(Further evidence that I don't watch my children every moment of every day)
Organizational Challenge 26: Hidden Bathroom Spaces
9 months ago
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Banned Books Week
OK, I know it's an AMERICAN Library Association thing, but this Canadian is celebrating Banned Books Week. I mean, I'm not throwing a party or anything (though that could be a GREAT theme party!), but I DID order in a couple of books through the loverly libarary to read this week:
Foxfire (Joyce Carol Oates)- I wanted to read this one years ago after I saw a preview for the movie (which I still haven't watched) and found out we couldn't get the book at the school library. I just finished it yesterday... pretty good, though I found it hard to get into. Having a narrator who has issues with sentence structure makes for some awkward reading at times. I can see why some of THEM would consider this a dangerous book: it's about GIRLS. In a GANG. And REVENGE. With VIOLENCE.
The Satanic Verses (Salman Rushdie)- just started this one after I finished Foxfire- Holy Totally Different Books, Batman! All I can say so far is that this is NOT a book to attempt when you've got a migraine and the whole world seems like you're looking at it reflected in muddy water*. Bigger, longer, more challenging... I'll let you know how long it takes me to get through this one, compared to the 2 days Foxfire lasted.
(Is it wrong that every time I look at the cover of this book all I can hear in my mind is Bridget Jones saying, "Salmaaaaan... salmaaaan... Isn't it a shame about Chetch-NYAAA?" )
So that's my reading for the next little while. Looking over the list of banned classics, I see I've read a few already:
*You may or may not know what I'm talking about... just take my word for it. It sucks.
Foxfire (Joyce Carol Oates)- I wanted to read this one years ago after I saw a preview for the movie (which I still haven't watched) and found out we couldn't get the book at the school library. I just finished it yesterday... pretty good, though I found it hard to get into. Having a narrator who has issues with sentence structure makes for some awkward reading at times. I can see why some of THEM would consider this a dangerous book: it's about GIRLS. In a GANG. And REVENGE. With VIOLENCE.
The Satanic Verses (Salman Rushdie)- just started this one after I finished Foxfire- Holy Totally Different Books, Batman! All I can say so far is that this is NOT a book to attempt when you've got a migraine and the whole world seems like you're looking at it reflected in muddy water*. Bigger, longer, more challenging... I'll let you know how long it takes me to get through this one, compared to the 2 days Foxfire lasted.
(Is it wrong that every time I look at the cover of this book all I can hear in my mind is Bridget Jones saying, "Salmaaaaan... salmaaaan... Isn't it a shame about Chetch-NYAAA?" )
So that's my reading for the next little while. Looking over the list of banned classics, I see I've read a few already:
- The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
- To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
- The Lord of the Flies (William Golding)
- 1984 (George Orwell)
- Lolita (Vladimir Nabokov)
- Charlotte's Web (E.B. White) - Huh?
- Animal Farm (George Orwell)
- Winnie the Pooh (A.A. Milne) -again I say: Huh?
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Ken Kesey)
- Lady Chatterly's Lover (D.H. Lawrence)
So there you have it. I'd love to know why Charlotte's Web and Winnie the Pooh have been banned or challenged. Oh, and speaking of "children's" books, toss the Harry Potter series and 2/3 of Phillip Pullman's "Dark Materials" trilogy on my "already read" list.
I'd also love to know which banned books YOU'VE read- classic or otherwise. Recommendations?
*You may or may not know what I'm talking about... just take my word for it. It sucks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
