Books, good but gone
Okay, any who knows me knows I love to read, or did while ago. (thats another post though.) Recently, I've been thinking about all the books I can't find at my local library. I'm not talking about the one somebody took out and never returned, or the ones that were destroy by some kid. I mean the ones you really can't find at any library anymore. I understand that many books contain "offensive langauge" (as if there were such a thing) but most of them challenged with this were written in the day where it wasn't offensive. Other books are challenged because there about thing that a few people don't want to deal with. Things like homosexuality. I find that people think it's "wrong" to be homosexual laughable. It not contagious, there not gonna sneak into you house late at night. Your kids won't be infected by a book about them, why there like they are, or why they should be treated like human beings. Many other books are banned because they contain sexual content, I think thats why there are top shelfs, and restricted books. Yes, some books I feel, should be kept out of the hands of young children. (I also feel it's the parents job to do that, but thats another post, maybe) Of course this leads me to one of my favorite things as of late. Books that have inspired a generation to read again, have been taken off the shelfs. The adventures of a wizard whose name shall not be stated, taken off the shelf because it encourages witchcraft in children. (okay, take a minute to stop laughing) Your child is not going to read this book, go home, and turn there sibling into a frog, rat, or any such small critters. Okay, I grant that the books can be a little dark, someone seems to die in each one. And, there is a bit of violence in it. (I don't think it was ever meant to be marketed to young children)Another great book that managed to inspire readers was the chronicles of a certain yellow animal, a certain evil woman, and a large peice of furniture that holds clothes. This is one book in a set of seven, (yes, I have them all) yet all the other books managed to stay out of the challenge. It's supposed to contain violence, I don't remeber this from reading it. On the other hand, the book after that, and the one after that, have war, death, reincarnations, and all that cool stuff you see on TV. And still it remains, the only book people seemed to notice. Frankly, I've read this book, and most of the rest of them (and the last set of books I mentioned) even as a young person (seven or eight, I think) they didn't have the slightest effect on me, and everyone I knew loved those books. And of course, "filthy, dirty langauge" For instance, Steamboat Willy's: Adventures and Huckleberry Fish Part (yes, that just came off the top of my head {oh, if you didn't get the Steamboat Willy refernce, learn your history}) I loaned a book out from the local library, this book, is eleven inches by eight and a half inches. (the size of any common paper) It has three collums on each page, Huckleberry Fish Parts challenge list is THREE COLLUMS LONG. (I'm willing to bet Willy's laughing about this) mostly because it contained nigger. Not a very offesive word when you think about it, and more so way back when.
This brings me to a slightly differnt topic but the same subject, if your going to challange a book, have a half decent reason. Be able to back it up, and if you can't, sit down and shut up. A book I wrote about not thirty seconds ago was challenged because the main charater "not only itched but scratched, and that he said sweat when he should of said perspiration." (This, from Brooklyn, in 1905) (okay, stop laughing, I'm being serious {why are you laughing harder?}) And theres The Large Bowl Used to Melt and Pour Iron, (Okay, that will be a hard one to figure out, but it's about witches, and it starts with a "C") in 1987 was challegned in Somerset Ky because it was (and I quote) "junk" (your laughing again, stop it) I've never read this book, but I've heard alot about it, I've heard it's pretty good and I've given consideration to reading it. Like I said, if your going to challenge a book, have a half decent reason.
P.S. If your town's name is French Lick (IND) (Perishing of a Salesperson) it would probaly be best if you kept a low profile.
This brings me to a slightly differnt topic but the same subject, if your going to challange a book, have a half decent reason. Be able to back it up, and if you can't, sit down and shut up. A book I wrote about not thirty seconds ago was challenged because the main charater "not only itched but scratched, and that he said sweat when he should of said perspiration." (This, from Brooklyn, in 1905) (okay, stop laughing, I'm being serious {why are you laughing harder?}) And theres The Large Bowl Used to Melt and Pour Iron, (Okay, that will be a hard one to figure out, but it's about witches, and it starts with a "C") in 1987 was challegned in Somerset Ky because it was (and I quote) "junk" (your laughing again, stop it) I've never read this book, but I've heard alot about it, I've heard it's pretty good and I've given consideration to reading it. Like I said, if your going to challenge a book, have a half decent reason.
P.S. If your town's name is French Lick (IND) (Perishing of a Salesperson) it would probaly be best if you kept a low profile.
posted by Axlle at 11:05 PM
2 Comments:
Axlle..my only problem with this is that these books aren't gone. All of these books are still available. If a community rejects them, parents can still buy them to share with their children. That is what free speech is all about.
true, but thats not the point I'm trying to make. Many places have banned books, burned, or just challanged books that have inspired people to read. Whole generations have read these books, and rather then thinking "Kids are reading, and learning" people seem to automaticly see something to complain about. This ruins books for too many people. Thats what most of this post is about. The rest is just make a decent arguement.
Post a Comment
<< Home