Banned books

[flowerseverywhere]

I've been hearing a lot about banned books in libraries and schools. Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, and Oklahoma have even passed legislation that potentially could fine or jail librarians. Many states are working on it. In 1959 many formally banned books were unbanned the a Supreme court.

So I'm trying to read as many as I can that are under fire now or in the past. Many I've already read, like Hunger Games, Twilight series, and Harry Potter series.

1984 by George Orwell has frequently been a target. I just read this and some parts of "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING" are true, as we knowingly submit ourselves to voice and face recognition, movement tracking through our devices and live with surveillance cameras everywhere. I'm not sure why it has been targeted.

Looking for Alaska by John Green is on the review list in many Florida counties as inappropriate. I thought it was a masterfully written story of teens coming of age. There was some sex but not nearly as much as goes on in normal high school age kids in my opinion. Way too heavy subjects for young kids. But might not be to some parents.



So what do you think about all this? I'm quite fascinated by some of these books. Of course, I doubt many on the list should ever be in elementary schools, but normal kids have tremendous access to television and the internet which of course is loaded with inappropriate content for young kids. But of course, some parents might think it is all fine.

[nswef]

I saw an interview with Ellen Hopkins who is on the banned list for her series. I had tried to read two of her books and couldn't see the problem....I read All Boys aren't Blue which was definitely for late teens, but again, I know there are children who need to read about themselves and what they are going through. It's all part of trying to control thinking and it is frightening.

[iris lilies]

Where is this “ banned” list? I assume you mean books that have been challenged in a library collection somewhere in the U.S. . Since the government has not actually banned any books, I find that rhetoric more than a little heightened. But the American library Association wants to promote itself and that phrase “banned books “gets them a lot of mileage.

I say this as someone who retired from managing the “banned books “ function of a large public library.

[LDAHL]

Where is this “ banned” list? I assume you mean books that have been challenged in a library collection somewhere in the U.S. . Since the government has not actually banned any books, I find that rhetoric more than a little heightened. But the American library Association wants to promote itself and that phrase “banned books “gets them a lot of mileage.

I say this as someone who retired from managing the “band books “ function of a large public library.

I have to agree with you there. People like to use that term to pretend they’re bold rebels fighting against a vicious tyranny. Sort of like the people who used to style themselves as the “resistance”.

If I refuse to provide you with free chili dogs, it doesn’t mean I’ve banned chili dogs.

[iris lilies]

I have to agree with you there. People like to use that term to pretend they’re bold rebels fighting against a vicious tyranny. Sort of like the people who used to style themselves as the “resistance”.

If I refuse to provide you with free chili dogs, it doesn’t mean I’ve banned chili dogs.

And yet, the REAL challenges to the First Amendment are seldom spoken of.

I have a lot to say about the primacy of Free speech and will likely mosey by later to do that. I started an thread about challenges to free speech here, but we prefer to talk about headline news.

As an aside, after many years of membership I soured on The American Library Association as a bloated, self important/self absorbed Byzantinely complicated organization. I think it was the never ending debates at membership meetings about the status of Cuban library workers that did me in.

[flowerseverywhere]

Where is this “ banned” list? I assume you mean books that have been challenged in a library collection somewhere in the U.S. . Since the government has not actually banned any books, I find that rhetoric more than a little heightened. But the American library Association wants to promote itself and that phrase “banned books “gets them a lot of mileage.

I say this as someone who retired from managing the “banned books “ function of a large public library.

I explained they were books being challenged. And librarians being challenged.

[flowerseverywhere]

I have to agree with you there. People like to use that term to pretend they’re bold rebels fighting against a vicious tyranny. Sort of like the people who used to style themselves as the “resistance”.

If I refuse to provide you with free chili dogs, it doesn’t mean I’ve banned chili dogs.

I never claimed to be a bold rebel. Just trying to be better informed about what the problem is people are seeing. Don't make assumptions as to what you think peoples motives are.

[Tybee]

Historically, the US government has banned books under the Comstock law, under the anti-obscenity laws. Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

Moll Flanders or The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders (1722)	Daniel Defoe	1722	Novel	Banned from US mail under the Federal Anti-Obscenity Act (Comstock Law) of 1873, which banned the sending or receiving of works containing "obscene", "filthy", or "inappropriate" material. U.S. obscenity laws were overturned in 1959 by the Supreme Court in Kingsley Pictures Corp. v. Regents.[246][247][249]
Fanny Hill or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure	John Cleland	1748	Novel	Banned in the US in 1821 for obscenity, then again in 1963. This was the last book ever banned by the US government. U.S. obscenity laws were overturned in 1959 by the Supreme Court in Kingsley Pictures Corp. v. Regents.[246][247][122] See also Memoirs v. Massachusetts.

[Tradd]

Fanny Hill is quite the racy book, although you have to be able to understand the 18th century writing. I read it in college.

[iris lilies]

Historically, the US government has banned books under the Comstock law, under the anti-obscenity laws. Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

Moll Flanders or The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders (1722)	Daniel Defoe	1722	Novel	Banned from US mail under the Federal Anti-Obscenity Act (Comstock Law) of 1873, which banned the sending or receiving of works containing "obscene", "filthy", or "inappropriate" material. U.S. obscenity laws were overturned in 1959 by the Supreme Court in Kingsley Pictures Corp. v. Regents.[246][247][249]
Fanny Hill or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure	John Cleland	1748	Novel	Banned in the US in 1821 for obscenity, then again in 1963. This was the last book ever banned by the US government. U.S. obscenity laws were overturned in 1959 by the Supreme Court in Kingsley Pictures Corp. v. Regents.[246][247][122] See also Memoirs v. Massachusetts.

I seem to remember DH Lawrence was not published in the United States, but that was a long time ago. I don’t think Lolita was “banned “because by that time there was no governmental restrictions. But I could be wrong about Lo, light of my life, fire of my loins.

since Lolita focuses on pedophile activity, there are plenty of hotheads of any stripe who would speak against that novel. It happens to be one of my favorites.