NationStates Jolt Archive

It's banned books week, and in honor of that, ive decided to see how many "bad" books, songs, and movies i have read/listened to/watched. I am a minor, and (counting the harry potters separately) I've read 23 of the books on the Americal Library Associations list of 100 most challenged books.

Does anyone know of specific sites with list of banned/challenged/things the group wants banned on them?

There was this really good one, I could name a few films off hand if you want.

My great grandma (bless her heart) was passionate about this when she was alive. She always used to tell me that, no matter what's said or written, someone out there won't like it. It's true, and that's why books can be loved or loathed, but they must always be tolerated.

Google is your friend!

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm

I have read a fair amount of them.

I think it was Steven King who said if you hear they want to ban a book, rush out and get it and find out what they don't want you to know.

To kill a mockingbird is a challenged book? WTF :[

Lol I carried around my copy of Farenheit 451 in honor of BBW this week

I've read 31.

I'm always impressed at what people will ban. I can understand Little Black Sambo being challenged, but it was written at a time when racism was socially acceptable. But some things just make me go 'wtf?' I mean, The Giver? I remember reading Maurice Sendak's The Night Kitchen when I was about 6 and being shocked by one of the pictures. It was either a penis or a bum. Can't quite remember.

Google is your friend!

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm

I have read a fair amount of them.

I think it was Steven King who said if you hear they want to ban a book, rush out and get it and find out what they don't want you to know.
I already used that, got 23/100

Fahrenheit 451 was okay... but we had to do it for school, so it automatically sucked.

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Why is that on the list?

Fahrenheit 451 was okay... but we had to do it for school, so it automatically sucked.

Yeah, I know that feeling. I had to read The Great Gatsby for English, I thought it was okay, but since it was for school we had to analyze it and everything. That sucked...

holy cow thoses people must hate judy blume almost all of her books are on there and mark twain,what? same goes for A Wrinkle in Time and every other book on the list i mean come on people, every book on that list is a classic is going to be or is a nubury honor book( or equivalent)----- it makes me wonder if these people dislike well written books
Humm...ferinhite 451 was not on the list

it, 1984, and other books are probably slightly below the rest.

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Why is that on the list?
i think i saw something that said language, drug refrences, and rebelling against parents

Wow, a few of those I've actually been assigned to read, and I quite enjoyed The Chocolate War.

who gets to decide which books are bad and which books are not

just because they contain some made up crap or pertain to sex, or some racial slurrs dosen't mean a frikin' thing

it ends up being a topic that is that is debated by over protective parents

and becomes something like taking God out of the pledge of allegience. :headbang:

15 for me. Most of them I actually read for school...To name, The Chocolate War, My Brother Sam is Dead, To Kill a Mockingbird, Killing Mr. Griffin, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, just to name some.

i think i saw something that said language, drug refrences, and rebelling against parents
What horrible reasons to ban a book.

Banned Books Week (BBW) celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met.

Do you agree with this statement or do you think there should be a ban on what books we can read or any type of material you think is inappropiate for a public view. For Example: Battle Royale, Sin City

Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us.
Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, "The One Un-American Act." Nieman Reports, vol. 7, no. 1 (Jan. 1953): p. 20.

Yeah a lot of the books on the list are considered classics.

Did anyone get the feeling reading that list that someone has it out for Judy Blume?

I thought she just wrote trash pulp fiction, could be thinking of another writer though.

Some of those just leave me scratching my head. A lot of them I can think of some reason, however petty. Though that just makes me think "Why not....?" eg, it has Of Mice and Men down, when I would have thought that the Grapes of Wrath would be far more objectionable for the type of people who complain about this stuff. Though it could just be because GoW if far longer than oM&M iirc :p

However, since there aren't many SF books on there I don't think I have read as many of them as others on this thread. But I have read some of the classics on there too.

88. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford

What?

Heres all the ones Im SURE I read. I few seem familiar, but I can't be sure.

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF ALL TIME
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Lord of the Flies by William Golding MY PERSONAL FAVORITE
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Carrie by Stephen King
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford WTF? REALLY?
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell

And I'd like to thank the assholes that tried and falied to get them banned because without this list, I would have forgotten I read few of them.

Slaughterhouse-Five? That's an all-time favourite. And what's with all the Judy Blume?

Did anyone get the feeling reading that list that someone has it out for Judy Blume?
Yeah, I noticed that.
I thought she just wrote trash pulp fiction, could be thinking of another writer though.
Nah, she writes books for awkward adolescents to read all about being awkward and adolescent.

I was mystified on one occasion when, as a young person, my mother bought me a Judy Blume book, which dealt with a young awkward adolescent boy coming to terms with the normalcy of his having wet dreams. I was perplexed by this, however; I wasn't having, nor have I ever had, wet dreams. Rather than reassuring me of my inherent human normality in spite of nocturnal emissions, it left me full of self-doubt and uncertainty. Worse, I found myself wondering just what the hell my mother was playing at.

I finally remembered to ask her about it a number of years back, and after I explained what the story had been about, she burst out laughing. She'd picked it up simply because she'd heard Judy Blume was a good author for young people.

I'm currently reading one of Iain Bank's Culture novels - kinda surprised none of those are gracing these lists. I'm sure they'll get tacked on eventually.

Do you suppose the people who wanna ban 'em have read 'em?

i think i saw something that said language, drug refrences, and rebelling against parents
His parents are dead in the book... by a rhino that escaped from the zoo...

heh

Google is your friend!

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm

I have read a fair amount of them.

I think it was Steven King who said if you hear they want to ban a book, rush out and get it and find out what they don't want you to know.

Bridge to Teribithia is a challenged/ banned book? But your required to read it in 5th grade. And To Kil a MockingBird and Faherheit 451 are for freshman year in high school. Come to think of it, from that list I've read about three quarters of the books. I guess I'm a bad guy....

73/100 is my score so far. (not counting this week.)

Why the hell would anyone want to ban Where is Waldo? I think that is the most messed up challenge on the list.

"Daddy's Roommate" and "Heather Has Two Mommies," of course. How dare anyone teach children to be nice to children in non-traditional families? :headbang: :rolleyes:

"Daddy's Roommate" and "Heather Has Two Mommies," of course. How dare anyone teach children to be nice to children in non-traditional families? :headbang: :rolleyes:
You could argue it has sexual content and what-not, but Where is Waldo? What the hell is wrong with people?!

those arnt banned books -just books people have tried to ban...

You could argue it has sexual content and what-not, but Where is Waldo? What the hell is wrong with people?!
Um... there are topless mermaids in one of the books...

those arnt banned books -just books people have tried to ban...
are there any books taht have actualy been baned?

yes... in australia there have been about a dozen, generally involving explicit serial rape or explicit serial rape/murder.

yes... in australia there have been about a dozen, generally involving explicit serial rape or explicit serial rape/murder.
ah ok...how about in the US, does any one know?

also from here: http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/12628.htm

Where's Waldo? Martin Handford. Little. Challenged at the Public Libraries of Saginaw, Mich. (1989), Removed from the Springs Public School library in East Hampton, N.Y. (1993) because there is a tiny drawing of a woman lying on the beach wearing a bikini bottom but no top. Yes, but did they find Waldo?

Um... there are topless mermaids in one of the books...
I guess I stand corrected.

also from here: http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/12628.htm

Where's Waldo? Martin Handford. Little. Challenged at the Public Libraries of Saginaw, Mich. (1989), Removed from the Springs Public School library in East Hampton, N.Y. (1993) because there is a tiny drawing of a woman lying on the beach wearing a bikini bottom but no top. Yes, but did they find Waldo?
Paradise Lost. John Milton?Canterbury Tales. Geoffrey Chaucer?Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Roald Dahl?
this has to be the funnyist one on the list
Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury. Ballentine. Ironically, students at the Venado Middle School in Irvine, Calif. received copies of the book with scores of words--mostly "hells" and "damns"--blacked out. The novel is about book burning and censorship. Thankfully, after receiving complaints from parents and being contacted by reporters, school officials said the censored copies would no longer be used (1992)

US restricted books list - i think: http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/banned-books.html

Notice that all of the books are quite popular. There weren't many where I hadn't either heard of the book or the author. But they're also popular with teens and often books that are studied in schools.
For example, I'm surprised that no Thomas Harris books eg. Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs (funny story: my mum bought me Silence of the Lambs for Christmas when I was 16) were on the list, despite the fact that they're far more offensive than a lot of the books on the list and they're quite popular.

On the other hand they are mostly popular with adults and they're never studied in schools.

It's got nothing to do with the content of the book it's all about protecting the children. Which is downright stupid, if you don't want your kids reading Where's Waldo books then don't let them. Don't try and get them all banned.

Google is your friend!

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm

I have read a fair amount of them.

I think it was Steven King who said if you hear they want to ban a book, rush out and get it and find out what they don't want you to know.
I've read #16, #22, #27, #52, #55, #56, #69, #77, #83 and #88.

I don't see how any of those are controversial. Perhaps Brave New World, but seriously, James and the Giant Peach? Where's Waldo is controversial? Wtf? That has to be a number of joke submissions.

Where's Waldo got on there? I didn't see that earlier. How could it have gotten on? I don't think a little kid would look around for a topless mermaid rather than Waldo, I mean, Waldo's the guy everyone loves, they got to find him befoer they explode. Thats how little kids are these days...But just because a topless mermaid/person/lady? Proposterous.

I am surprised at the list. I can think of far more controversial books. The Turner Diaries for one.

Catcher in the Rye, a definite must read. especially if you watch Gohst in the Shell and scratch your head at all the seemingly pointless references. :D
from the list, 20. though, i can understand the reasons for a few of the books...

Wow .. I had no idea of these books being banned(well I knew of the twain books not being in schools. that's stupid too.. but I wasn't suprised there). I remember Judy Blume books when I was in elementary, we read the outsiders, to kill a mocking bird and lord of the flies in school. And wtf is wrong with mice and men? I'm suprised flowers in the attic isn't on it .. going by the other books they got there. So does this just go for schools and public libraries or what? Ridiculous.. I'm going to read up on this crap.

Of course all the books on the list are going to be popular. If they weren't, then they would be beneath notice. Who wants to ban a book that nobody's going to read anyway?

32 from that list. These books arent banned nationwide, they are just the most widely banned in the country, or most tries to ban. Actually, many of them are required reading in parts of the country. I find the most ironic to be 451...the book that says people willingly stopped reading because they got offended. I have to wonder if the people challenging it actually read it.

Actually, up at my college, they have a table of "frequently banned books" ranging from the Koran to 451 to 1984 to Where's Waldo. I tend to buy off that table based on the fact that they're frequently banned.

whoever tried to ban all those excellent books is a major douchebag. theyre the reason kids are watching tv too much and becoming lazier and slobs. i've read almost all the books on the lists and found no problem w/ any of them.

Why is the Goosebumps series on there... they're like a pitiful attempt at scary stories that 7 yr olds read...

Why is the Goosebumps series on there... they're like a pitiful attempt at scary stories that 7 yr olds read...

i dunno about pitiful, when i was about 7,8,9 they scared teh sht outta me

I'm surprised they haven't mentioned the most banned book in America. Time and again, various state governments, city councils, and schools have tried to put together a definitive list of standards on what shouldn't be allowed in books in their libraries. Excessive violence, racism, homosexuality, incest, rape and so on and so forth. And pretty much every time they try it, it all ends up falling apart when someone points out that the Bible would have to be banned under the proposed restrictions :D

Here's what I've read for scholl that appears on that list-

# Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
# Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

and as for pleasure...

# The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
# Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
# Blubber by Judy Blume
# We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
# Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
# Carrie by Stephen King



..and I'm a perfectly healthy human being. What the hell is wrong with these libraries/schools?

Google is your friend!

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm

I have read a fair amount of them.

I think it was Steven King who said if you hear they want to ban a book, rush out and get it and find out what they don't want you to know.

Hehe.. we read most of those in gradeschool... I guess our teachers wanted us corrupt or something...

I kinda agree with "On My Honor" though... I remember reading that one.. vaguely... with the kid drowning and his friend covering it up.. kind of a downer for the second graders.

- but, I ain't getting any smarter with age, so, what the hell...

( I blame this all on the general lack of reading material :rolleyes: )

A certain amount of book banning is actually a good thing?

I am sure that none of you would like to see, say, a certain run of books by a certain French author in your six year olds' school library. Name a representative title? I can't quite remember ... "120 days of " Something.

You know who I am talking about.

In a similar vein, recently, there was a certain discussion in a certain thread which gave reference to a certain book. This thread was quickly moved to the moderation forum. Now, the prose of this particular book is quite dry; but, hey, a book is a book is a book. It tells you, clearly and concisely, how to construct a machine gun / automatic weapon / assault rifle. Apparently this book itself is restricted from general access in the authors' home country. The same as saying it is banned. I'm all for not having this available here - it falls under the concept of kissing NS good bye. As stated elsewhere, Mr. Barry is here to make money. Gratuitously He, the moderators, & the players, everyone, all manage to keep us all entertained as well.

Were I am going with this is, does it not strike anyone how this ( non ) banned book list comes across as sugary, nice, P.R.ish, & load of crap? It looks like, above all else, a book of the month club advertisement to me.

Where on this list are the internal publications say, put out by the defense department, entitled ( sic ) "Kill them all & let Gawd sort them out! - A how-to guide for WMDs."

Once again I must say that I am not in favor of seeing any of this made available here on NS / Jolt / et. al.

But - If you are going to shove a list of banned books in my face than it better actually contain the titles of banned books!

Books are burning
in the main square
and I saw there
the fire eating the text

Books are burning
in the still air
and you know where
they burn books, people are next.

I believe the printed word should be forgiven
doesn't matter what it said
Wisdom hotline from teh dead back to the living
Key to larder for your heart and your head

Books are burning
on the playground
watch us turn 'round
and cast our glances elsewhere

Books are burning
in our own town
smell of burnt book
is not unlike human hair

I believe the printed word is more than sacred
Beyond the gauge of good or bad
The human right to let your soul fly free and naked
above the violence of the fearful and sad

The church of matches
anoints in ignorance with gasoline
The church of matches
grows fat bay breathing in the smoke of dreams
it's quite obscene

Books are burning
more each day now
and I pray now
you boys will tire of these games

Books are burning
and I hope somehow
this will allow
a phoenix up from the flames

--XTC (Andy Partridge)

Happy banned books week, folks.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell

Apart from the two italics and some of the books in those titled as series, those are the ones I've read, plenty of them because my English teachers made me. Some of the ones I didn't read were used in other English classes at my school.
To the italics: Now I haven't read Women on Top, but I do own My Secret Garden, which is a collection of women's fantasies by Nancy Friday.
And I'm no longer sure if I read HtEFW... Must have been when I was very young.

I'm not really surprised that the books that teach girls about their bodies are higher on the list than the ones that teach boys... :rolleyes:

Added:
"Those that burn books will eventually burn people."
-Erich Kästner upon seeing his books burned by the Nazis

I'm surprised they haven't mentioned the most banned book in America. Time and again, various state governments, city councils, and schools have tried to put together a definitive list of standards on what shouldn't be allowed in books in their libraries. Excessive violence, racism, homosexuality, incest, rape and so on and so forth. And pretty much every time they try it, it all ends up falling apart when someone points out that the Bible would have to be banned under the proposed restrictions :D
This is a good one & always warms the hearts of those who stand against such bans.
A thought just occurred to me, and has me a bit worried. Has something ever happened along the lines of:
[Standards Nazis] - OK! Books with excessive violence, racism, homosexuality, incest, rape and so on and so forth are hear-by banned from this school.
[Book love'in smart-ass] - No problem. You do realize this ban, as such, includes the holy bible?
[Standards Nazis] - No problem. It's still available down at the local church. What we will have here at this school is our ( heavily edited ) children's bible, which passes said ban.

This is a good one & always warms the hearts of those who stand against such bans.
A thought just occurred to me, and has me a bit worried. Has something ever happened along the lines of:
[Standards Nazis] - OK! Excessive violence, racism, homosexuality, incest, rape and so on and so forth are hear-by banned from this school.
[Book love'in smart-ass] - No problem. You do realize this ban, as such, includes the holy bible?
[Standards Nazis] - No problem. It's still available down at the local church. What we will have here at this school is our ( heavily edited ) children's bible, which passes said ban.Ooh... I remember hearing about the picture Bible a couple years back... I wonder if it got edited or if it contained all the scenes... :D

Ooh... I remember hearing about the picture Bible a couple years back... I wonder if it got edited or if it contained all the scenes... :D
*LOL* I know a few artists meself who would just about kill for a chance to "do" all the artwork emphasizing the less well known parts of the bible...

Edit: Thinking about it ... this could be a recipe for the first picture book to top all the the best sellers' lists. Artists take note!

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

I can't believe it! Of course I knew about these lists, but... but... Huckleberry Finn? What on earth and in heavens can be the rationale behind banning Mark Twain? Sorry, my brain is shutting down...

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

I can't believe it! Of course I knew about these lists, but... but... Huckleberry Finn? What on earth and in heavens can be the rationale behind banning Mark Twain? Sorry, my brain is shutting down...It supposedly portrays a racist worldview for using the n-word too often.

It supposedly portrays a racist worldview for using the n-word too often.

The same goes for The Color Purple?

The same goes for The Color Purple?I've never read The Color Purple, but I know the same goes for Tom Sawyer.

Terribly sorry, and forgive my ignorance. I've heard of this list before, but as I'm in the UK it's confusing me. Who tried to ban these books? When, and why?

Terribly sorry, and forgive my ignorance. I've heard of this list before, but as I'm in the UK it's confusing me. Who tried to ban these books? When, and why?I think it's a list of books ranked by how often communities or schools have or tried to ban them.

I am surprised at the list. I can think of far more controversial books. The Turner Diaries for one.

Certainly true, we all could reel off a list of seriously disturbing books that don't appear on the list, but you have to remember what the list represents...

...Seventy-one percent of the challenges were to material in schools or school libraries.2 Another twenty-four percent were to material in public libraries (down two percent since 1999). Sixty percent of the challenges were brought by parents, fifteen percent by patrons, and nine percent by administrators, both down one percent since 1999)....

The majority of the books on the list will have got there because they have been perceived as suitable for use in schools, and then people have taken issue with them: thus a book like The Turner Diaries is unlikely to appear as it is unlikely to be initially thought suitable for use in school.

{snip} thus a book like The Turner Diaries is unlikely to appear as it is unlikely to be initially thought suitable for use in school.
Aka: "Banned?"
;)

Edit: OK. Not exactly. It's kinda hard to claim "banned" with regard to something that never made it onto the schools' bookshelf to begin with.

I've read about five on the ALA list... but, I'm wondering, if To Kill a Mockingbird is on that list, why not The Grapes of Wrath? :rolleyes:

Google is your friend!

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm

I have read a fair amount of them.

I think it was Steven King who said if you hear they want to ban a book, rush out and get it and find out what they don't want you to know.

What's wrong with Where's Waldo?

What's wrong with Where's Waldo?Maybe there were too many allusions to history...

I feel bad that my banned book count is only 22. I have some reading to do.

Reading that list (http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm) I am shocked to see some names there. Shel Silverstein? C'mon people, he's funny.

Others I was not as surprised. Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Huck Finn I thought would top the list.

What's wrong with Where's Waldo?

The idiots who like to request that books be banned can't f*&king find him. Driven to rage by this they request the book be banned.

(actually, it is rumored that the Where's Waldo images have hidden messages and inappropriate hidden images. This has never been shown to be true).

An interesting link that popped up during my search for why Where's Waldo was banned:

from Roger Rosenblat at PBS (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/essays/july-dec02/rosenblatt_9-23.html)

And another great link that chronicles reasons for banning books in alphabetical order by title:

The Forbidden Catalog (http://title.forbiddenlibrary.com/)

You could argue it has sexual content and what-not, but Where is Waldo? What the hell is wrong with people?!

It teaches observational skills. Once kids have those, they'll notice the huge gaping holes in your logic when you try to ban other books. :)

Google is your friend!

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm

I have read a fair amount of them.

I think it was Steven King who said if you hear they want to ban a book, rush out and get it and find out what they don't want you to know.

who the f*** challenged wheres waldo, its #88 on the list, wtf.

nevermind it seems i should read all the post
sorry i just saw it on the list and had to comment

It's banned books week, and in honor of that, ive decided to see how many "bad" books, songs, and movies i have read/listened to/watched. I am a minor, and (counting the harry potters separately) I've read 23 of the books on the Americal Library Associations list of 100 most challenged books.

Does anyone know of specific sites with list of banned/challenged/things the group wants banned on them?

Can you post a link to that list? I'd be interested to know how many of them are books I have read. I assume "The Catcher In The Rye" is on the list.. :D

P.S. I LOVE it when they ban books! the very best way to get me to read something is to give me the idea that some holier-than-thou moron doesn't WANT me to read it! That was how I got interested in the Harry Potter series. As soon as I found out Christian fundamentalist whackjobs didn't want me to read it, I went out the next day and bought the first three books in the series, all in hardcover, and have always gotten each subsequent new release, in hardcover, the very week in which they were released...and they have proved to be among the best books I have ever read!

I've read about five on the ALA list... but, I'm wondering, if To Kill a Mockingbird is on that list, why not The Grapes of Wrath? :rolleyes:

That's kind of like saying, if Slaughterhouse 5 is on there why not Timequake, or God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater?

<sarcasm>
The only one that has any categorical link to weird acts is Catcher in the Rye. It's the assassin's favorite.
</sarcasm>

Catcher is one of my favorite books, however when I last wanted to read it I was trying to get a job with the FBI so I passed.

That's kind of like saying, if Slaughterhouse 5 is on there why not Timequake, or God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater?

<sarcasm>
The only one that has any categorical link to weird acts is Catcher in the Rye. It's the assassin's favorite.
</sarcasm>

Catcher is one of my favorite books, however when I last wanted to read it I was trying to get a job with the FBI so I passed.

One of my favorites too! And for that very reason! The more strenuously someone doesn't want me to read something, the more I want to read it...and the more likely I am to enjoy the hell out of reading it, too!

I think my new goal in life is going to be to read every single book on that "banned" list...and to OWN them, too! Just to rub it in the face of the holier-than-thou morons!

I found the list here

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm

And I have 20 of these books to my credit already!! Wooo hooo, only 80 more to go...take THAT, you "religious" nutjobs!!

That's kind of like saying, if Slaughterhouse 5 is on there why not Timequake, or God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater?

<sarcasm>
The only one that has any categorical link to weird acts is Catcher in the Rye. It's the assassin's favorite.
</sarcasm>

Catcher is one of my favorite books, however when I last wanted to read it I was trying to get a job with the FBI so I passed.

Slaughterhouse 5 is on there? :eek: How is it possible that you ALLOW these people to have such a power? Why don't the 'normal' American rise up against this? That's really beyond my compehension....

I've read 31.

I'm always impressed at what people will ban. I can understand Little Black Sambo being challenged, but it was written at a time when racism was socially acceptable. But some things just make me go 'wtf?' I mean, The Giver? I remember reading Maurice Sendak's The Night Kitchen when I was about 6 and being shocked by one of the pictures. It was either a penis or a bum. Can't quite remember.

Shoot...have you SEEN the new American Buffalo Nickel? Has anyone other than me noticed that the buffalo is ANATOMICALLY CORRECT?!?! Go find one for yourself if you don't believe me!

15 for me. Most of them I actually read for school...To name, The Chocolate War, My Brother Sam is Dead, To Kill a Mockingbird, Killing Mr. Griffin, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, just to name some.

Fuckin' LOL, I like your signature line!! May I borrow that phrase? "Yeeeehaww! is not sound foriegn policy??"
God, I love it!!

Yeah, I noticed that.

Nah, she writes books for awkward adolescents to read all about being awkward and adolescent.

I was mystified on one occasion when, as a young person, my mother bought me a Judy Blume book, which dealt with a young awkward adolescent boy coming to terms with the normalcy of his having wet dreams. I was perplexed by this, however; I wasn't having, nor have I ever had, wet dreams. Rather than reassuring me of my inherent human normality in spite of nocturnal emissions, it left me full of self-doubt and uncertainty. Worse, I found myself wondering just what the hell my mother was playing at.

I finally remembered to ask her about it a number of years back, and after I explained what the story had been about, she burst out laughing. She'd picked it up simply because she'd heard Judy Blume was a good author for young people.

I'm currently reading one of Iain Bank's Culture novels - kinda surprised none of those are gracing these lists. I'm sure they'll get tacked on eventually.

Do you suppose the people who wanna ban 'em have read 'em?


Hell, I'm a bit surprised that there are no Dean Koontz titles on that list!

"Daddy's Roommate" and "Heather Has Two Mommies," of course. How dare anyone teach children to be nice to children in non-traditional families? :headbang: :rolleyes:

Well, of course! Why should they learn to be nice, and tolerant and accepting? If they learn that, then how can we make them be good little bigots like Mommy and Daddy? :rolleyes:

From Dictionary.com

big·ot Audio pronunciation of "bigot" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (bgt)
n.

One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.

From Thesaurus.com

Main Entry: bigot
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: persecutor
Synonyms: bug, crank, diehard, doctrinaire, dogmatist, enthusiast, extremist, fanatic, fideist, fiend, flag-waver, freak, jingoist, maniac, monomaniac, mule, no-neck, nut, opinionated person, partisan, persecutor, pig, puritan, racist, red-neck, relisher, sectarian, segregationist, sexist person, stickler, superpatriot, zealot

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm

I think it was Steven King who said if you hear they want to ban a book, rush out and get it and find out what they don't want you to know.
What a sad, sad commentary on the state of people's minds! Sigh.

To think how many of my brothers and sisters in arms died to insure the right of people to write and read what they choose free of any worry of censorship. It's enough to make an old soldier weep! :( :headbang: :headbang:

Notice that all of the books are quite popular. There weren't many where I hadn't either heard of the book or the author. But they're also popular with teens and often books that are studied in schools.
For example, I'm surprised that no Thomas Harris books eg. Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs (funny story: my mum bought me Silence of the Lambs for Christmas when I was 16) were on the list, despite the fact that they're far more offensive than a lot of the books on the list and they're quite popular.

On the other hand they are mostly popular with adults and they're never studied in schools.

It's got nothing to do with the content of the book it's all about protecting the children. Which is downright stupid, if you don't want your kids reading Where's Waldo books then don't let them. Don't try and get them all banned.

I'm also somewhat surprised, since you mentioned "Silence of the Lambs" I'm somewhat surprised to find that V.C. Andrews' "Flowers In The Attic" didn't make the list.

Wow .. I had no idea of these books being banned(well I knew of the twain books not being in schools. that's stupid too.. but I wasn't suprised there). I remember Judy Blume books when I was in elementary, we read the outsiders, to kill a mocking bird and lord of the flies in school. And wtf is wrong with mice and men? I'm suprised flowers in the attic isn't on it .. going by the other books they got there. So does this just go for schools and public libraries or what? Ridiculous.. I'm going to read up on this crap.

goddam, great miinds think alike! Here I just posted MY surprise that Flowers In The Attic wasn't on the list...just before I read your post expressing that same surprise!

Catcher in the Rye, a definite must read. especially if you watch Gohst in the Shell and scratch your head at all the seemingly pointless references. :D
from the list, 20. though, i can understand the reasons for a few of the books...

Oh, yeah...Holden Caulfield...yes, The Catcher In The Rye is a definite must-read! Yeah, there's some weird shit in there, but a damn good book!

those arnt banned books -just books people have tried to ban...
Exactly ... it's the list of "most challenged books."

I'm also somewhat surprised, since you mentioned "Silence of the Lambs" I'm somewhat surprised to find that V.C. Andrews' "Flowers In The Attic" didn't make the list.

They don't put V.C. Andrews books on the list because the woman has been dead for upteen years but still continues to churn out books about "Daddy touching me inappropriately." Even the zealots know it's a mistake to tangle with ghost writers and zombie authors.

... I can understand the reasons for a few of the books...
Oh? Care to elaborate on this???

Here's what I've read for scholl that appears on that list-

# Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
# Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

and as for pleasure...

# The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
# Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
# Blubber by Judy Blume
# We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
# Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
# Carrie by Stephen King



..and I'm a perfectly healthy human being. What the hell is wrong with these libraries/schools?


Hell, I dunno! I thought the fact that "Bless Me, Ultima" was on the list. I used to live in Austin, Texas...and, once, our mayor, then Gus Garcia...sponsored a project (voluntary, of course) that evryone in the city ought to read the same book...and speculated what might occur. The book he selected was Bless Me, Ultima. I read it. Hell our own MAYOR was trying to corrupt us!! Heaven forbid!! :D

What a sad, sad commentary on the state of people's minds! Sigh.

To think how many of my brothers and sisters in arms died to insure the right of people to write and read what they choose free of any worry of censorship. It's enough to make an old soldier weep! :( :headbang: :headbang:

Holy shit!! someone check the temperature in Hell!! Something Eut and I agree on?? WTF?!?!

Slaughterhouse 5 is on there? :eek: How is it possible that you ALLOW these people to have such a power? Why don't the 'normal' American rise up against this? That's really beyond my compehension....

American's rise up? Like off the couch?

Most of the books are on the list because someone tried to. If a national book banning/burning went on, there would be a call to rise-up. I would lead the way I guarantee that.

Holy shit!! someone check the temperature in Hell!! Something Eut and I agree on?? WTF?!?!
ROFLMAO!!! Yup! Like I dun tole you and tole you: although there are certain topics on which I tend to react strongly, I really am a centrist! :p

ROFLMAO!!! Yup! Like I dun tole you and tole you: although there are certain topics on which I tend to react strongly, I really am a centrist! :p
I don't buy the centrist claim, sorry, Eut. You are far too right-wing on too many issues for you to lay claim to "centrist." That is why we often disagree, because you ARE so far right wing. And I'm more than willing to own up to being a left-winger! Proud of it, too!!
In fact, I am a full-tilt, radical, leftist, commie, pinko, socialist! You bet I am! I'm in favor of a world that is more FAIR.

I don't buy the centrist claim, sorry, Eut. You are far too right-wing on too many issues for you to lay claim to "centrist." That is why we often disagree, because you ARE so far right wing. And I'm more than willing to own up to being a left-winger! Proud of it, too!!
In fact, I am a full-tilt, radical, leftist, commie, pinko, socialist! You bet I am! I'm in favor of a world that is more FAIR.

And with the books to make it so!

In my office we went through that Forbidden Book list that I posted earlier nad laughed at books on there. Here are a few of the reviews that made us laugh:


Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Lewis Carroll. Ace; Bantam; Crown; Delacorte; Dover; NAL; Norton; Penguin; Random; St. Martin. Banned in China (1931) for portraying animals and humans on the same level, "Animals should not use human language."

Don Quixote. Saavedra Miguel de Cervantes. Methuen; NAL; Norton; Random. Placed on the Index in Madrid for the sentence, "Works of charity negligently performed are of no worth."

The Graphic Work of M.C. Escher. M.C. Escher. Pan/Ballentine. Retained after being challenged at Maldonado Elementary School in Tucson, Ariz. (1994) for "pornographic", "perverted", and "morbid" themes. I guess they think good art should match your sofa.

Le Morte D'Arthur. Sir Thomas Malory. Scribner; Collier; Penguin. Challenged as required reading at the Pulaski County High School in Somerset, Ky. (1997) because it is "junk." Granted, Malory has problems with his narrative, but YOU try to translate Medieval French texts into comprehesible Middle English.

The Lorax. Dr. Seuss. Random. Challenged in the Laytonville, Calif. Unified School District (1989) because it "criminalizes the foresting industry." Isn't that the de-foresting industry?

My Friend Flicka. Mary O'Hara. Harper; Lippincott. Removed from fifth and sixth grade optional reading lists in Clay County, Fla. schools (1990) because the book uses the word "bitch" to refer to a female dog, as well as the word "damn."

Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury. Ballentine. Ironically, students at the Venado Middle School in Irvine, Calif. received copies of the book with scores of words--mostly "hells" and "damns"--blacked out. The novel is about book burning and censorship. Thankfully, after receiving complaints from parents and being contacted by reporters, school officials said the censored copies would no longer be used (1992)

Earth Science. American Book. Challenged at the Plymouth-Canton school system in Canton, Mich. (1987) because it "teaches the theory of evolution exclusively. It completely avoids any mention of Creationism...The evolutionary propaganda also underminds {sic} the parental guidance and teaching the children are receiving at home and from the pulpits." I guess their homes and pulpits didn't teach them how to spell "undermine."

Slaughterhouse-Five. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Dell; Dial. Burned in Drake, N. Dak. (1973). Banned in Rochester Mich. because the novel "contains and makes references to religious matters" and thus fell within the ban of the establishment clause. Challenged at the Owensboro, Ky. high School library (1985) because of "foul language, a reference to 'Magic Fingers' attached to the protagonist's bed to help him sleep, and the sentence: 'The gun made a ripping sound like the opening of the fly of God Almighty.' " Challenged, but retained on the Round Rock, Tex. Independent High School reading list (1996) after a challenge that the book was too violent. This particular novel is the recipient of a very cool plug in the movie, Footloose, starring Kevin Bacon.

To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee. Lippincott/Harper; Popular Library. This novel has been challenged quite a lot due to its racial themes. Challenged--and temporarily banned--in Eden Valley, Minn.(1977); Challenged at the Warren, Ind. Township schools (1981), because the book "represents institutionalized racism under the guise of 'good literature'." After unsuccessfully banning the novel, three black parents resigned from the township human relations advisory council. Banned from the Lindale, Tex. advanced placement English reading list (1996) because the book "conflicted with the values of the community."

Where the Sidewalk Ends. Shel Silverstein. Harper. Challenged at the West Allis-West Milwaukee, Wis. school libraries (1986) because the book "suggests drug use, the occult, suicide, death, violence, disrespect for truth, disrespect for legitimate authority, rebellion against parents." Challenged at the Central Columbia School District in Bloomsburg, Pa. (1993) because a poem titled "Dreadful" talks about how "someone ate the baby." On the other hand, this book does present the negative consequences of not taking the garbage out.

Where's Waldo? Martin Handford. Little. Challenged at the Public Libraries of Saginaw, Mich. (1989), Removed from the Springs Public School library in East Hampton, N.Y. (1993) because there is a tiny drawing of a woman lying on the beach wearing a bikini bottom but no top. Yes, but did they find Waldo?

Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings. D.T. Suzuki. Doubleday. Challenged at the Plymouth-Canton school system in Canton, Mich. (1987) because "this book details the teachings of the religion of Buddhism in such a way that the reader could very likely embrace its teachings and choose this as his religion." The last thing we need are a bunch of peaceful Buddhists running around. The horror.

I know this is really long. And it's only a few, the full list is here (http://title.forbiddenlibrary.com/) for your entertainment.

Google is your friend!

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm

I have read a fair amount of them.

I think it was Steven King who said if you hear they want to ban a book, rush out and get it and find out what they don't want you to know.

26/100

I've read far more stuff thats been banned in the past though - stuff like Ulysses and Lolita and the rest. On the other list that was floating round the net a while back, i was on about 72.

Nah, she writes books for awkward adolescents to read all about being awkward and adolescent.

Ahh, thanks. Must have been thinking of someone else them (maybe someone one popular in Britain, meh)

Do you suppose the people who wanna ban 'em have read 'em?

I thought that. I think they have read some of them. (Though what sort of person read Where's Wally/Waldo and thinks "OMG, that picture doesn't have a top on!")?

However, I feel Science Fiction is being extremely underrepresented in that list :mad: .

# Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Flowers for Algernon was on the list? Must have missed that.

Shame, it is one of my favorite books ever. I cannot help feeling someone has missed something.

I've been trying to get the movie adaptation cheap, heard it is quite good. But still, I'm almost chronically short of cash. Can anyone tell me if Charly is any good?

I've read about five on the ALA list... but, I'm wondering, if To Kill a Mockingbird is on that list, why not The Grapes of Wrath? :rolleyes:

Well as I said before, GoW is rather long. Maybe nobody who would find it objectionable read it ;)

Fantastic story though. One of Steinbeck's best imo.


Anyway, the books I have read on that list (since everyone else is doing, why can't I).

3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
37. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell (Actually, I can see a reason for this one. Largely it is inaccurate and you will likely lose at least two fingers, if you're lucky, if you try anything in it)
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
88. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford (Is this called [i]Where's Wally? in Britain?)

I think that's it. Maybe I have read one or two other, but were too unremarkable to remember, though I doubt. Any Brits know if we have similar here?

At http://title.forbiddenlibrary.com/ there are a few more. But I cannot be bothered to go through it and find extra ones to pad out the above list.

Bleh, I hardly go out of my way to read "banned books" though. If the subject matter interests me, or if it is recommended to me by someone with similar reading tastes to me I might. The fact some people objected to it hardly reason to read it though.

What I think is scary though, is the reasoning (well, the reasoning given at http://title.forbiddenlibrary.com/ any way) for banning some of these books, could easily be extrapolated to also include the news. Or at least censoring the news.

i dunno about pitiful, when i was about 7,8,9 they scared teh sht outta me

I read them as well and they didn't bother me at all.

Also, I'm surprised A Clockwork Orange isn't on that list before such things as Goosebumps and Harry Potter.

I had to read a few of the books on that list. Catcher in the Rye, The Pigman and To Kill a Mockingbird. I liked all three and I really can't see how trying to prevent kids from reading them will really help any.

To kill a mockingbird is a challenged book? WTF :[
Religous tolerance is unpatriotic... I guess...