I Read Banned Books!
If you spend much time traveling at all, you probably also spend a fair amount of time reading. Sitting in an airport, on a plane, or in a hotel room, chances are you are going to pick up something to read.
Flight Attendants are frequently repositories of reading materials, collecting left behind magazines and newspapers. Passengers also pass on to us books that they’ve finished. We, in turn, take what we want, leave behind what we’ve finished with, and the process of sharing our reading continues. Think of it as an informal lending library. We laughingly call it the Jumpseat Library.
This week is Banned Book Week. It’s hard to believe that some of those classics that I read in high school and college are still being challenged or banned. To Kill a Mockingbird (by Harper Lee), my all time favorite book, is still being challenged today. This was probably the most influential reading of my life.
To celebrate this week, I’m heading off to pick up a challenged book or two. I’ll be traveling all week, and will proudly carry and read my banned books. I invite you to do the same. And if you have a minute, let me know what you’re reading!
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4 opinions for I Read Banned Books!
Astroprof
Sep 25, 2006 at 7:34 am
I know that a lot of classics are now banned, but literature is not my specialty, so I don’t keep up on which ones are banned, challenged, out of favor, etc. I don’t suppose there’s a link to a list of banned books? I imagine that it would vary from school to school, of course.
Mary Jo Manzanares
Sep 25, 2006 at 10:25 am
Each school and community libary keeps a list of their own banned/challenged books. The decisions are supposed to be based on community standards and norms.
The American Library Association also provides information at: http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm
Geoff
Sep 26, 2006 at 7:21 am
What am I reading these days? “We need to talk about Kevin” by Lionel Shriver (I think!). A slightly disturbing account of one woman’s account of bringing up a child that turns out to be a Columbine style mass-murderer. Not everyone’s cup of tea but thought provoking and well-written. It consists only of letters written to her ex-husband, explaining choices that were made and areas of their relationship that were never discussed…
And I really should read To kill a Mockingbird. I feel a trip o Amazon coming on…
Mary Jo Manzanares
Sep 26, 2006 at 9:02 am
I’ve read that book, Geoff, and what a good read. Let me know what you think when you finish it!
And for heavens sake, go to Amazon and get To Kill a Mockingbird. Then watch the movie with Gregory Peck. One of the few times that I think a movie did a book justice.
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