BW40: Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week  September 30 through October 6, 2012

This week marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week which celebrates our freedom to read.  Every year objections are filed about books containing subjects such as sex, profanity and racism as an attempt to have them removed from school and library shelves.   Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Library Association and calls attention to those books challenged, restricted, removed or banned each year.    Bill Moyers and his wife, Judith Davidson Moyers are the honorary Co-chairs this year and here is what Mr. Moyers has to say about Banned Books.


Listed below are some of the books included on the 2010-2011 list as reported by the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom.


Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson 
My Mom's Having a Baby by Dori Hillestad Butler 
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 
The Koran 
Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle with India 
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon 
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison 
ttyl by Lauren Myracle 
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut 



Check out Banned Books Week.org or American Library Assocation for the list of frequently challenged books and why they have been challenged.  There has been quite a few classics challenged over the years. 

According to the Office for Intellectual Freedom, at least 46 of the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century have been the target of ban attempts.

1. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
3. The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
4. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
5. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
6. Ulysses, by James Joyce
7. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
8. The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
9. 1984, by George Orwell
11. Lolita, by Vladmir Nabokov
12. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
15. Catch-22, by Joseph Heller
16. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
17. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
18. The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway
19. As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner
20. A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway
23. Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston
24. Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison
25. Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison
26. Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
27. Native Son, by Richard Wright
28. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, by Ken Kesey
29. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
30. For Whom the Bell Tolls, by Ernest Hemingway
33. The Call of the Wild, by Jack London
36. Go Tell it on the Mountain, by James Baldwin
38. All the King's Men, by Robert Penn Warren
40. The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
45. The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair
48. Lady Chatterley's Lover, by D.H. Lawrence
49. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
50. The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
53. In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote
55. The Satanic Verses, by Salman Rushdie
57. Sophie's Choice, by William Styron
64. Sons and Lovers, by D.H. Lawrence
66. Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
67. A Separate Peace, by John Knowles
73. Naked Lunch, by William S. Burroughs
74. Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh
75. Women in Love, by D.H. Lawrence
80. The Naked and the Dead, by Norman Mailer
84. Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller
88. An American Tragedy, by Theodore Dreiser
97. Rabbit, Run, by John Updike

Visit Banned and Challenged Classics to see why these classic books have been challenged.

Read a banned book this week and support our freedom to read. 

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BW39: Happy Autumn

Happy Autumn!

Seeing as it is the beginning of Autumn, thought I'd see what books were available with the title of Autumn in them and found these three interesting titles. 

Wicked Autumn

Synopsis:  "Having spent almost three years in the idyllic village of Nether Monkslip, Max Tudor is well acclimated to his post as vicar at the church of St. Edwold’s.  This quaint town seems to be the perfect new home for Max, who has fled a harrowing past serving in the British counter-intelligence agency, the MI5. Now he has found a measure of peace among urban escapees and yoga practitioners, artists and New Agers. But this serenity is quickly shattered when the highly vocal and unpopular president of the Women’s Institute turns up dead at the Harvest Fayre. The death looks like an accident, but Max’s training as a former agent kicks in, and before long he suspects foul play....."

Drums of Autumn ( # 4 in Outlander Series)

Synopsis:  It began in Scotland, at an ancient stone circle. There, a doorway, open to a select few, leads into the past—or the grave. Claire Randall survived the extraordinary passage, not once but twice. Her first trip swept her into the arms of Jamie Fraser, an eighteenth-century Scot whose love for her became legend—a tale of tragic passion that ended with her return to the present to bear his child. Her second journey, two decades later, brought them together again in frontier America. But Claire had left someone behind in the twentieth century. Their daughter, Brianna.... 

Now Brianna has made a disturbing discovery that sends her to the stone circle and a terrifying leap into the unknown. In search of her mother and the father she has never met, she is risking her own future to try to change history...and to save their lives. But as Brianna plunges into an uncharted wilderness, a heartbreaking encounter may strand her forever in the past...or root her in the place she should be, where her heart and soul belong...."

The Thousand Autumns

Synopsis - "The year is 1799, the place Dejima in Nagasaki Harbor, the “high-walled, fan-shaped artificial island” that is the Japanese Empire’s single port and sole window onto the world, designed to keep the West at bay; the farthest outpost of the war-ravaged Dutch East Indies Company; and a de facto prison for the dozen foreigners permitted to live and work there. To this place of devious merchants, deceitful interpreters, costly courtesans, earthquakes, and typhoons comes Jacob de Zoet, a devout and resourceful young clerk who has five years in the East to earn  a fortune of sufficient size to win the hand of his wealthy fiancée back in Holland.

But Jacob’s original intentions are eclipsed after a chance encounter with Orito Aibagawa, the disfigured daughter of a samurai doctor and midwife to the city’s powerful magistrate. The borders between propriety, profit, and pleasure blur until Jacob finds his vision clouded, one rash promise made and then fatefully broken. The consequences will extend beyond Jacob’s worst imaginings. As one cynical colleague asks, “Who ain’t a gambler in the glorious Orient, with his very life?”

 More books to add to my ever growing wishlist.  Do your own search and see what interesting book you find with the word Autumn in the title. Or try Fall and spend an hour or two perusing some fascinating titles.

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BW38: John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress

The 2nd novel in Susan Wise Bauer's Well Educated Mind list of fiction reads is the allegory  The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. He wrote the story in two parts:  the first published in 1678 and the second in 1684.  It was finally combined into one volume in 1728.   The first part is about a man named Christian who carries a heavy burden and in order to rid himself of that burden, decides to travel to the celestial city.  His journey takes him through valley of the shadow of death, vanity fair, the slough of despond and delectable mountain.  The 2nd part is about his wife and children who follow his path a few years later.  

Beginnning: 

"As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place, where was a den; and I laid me down in that place to sleep: and as I slept I dreamed a dream.  I dreamed, and behold I saw a man clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back.  I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein; and as he read, he wept and trembled: and not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry; saying, 'What shall I do?'

In this plight, therefore, he went home, and restrained himself as long as he could, that his wife and children should not perceive his distress; but he could not be silent long, because that his trouble increased. Wherefore at length he brake his mind to his wife and children; and thus he began to talk to them: "O, my dear wife," said he, "and you the children of my bowels, I, your dear friend, am in myself undone by reason of a burden that lieth hard upon me; moreover, I am certainly informed that this our city will be burnt with fire from heaven; in which fearful overthrow, both myself, with thee my wife, and you my sweet babes, shall miserably come to ruin, except (the which yet I see not) some way of escape can be found whereby we may be delivered." 

At this his relations were sore amazed; not for that they believed that what he had said to them was true, but because they thought that some frenzy distemper had got into his head; therefore, it drawing towards night, and they hoping that sleep might settle his brains, with all haste they got him to bed. But the night was as troublesome to him as the day; wherefore, instead of sleeping, he spent it in sighs and tears. So when the morning was come, they would know how he did. He told them, "Worse and worse:" he also set to talking to them again; but they began to be hardened. They also thought to drive away his distemper by harsh and surly carriage to him; sometimes they would deride, sometimes they would chide, and sometimes they would quite neglect him. Wherefore he began to retire himself to his chamber to pray for and pity them, and also to condole his own misery; he would also walk solitarily in the fields, sometimes reading, and sometimes praying: and thus for some days he spent his time."

The story is available online in numerous places including here as well as in audiobook form.  My challenge to you is to read The Pilgrim's Progress at least once at some point in your life.  I'm not quite ready to pose a readalong because it is just one of those books that you have to read when it is the right time.  It's one of those books I have to digest a few pages at a time, otherwise my brain will explode.  LOL!

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BW 37:Harper Collins launches new Imprint - Bourbon Street Books

Harper Collins has launched a new imprint called Bourbon Street Books. The imprint will be featuring originals, reprints and reissued classic mysteries, crime novels and thrillers with authors such as Lynda La Plante, Oliver Harris and and oldie but a goodie, Dorothy Sayers.    Yes, they will be releasing reprints of  Dorothy L. Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey with Harriet Vane series--Strong Poison, Have His Carcase, Busman's Honeymoon, and Gaudy Night.   The first two new books in the line to be released and available October 23rd are two British crime fiction novels: 

The Hollow Man

 Synopsis:  Waking up on Hampstead Heath not far from a crashed squad car, Detective Nick Belsey wants out—out of London and out of the endless complications of his life. When Alexei Devereux, a wealthy hermit, vanishes, leaving behind a suicide note and his Porsche, Belsey discovers an opportunity—a new identity and a fortune—waiting for the taking.Unfortunately, there are others who share the detective's interest in Devereux, including Scotland Yard. A dead rich man with suspicious financial holdings is bound to have some dangerous ties and a few ruthless enemies. Now, Belsey and his clever plan are about to be overshadowed by far more ambitious players with their own brilliant—and deadly—scheme.  Combining dark humor, dazzling twists, and a sharp narrative style, The Hollow Man is a tour de force of suspense—and the debut of an extraordinary new writer.

Blood Line

La Plante's latest Anna Travis novel:  Under the watchful eye of DCS James Langton, DCI Anna Travis takes charge of an investigation for the first time. But is it purely a missing person's case - or a full blown murder enquiry? An ominous pool of blood and no victim lead Anna on a desperate hunt for a man who has disappeared without trace. As Anna becomes obsessed with seemingly irrelevant details, Langton fears that she is losing control. They still have no body and Anna is under increasing pressure to make an arrest...

Follow their new facebook page for more information.

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 Link to your most current read. Please link to your specific book review post and not your general blog link. In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field leave a link to your specific post. If you have multiple reviews, then type in (multi) after your name and link to your general blog url. If you don't have a blog, tell us about the books you are reading in the comment section of this post.

BW36: Back to school

It's that time of year and have been immersed in curriculum choices and planning 7th grade for my kiddo. We are doing Middle Ages to the Renaissance this year and  I had the eyes are bigger than the stomach syndrome but have managed to narrow down my choices.  I discovered K12 wonderful history book Human Odyssey and so enjoyed reading it decided to use it as the main spine.  Already ordered #2 as well.  While we're studying it, I'll be reading Susan Wise Bauer's History of the the Medieval World.

Although I should probably finish reading History of the Ancient World first.  Plan on taking a fictional tour around the middle ages with The Door in the Wall,  The Trumpeter of Krakow, Adam of the Road,  Robin Hood and 1001 Arabian Nights and King Arthur and his Knights as well as throw in a bit of Shakespeare. Should prove to be an interesting year.

What is your favorite historical period to learn about?

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September is 

Adult Literacy Awareness Month

American Newspaper Month

Be Kind to Editors & Writers Month

Children's Books Month

Library Card Sign-Up Month

National Humor in Business Month

National Literacy Month

National School Success Month

National Shameless Promotions Month

Read-A-New-Book Month

Self-Improvement Month 

 

 

Aren't you glad to be a reader?

 

 

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 Link to your most current read. Please link to your specific book review post and not your general blog link. In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field leave a link to your specific post. If you have multiple reviews, then type in (multi) after your name and link to your general blog url. If you don't have a blog, tell us about the books you are reading in the comment section of this post.