More book bashing.....

[GreatCarouser]

2 male penguins adopt egg!
Insidiousness has no bounds!

[analog]

Haven't read it, so don't know if it's promoting kindness or proselytizing.

I did see "Three Men and a Baby" , both English and French versions, which is a heartwarming tale.

What's got the whole country on hair triggers? Talk radio? Madison avenue political advertising? Seems we're ready to fight at the drop of an innuendo.

"Distrust everyone in whom the impulse to punish is powerful!"
Nietzsche

[Shapley]

What's got the whole country on hair triggers? Talk radio? Madison avenue political advertising? Seems we're ready to fight at the drop of an innuendo.

I don't think the whole country's on hair triggers. 99 44/100% of us wouldn't have heard of the book if the press hadn't reported that someone here in the midwest is making a stink about it. I'm sure some of the people reading the article either say "That's a terrible book, and it shouldn't be in the library" or "It's just a book, what's the issue?" and then go quietly on their way. I suspect that the majority of us just look at it and say 'let them sort it out'. It's the American way. If it's a problem in your neighborhood, deal with it. Most of America doesn't seem too worried about the book. I think we've already fought this fight over Heather Has Two Mommies. When checking out the publication date for And Tango Makes Three (June, 2005, BTW), I noticed that B&N recommended Heather to those who purchase it, so clearly the book banners didn't get that book out of circulation. They may have removed it from a library or two, but that would be a local issue, not a national one.

The press is trying to stir the pot. I don't see any sign that anyone's ready to start burning libraries over the issue.

V/R
Shapley

[analog]

The press is trying to stir the pot.............

Maybe I've just got PTS from the campaign season.

a.

[Shapley]

Well, you are here in the Midwestern 'Bible Belt', so it may come up for discussion at the local PTA. I really doubt that it's made it into too many libraries around here, except maybe in liberal meccas like Eureka and Hot Springs.

I would expect that, if it really bothered someone around here, it would just quietly disappear. If the press finds out about it, it's because somebody is more interested in making noise than in making a difference.

V/R
Shapley

[Haggis@wk]

I'm more concerned about books being pulled because of complaints about the vernacular as measured in our PC world today. Huckleberry Finn is a prime example.

Banning a book based on the words used rather than the message seems silly.

[Shapley]

Here is a list of books that were frequent targets in the '90s. I recall hearing about issues with some of them, others I am not familiar with.

My own opinion is that the publicity over the effort to ban them gives them more publicity and probably increases the readership. If I were a second-rate author wanting to get my book known, I'd include a few provacative passages and then get some TV preacher to denounce it. Who knows, I might make it onto the NYT bestsellers list.

V/R
Shapley

P.S. The link includes a link to Banned Books Online which includes a list of books that have been or are officially banned around the world.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

A Wrinkle in Time? James and the Giant Peach? Banned?

I can see keeping Stephen King out of elementary and middle school libraries - but Roald Dahl? I didn't recognize all of those books, but the ones I do recognize seem to be the ones that you have to actually think about when you're reading. Perhaps the Book-Banning committee is actually the Thought-Avoidance committee in disguise.

[Shapley]

I've not read A Wrinkle In TIme, but I think my son has. I've read James and the Giant Peach, and I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what would have put in on the list. I didn't particularly like the book, but I don't recall it being dangerous. My son has read it and liked it.

V/R
Shapley

[audiogirl]

I've read both books and loved them. Some religious parents, ironically, object to AWIT because of its quasi-religious (Christian) content. One would think that a religious parent would support efforts to inject religion here and there. I can't remember any of James and the Giant Peach that seemed objectionable.

There was something called Wizardology for sale in our school book fair. Our librarian said that very few kids paid attention to it until a local minister brought some folks from the local paper and made of a big spectacle of demanding that it be removed from the shelves.

[OperaTenor]

If they're going to censor something, why not that stupid, purple dinosaur?!