violence," and "homosexuality." There are also a significant number of challenges due to "occult" or "Satanic" themes or "religious viewpoint," and a goodly number because the complainant viewed the book as "anti-family." Books are sometimes challenged for multiple reasons.

Here are the ten books that were most challenged in 2013, along with the reasons for their challenges.

Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey: Offensive language, unsuited for age group, violence.
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group.
Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James: Nudity, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group.
A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit.
Looking for Alaska by John Green: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group.
Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya: Occult/Satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit.
Bone (series) by Jeff Smith: Political viewpoint, racism, violence.

I confess what surprises me most about this list is that Fifty Shades of Grey was challenged because it was deemed "unsuited to age group!" Really? I would have thought the target demographic was probably middle-aged housewives. Do we seriously need to protect their delicate sensibilities?

And I read The Hunger Games and was blissfully unaware of any particular "religious viewpoint."

Anyway, there you are - a list of what is deemed the most dangerous books in America. Why don't you pick one up and read it this week? Celebrate your freedom to read!

(UPDATE: Here's a link to graphics which display clearly the most challenged books and authors in recent years and the reasons for those challenges and also the places where the most challenges were filed in the past year. Can you guess which state had the most challenges? That's right - Texas! We're No. 1! Again.)

Poetry Sunday: Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver

How about we share another Mary Oliver poem? After all, you can never have too many of those. In this one, the poet seems to acknowledge that it is often hard to simply live in and enjoy the moment, perhaps because we are afraid it can't last. She urges us to give in to that moment and fully experience the joy. Although "much can never be redeemed, still, life has some possibility left." Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happens better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is no...

Poetry Sunday: Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney

My mother was a farm wife and a prodigious canner. She canned fruit and vegetables from the garden, even occasionally meat. But the best thing that she canned, in my opinion, was blackberry jam. Even as I type those words my mouth waters! Of course, before she could make that jam, somebody had to pick the blackberries. And that somebody was quite often named Dorothy. I think Seamus Heaney might have spent some time among the briars plucking those delicious black fruits as well, so he would have known that "Once off the bush the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour." They don't keep; you have to get that jam made in a hurry! Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney Late August, given heavy rain and sun For a full week, the blackberries would ripen. At first, just one, a glossy purple clot Among others, red, green, hard as a knot. You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust ...

Poetry Sunday: Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman

You probably remember poet Amanda Gorman from her appearance at the inauguration of President Biden. She read her poem "The Hill We Climb" on that occasion. After the senseless slaughter in Uvalde this week, she was inspired to write another poem which was published in The New York Times. It seemed perfect for the occasion and so I stole it in order to feature it here, just in case you didn't get a chance to read it in the Times . Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman Everything hurts, Our hearts shadowed and strange, Minds made muddied and mute. We carry tragedy, terrifying and true. And yet none of it is new; We knew it as home, As horror, As heritage. Even our children Cannot be children, Cannot be. Everything hurts. It’s a hard time to be alive, And even harder to stay that way. We’re burdened to live out these days, While at the same time, blessed to outlive them. This alarm is how we know We must be altered — That we must differ or die, That we must triumph or try. ...

The Nature of Things

Search This Blog