I've read a few. I've read some in school, even.

As long as their is intellectual thought and sex, people will try to ban all reference to both.

OMG, I LOVED that book, 'A Wrinkle in Time.' Never forgot what a 'tesseract' was, either, lolol.

Loca, are you sure you're a liberal? After all, it's those who worry most about 'offending' anyone that are the first to ban books.

I haven't looked at the list, but I bet Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn are on it, because of the dreaded 'n' word.

I haven't looked at the list, but I bet Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn are on it, because of the dreaded 'n' word.

Yep, they are.  Why can't people accept that that they were written to the times they were written in? 

Because people are idiots. And it's hard to explain to someone that arbitrary words are not allowed to be used.

I would not say they are my favorites (I am more a sci-fi and Clancy guy), but there are many I like on that list, and of course many classics.

Good article Locamama. Thanks for bringing the list to our attention.

I've seen this list for years...and it seems quite "official" I might add, but in reality these books are banned from whom?

I've seen many of these books on kid's summer reading lists and most are in public school libraries and assigned as classroom required reading.

What's the big hoorah about?

I can't believe some of these...Goosebumps? That's a childhood gem right there. Some of these have been made into Disney movies for God's sake.

I've read several of the ones on this list...in fact, I think I'm going to save this and read every one on it.

I tore through 17 novels last summer...and I wasn't even trying.

~Zoo

but in reality these books are banned from whom?

They have been banned from school libraries and public libraries.   Not all are banned everywhere.  I can understand making some books available only with a parents permission or for children over a certain age but not an outright ban. 

The most contested book this year is a children's book about penguins "And Tango Makes Three" which about two male penguins adopting a chick and raising it which is based on a true story at the Central Park Zoo.  I think the book is sweet and does a great job of teaching that there are all kinds of families. 

I've read several of the ones on this list...in fact, I think I'm going to save this and read every one on it.

I was thinking about the same thing.  I'm one of those people that wants to see what the fuss is all about.

I tore through 17 novels last summer...and I wasn't even trying.

That's great Zoo.  So many people don't read at all anymore.  What was your favorite book that you've read lately? 

 

After all, it's those who worry most about 'offending' anyone that are the first to ban books.

No, I think it's the holy rollers who are worried about anything they consider anti-Christian or that might teach kids that sex is normal.   

And it's hard to explain to someone that arbitrary words are not allowed to be used.

It's even harder to explain it to them when they wrote the books years ago when it wasn't a bad word and they're dead now. 

I would not say they are my favorites

I loved the Harry Potter books so I would definately include them as favorites.  As far as sci-fi goes the only sci-fi I have read is Catherine Asaro but I really liked her two books that I read.  I don't know why I never read any sci-fi books since I like sci-fi movies and tv shows. 

OK, now the un-PC question:

When we're talking about banned books, why the hypocrisy? These people talk about it, but I haven't seen them defend Uncle Remus. Disney's "Song of the South" (based on Uncle Remus stories) has never been released to video because of political correctness. And one of my favorite childhood stories, "Little Black Sambo" is similarly banned. AS LW points out, these books were banned by liberals (I won't even get into the banning of crayon colors!).

I collect storybooks from an author named Madeline Brandeis, who wrote in the 30's. These are truly great books, but similarly banned because of the nature in which they address cultures. They also are absent from the list, while they defend "Heathe has Two Mommies". One example of why Brandeis' books fell into disfavor is found in one of her tales "Little Tony of Italy". There's a miniature discussion of Italy's history, and the family that takes Little Tony under their wings talk about the glories of fascism under Mussolini. While that may seem appropriate, it's also important to understand why so many people in Italy embraced fascism. That's the important part of the history, learning the "whys" as much as the "wheres" and "whens".

I support banned books, Loca, but I don't support Banned Book Week. Because there's a telling agenda among many who support it, an agenda that doesn't support books like "The Turner Diaries", which still must be ordered only by providing photo identification at many libraries.

For the record, Loca, I'd say that kooky leftists and kooky rightwingers are equally responsible for banned books.

But neither has the moral high ground.

Did anyone else happen to notice Where's Waldo? I can't convieve of why anyone would want to remove it from a library. Since it's a picture book, it certainly isn't relevant for all collections, but what could be offensive or off-putting about locating a character in a jumbled picture? Basically I could see arguing against putting it into an adult collection, but trying to have it removed after the fact seems beyond silly.

For the record, Loca, I'd say that kooky leftists and kooky rightwingers are equally responsible for banned books. But neither has the moral high ground.

From the list, I would have to agree. 

What was your favorite book that you've read lately?

I'm not really sure. I did read Silence of the Lambs and that was pretty sweet. The movie did a great job on it. A lot of the books I read were obscure ones that I pull off the shelf. There was a really good one called, 7 Deadly Wonders by Matthew Reilly. I liked that one. I read a lot of Stephen King and Dean Koontz, those are always fun.

~Zoo