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It’s “Banned Books Week 2013” – what are you reading?

BannedBooksWeekI start my days with checking in on Facebook. This is probably not very wise since Facebook is the epitome of a black hole for time. Nevertheless, I started out this Monday morning with a scan of my news feed and spotted the post which said that Banned Books Week started on Sunday the 22nd. That’s this week!

It seems a little sad that I have never heard of this awareness campaign before this year. It seems as if it ought to be something every reader (and writer) should be aware of. The practice of banning books is not a new thing. Humans have been attempting to censor the written word from almost the very day the first written word was produced for public consumption. The American Library Association sponsors the campaign in the United States and has done so since 1982! Banned Books Week is intended to raise awareness of books banned or challenged by different entities and promote intellectual freedom in libraries, schools, and bookstores.

Imagine my horror, when perusing the list of banned and challenged books, discovering that “Alice in Wonderland” is on the list as having been challenged at one point or another in history. According to bannedbooks.world.edu, the challenge to Carroll’s nonsensical, literary romp is that it “contained expletives, references to masturbation and sexual fantasies, and ‘derogatory characterizations of teachers and religious ceremonies.’” I found myself thinking back what I remember of Alice’s trip down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass and I scarcely remember anything of the sort – do you? The only thing I do remember about it was the Queen of Hearts using flamingos as croquet mallets and lopping off the heads of anyone who managed to displease her in any way. As the article on bannedbooks.world.edu stipulates “Royalty being a bit crazed and beheading everyone is part of history. Is this yet another example of revisionist history?” I’d vote “Yes” on that one.

As a reader, I am appalled that we are still doing this nonsense in this day and age and as a writer, I am incensed. I understand that some literature might be a little sensitive for children of particular ages to digest comfortably, but banning the books, removing them from libraries and bookstores feels judgmental and supercilious. By all means enforce parental/adult guidance and supervision, but don’t remove the books completely. (And incidentally, isn’t reading within the context of school literature classes the very definition of adult supervision?)

This week in protest to this purely selfish and prohibitive practice, I am picking a book listed on the Banned/Challenged book list to read this week (in spite of having a few other books awaiting my attention) – maybe even specifically one on the list for the year 2012–2013. It’s already more than 2 days into Banned Books week 2013, but there’s still time to make your decision and get started. Check out the lists, find a book you’ve always wanted to read, or have read and enjoyed multiple times, and give it a read in protest this week. Help us speak out in support of the freedom to read (or write) whatever we want without censorship.

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7 Comments

  • tripathi

    It is first time to know, there is a page about banned books at Facebook, WOW!

  • Kara Parkinson

    I can not believe they have banned ‘A Child Called It’ I have all three books by this author, who I consider to be a very brave man for telling just how traumatic his childhood was. Just goes to show how double standard some americans’ are.

    Disgusted

  • Issa Bacsa

    Hi Camille! I agree with you that banning books today would be too judgmental and suppresses creative expression.

    To celebrate the Banned Books Week, i’m reading the English translation of Reigen (Dance of Love) by Arthur Schnitzler, a stage play put in a book form. Written in 1896 to 1897, it tackles the human psychology of sex and it was published privately in 1900 and publicly in 1903. It was banned for over 50 years until the US.Supreme Court overruled the Censors in 1954. I have this rare 1965 copy that contains the complete and uncensored text with original illustrations.

    I’m already aware of the Banned Books Week a month ago via Pinterest and I’m happy to say that I’ve read some banned books many years before like ‘In God’s Name’ (a non-fiction that tackles the death of Pope John Paul I), ‘The Untold Story of Imelda Marcos’ and ‘Satanas sa Lupa’ (Devil on Earth), a political satire against the Philippine government during Martial Law. After reading those books, I don’t see any valid reason why these books were banned except that these books were just telling an awful truth (which the authorities don’t want the public to know).

    • swill

      I have read “In Gods Name” It certainly was an eye opener and I didn’t know that it had been banned. I presume by the Catholic church.

      • Issa Bacsa

        It was banned in our country by the Catholic Church when it was first published (during the 80s). However, after an influential cardinal who might have issued the ban died (that was during the late 90s), I saw a copy at one of the major bookstores here and bought it immediately. I’m no longer seeing that book nowadays, not even in used books stores like BookSale.

  • Hanlie Koekemoer

    Love this “Facebook is the epitome of a black hole for time” excellent Camille!

  • paul46

    Thank you Camille for your informative essay. I had NO idea this banning (& don’t forget burning) of books was still going on. I’ll try to find a good banned one to rattle some cages. Continue the good work. Paul

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