random post is random: banned books

[ride_4ever]

I'm putting together a program at the public library where I work as an Acquisitions and Collection Management Librarian. It's a program about books that have been challenged or banned in the recent onslaught against the freedom to read in the U.S. Some of the reasons...I can't even! I don't know whether to engage in bitter laughter or to just plain cry...or both...yeah, both.

Just a few moments ago I encountered this one about a book I read recently: An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States  by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz has been banned in some parts of the U.S. because Dunbar-Ortiz puts Indigenous Native Americans at the center of her telling of U.S. history "causing the book to gain detractors who prefer that history be told from the colonizer perspective". To paraphrase Shakespeare in Hamlet: "If all history books were to be judged on preferred perspective 'who should scape whipping'."

Comments

[cmcmck]

And of course as ever, the banning of books will make sure people go out of their way to read them!
I started with Lady Chatterly as a kid.

[ride_4ever]

Good point! I will try to take heart somewhat from your point.

Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I'm putting together a program at the public library where I work as an Acquisitions and Collection Management Librarian. It's a program about books that have been challenged or banned in the recent onslaught against the freedom to read in the U.S. <<

Go you!

>> Some of the reasons...I can't even! I don't know whether to engage in bitter laughter or to just plain cry...or both...yeah, both.<<

The best display I've seen was a window with the usual banned books, except front and center were the Bible and Webster's Dictionary.

>>Just a few moments ago I encountered this one about a book I read recently: An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz has been banned in some parts of the U.S. because Dunbar-Ortiz puts Indigenous Native Americans at the center of her telling of U.S. history "causing the book to gain detractors who prefer that history be told from the colonizer perspective". <<

Oh yeah, most Native American books have been banned, especially the ones that aren't in English -- for a while the tribal languages were illegal. >_<

Do you have any Little Free Libraries, BookCrossing, or other swap options in your area? If so, a great protest is stuffing them with banned books. Check with local used bookstores, and someone is likely to have things from the banned list.

Re: Yes ...

[ride_4ever]

LOL, yeah, Webster's Dictionary and The Bible. And how about the banning of medical books (for instance, The Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine)?

We have a number of Little Free Libraries in my neighborhood. Several times a week I go for walks to them and put books in them, sometimes banned books and sometimes other books I've loved and want to share. (I also put anti-ICE whistles and their accompanying pamphlet into these Little Free Libraries.)

Re: Yes ...

[sovay]

(I also put anti-ICE whistles and their accompanying pamphlet into these Little Free Libraries.)

(That is an excellent use of those sites.)

Re: Yes ...

[ride_4ever]

Literate and loud!

[isis]

Ugh, that's awful.

[ride_4ever]

At least we still have the freedom to go public in denouncing these bans.

[sovay]

It's a program about books that have been challenged or banned in the recent onslaught against the freedom to read in the U.S.

Boy, does your program have a lot to choose from. And that is just in recent years.

[ride_4ever]

So. Many. Choices. *sigh*

[devilc]

Oh, from my days in the CBLDF, we heard such coo-coo bananas "reasons" given to challenge a book.

I love your Hamlet reference.

[ride_4ever]

And unfortunately, the book banners are mad more than just "north by northwest" and would probably equally ban hawks and handsaws.

[petra]

Thank you for doing this. What a great idea. <333

[ride_4ever]

I have so many titles from which to choose. Alas, I wish it were NOT so many.

[colls]

I do agree that trying to ban books sometimes increases their popularity. I'm not advocating banning books, just that there's a side-effect that we can take some pleasure in at least.

I've just added that book to my TBR, so thank you for your service in spreading the word about what sounds like a VERY interesting book and something right up my alley lately!
My father sent me last fall a book called The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History by Ned Blackhawk. I've not read it yet, but he found it illuminating. I'll have to see if there have been ban attempts on it.
And I'm currently listening to Nothing More of This Land: Community, Power, and The Search for Indigenous Identity by Joseph V. Lee

[ride_4ever]

Both of the books you mention are on-shelf at the library where I work. There haven't been bans attempted on them yet, but they are definitely in the realm of what -- alas -- is being challenged and banned nowadays.

[adafrog]

Ouch.

[ride_4ever]

Seeing your "ouch" comment I display my "ouch" icon.

[noxelementalist]

About 6 years ago I actually went to research the most common titles that got banned based on the ALA lists, and whoo-boy were there some life choices of reasons on there. I think my my fav was Robert Cormomier's The Chocolate War (which was 1 of the top 10 most banned ever), and got banned in one place for being too depressing for teens to read. Because as we all know teens. Are never sad?

[ride_4ever]

Yeah, I was a teen when I started reading Robert Cormier's books. They were unsettling, but unsettling in the good way that makes a teen-age reader's brain work.

*stares at your icon* Are you in Alice 2009 fandom?

[noxelementalist]

Agreed, but it was still amusing to see "too sad" as a censorship reason.

And yes! Yes I am! I am in many such tiny fandoms lol.

[ride_4ever]

*points to icon to use for books that require banning due to being sad* *snorfle*

Oh, we must squee together some time about Alice 2009! (CanCon FTW!)

[noxelementalist]

*snorfle* perfect use of icon

And yes we should!!! Alice 2009 could use more squee!!