Sunday, September 26, 2010

Freedom to Read

Freedom to read whatever and whenever I'd like is something I admit to taking for granted. It's also something that is extremely important to me. It's mind boggling that people actively put their time and attention toward undermining this liberty.

Every year during Banned Books Week, I check out the annual list of books of challenged and banned books. On this year's list, there are at least three books that my neighborhood book club has read. We are hardly a subversive group! There are even some members who don't drink wine. Really.

Here are the dangerous books my book club has read in unknowing defiance of all that is good and pure and apparently American:

The Tortilla Curtain
The Bean Trees
The Glass Castle

These were good discussion books -- some of the group's favorites. While one or two in the group strongly disliked The Tortilla Curtain, none of us would want to take away the ability to choose to read this book from someone else. I'm going to take another look at this year's list and see if I can find more to suggest for the book group.

3 comments:

Debbie said...

Thanks for this link. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that people are still trying to ban the Diary of Anne Frank and To Kill a Mockingbird. Now I have a new list of books to read.

The Bumbles said...

I was surprised when I saw The Glass Castle on the list myself. It has become a To Read List for many people - which makes me smile. Frustrates the challengers tremendously I'm sure - heehee!

Lee said...

Molly, I was surprised as well by The Glass Castle making the Banned & Challenged list.