Banned Books Week--Introduction

Beginning today, we're taking a look at this year's list of banned books (according to the American Library Association). Both left wing and right wing Americans challenge (actively seek to ban) books, and some times are successful.

Between 1990 and 2000, there were over 6,300 challenges reported to or recorded by the Office for Intellectual Freedom. Check out these stats:

• 1,607 were challenges to “sexually explicit” material (up 161 since 1999);
• 1,427 to material considered to use “offensive language”; (up 165 since 1999)
• 1,256 to material considered “unsuited to age group”; (up 89 since 1999)
• 842 to material with an “occult theme or promoting the occult or Satanism,”; (up 69 since 1999)
• 737 to material considered to be “violent”; (up 107 since 1999)
• 515 to material with a homosexual theme or “promoting homosexuality,” (up 18 since 1999)and
• 419 to material “promoting a religious viewpoint.” (up 22 since 1999)

Other reasons for challenges include "nudity" (317 challenges, up 20 since 1999), "racism" (267 challenges, up 22 since 1999), "sex education" (224 challenges up 7 since 1999), and "anti-family" (202 challenges, up 9 since 1999).

Some of the books that have been on The Most Frequently Challenged list in the past:

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Goosebumps (series) by R.L. Stine
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by by Roald Dahl (one of my favorites!)
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (another of my favorites!)
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Carrie by Stephen King
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Now, I don't know why these books made the list exactly, but I can guess. Well, I know why Anne Rice's Beauty Trilogy did--it's erotica, pure and simple. One of the fastest things to get a book banned is if it's all about sex. Even if it's about sex education. Because God gave us sexual organs but clearly didn't mean for us to talk about them, or--heaven forbid--actually use them.

Judy Blume's books have made the list because of the sexual content. Personally, I think Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret should be required reading for young girls. Listen, my mother is one of the most conservative Christian women you could ever meet--raised in the Bible belt and a devout Baptist--and she let me read this book when I was young. If she didn't have a problem with it... You know what I'm saying?

A Wrinkle in Time? Another of my favorites. I guess I need to go back and read it, cuz I don't get why it's made this list. Anyone have an opinion on this one?

And Flowers for Algernon? One of my favorite books, one of my favorite movies (Charly with Cliff Robertson).

Mark Twain's classics are probably challenged because of theme and language. Because he uses the language of the day, including the N-word. Stephen King's books most likely have made the list because they're...creepy scary and full of violence.

Hey, here's a thought: Why don't we just ban real life?




"Censorship is the strongest drive in human nature. Sex is a weak second." ~Phil Kirby (former editor of the LA Times)