Banned Books discussion

Are people interested in starting group reads again?

I only just saw this, but I'm always up for a group read!

Oh yes! I've been working my way through the banned picture books and middle grades books, maybe some YA. I still have over 100 books left on my list tbr. I just bought a bag of books at the library book sale to send to Florida.

I have the lists of the current challenged and banned books in the U.S. and some from other countries too.

I would also be up for group reads, but perhaps keep them rather open ended (I know the threads are usually kept open anyhow) but I wonder of having kind of timelines might be a problem for some.

Unfortunately, I don't believe we can keep it open ended with how Goodreads is programmed, but I can leave it up there indefinitely. The current ones have been up there for years. :)

Anyone have a recommendation for what we should read next? I like to choose one adult book and one children's/young adult book.

Kelly H. (Maybedog) wrote: "Unfortunately, I don't believe we can keep it open ended with how Goodreads is programmed, but I can leave it up there indefinitely. The current ones have been up there for years. :)

Anyone have a..."

Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation (has been on the hit list for book banners in the USA in particular, being banned in much of Florida and Texas)

Sir Ladybug and sequels (nothing remotely problematic but the title is freaking out some unhinged puritans)

Kiss Number 8 (typical freak outs at same sex considerations)


The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher (not a "gay" book but just having two fathers is enough to make this book get challenged etc.)

Actually Kiss Number 8 was banned for being anti-religion because (view spoiler)[ a character sexualizes a statue of Jesus. (hide spoiler)] I don't think the censors read the book because there's a lot of mature content, not to mention the gender identity issues.

It was a worthwhile read though for me because I grew up in a Catholic bubble like Mads and Laura and I had a friend similar to Kat when I was a teen. I'd be hypocritical if I didn't pass the book along to my niece so I will but I don't know if she's ready for this one yet. She says she reads manga and she loved Heartstopper Series Volume 1-3 which is fast rising to the top of the banned lists.

Sarah J. Maas, Ellen Hopkins, Elana K. Arnold are among the top banned authors and now Jodi Picoult and... oddly enough Stephen King.

Then you have the classics
Toni Morrison
Alice Walker

and books that were banned 100 or more years ago still being banned!

Just about every book published since the 1950s is challenged or banned somewhere.

QNPoohBear wrote: "Actually Kiss Number 8 was banned for being anti-religion because [spoilers removed] I don't think the censors read the book because there's a lot of mature content, not to mention ..."

Interesting that sexualizing a statue of Jesus gets banned, when the entire cult off the Virgin Mary most certainly has much sexuality to it.

I am always up for a group read. I have no recommendations but everything that finds its way onto the Banned Books list.

We don't have many people interested. I'm still trying to decide if it's worth the work.

Kelly H. (Maybedog) wrote: "We don't have many people interested. I'm still trying to decide if it's worth the work."

I agree, if only a few people are interested, it might not be worth it. But since we have not had group reads for quite some time, perhaps we should just give it a bit of time and see if more members become interested.

I'll be reading The Prince and the Dressmaker soon if anyone wants to join in.

Where was that banned? I’ve never heard of it. :/

Kelly H. (Maybedog) wrote: "Where was that banned? I’ve never heard of it. :/"

It's a tween graphic novel banned for: LGBTQ+ themes; genderqueer protagonist; gender and sexism in Clay County, Florida, Charlotte County, Florida (unofficially as a blanket ban of all LGBTQ+ books), Nampa, Idaho and likely more places by now.

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/09/110400...

I got a banned books subscription box for Christmas and the first book is not one I've heard of. A British gothic coming of age story
The House in the Orchard. It's not my genre and I don't know where it's supposed to be banned or challenged. The box comes with a banned books button and "passport" to reading banned books.

What a cool gift!

That's a really interesting and disturbing article QNPoohbear posted.:

Last summer, Idaho right-wing activists started pushing local library boards to ban books they said are tainting students' minds. Then, State House Republicans passed a bill that could have fined or jailed librarians for up to a year for lending any materials deemed harmful to minors.

One of the representatives was quoted as saying, "I would rather my 6-year-old grandson start smoking cigarettes tomorrow than get a view of this stuff one time at the public library or anywhere else."

Seriously? Just getting a view of it one time? What a lunatic. No wonder these bills get passed when folks' priorities are so out of whack.

Kelly H. (Maybedog) wrote: "That's a really interesting and disturbing article QNPoohbear posted.:

Last summer, Idaho right-wing activists started pushing local library boards to ban books they said are tainting students' mi..."

So smoking is better than reading a book? These NAZIS truly have manure for brains and should really not be breeding either.

I'm willing to bet that same 6 year old grandson is online playing video games and has already seen or will soon see some of that "stuff". Also, there's no such thing as pr0n in the library and a book featuring a naked toddler or even naked adults in the right context is not pr0n. The teen books an adult books often feature scenes of sexual abuse. How is THAT you know what? How are we to recognize abuse if we don't see it?

Also, to bring this back on topic... Niece #1's 9th grade class is reading Of Mice and Men. It's banned on both sides of the divide. My niece's generation doesn't like it because it is not an accurate depiction of a person with a disability and the right doesn't like it because language and "sexual content". Any thoughts on a group read? We read a lot of Steinbeck when I was in Junior High in the same school district as my niece. I was surprised they're still reading the dead white man canon.

Yes, it's better to have your little child use an incredibly addictive and damaging drug than even see something you disapprove of, even when you can talk to them about the book and why you don't approve! I feel sorry for their kids.

I see we have some group reads up! Thanks! Maybe send out a group message so people know?

I was planning on doing that but I got distracted. :) Thanks for the reminder!

No problem! Thanks for getting group reads up again! :)

Could we try some new group reads for September? Back to school?

I just posted about Utah banning some books statewide. Of those listed, I'd be interested in reading milk and honey or Blankets

Those are great! Something very different with feminist poetry and a young adult graphic novel. I have to come up with two more. I want one that's a classic and another that's more accessible/mainstream than those two you suggest.

Anyone want to suggest something else?

For classic
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass with Biographical Introduction has just been banned in Marietta, Georgia classrooms due to "s-x-ual" content. Among other places like Oklahoma due to racism.

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/cobb...

I read that in grade school more than once and have no memory of it being obscene or graphic. I have it around here in my piles somewhere in my room. I pulled it out to send to Florida but the box was already full so I saved it. It should be easily accessible in print and online.

For modern classic I preferred The Bluest Eye to Beloved but don't have any burning desire to reread either of them right now.

I almost picked up Blankets at the library today, but that thing is *massive*! My tote bag was already getting heavy!

I did pick up Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin that could be another option.

Jennifer W wrote: "I almost picked up Blankets at the library today, but that thing is *massive*! My tote bag was already getting heavy! ."

If it's too heavy to carry and I decide to read it, I can read an e-book. I bet my niece has a copy. It sounds like it's not my cup of tea though. I will ask my niece.

She recommends Heartstopper but I haven't read those yet either. She was enjoying Yolk but found the ending unsatisfying. Getting the teenagers to talk to me now is very difficult! I am not enjoying having a high school age niece. I miss 6. We read together and played together back then and she talked A LOT.

OK, I've put a reminder in my calendar. You can keep posting suggestions. I might not get to it on September first exactly because I'm probably traveling but I'll do so as soon as I can.

No worries, get to it when you can. I appreciate you doing it!! Enjoy your trip!

I'll keep looking around!

Remind me if I don't do it by the fifth.

You got it!

Knock, knock, Kelly! It's September 5th!

Though I was at the library today and both Blankets and milk and honey were already checked out! Of course!

Jennifer W wrote: "Knock, knock, Kelly! It's September 5th!

Though I was at the library today and both Blankets and milk and honey were already checked out! Of course!"

Does your library have a digital library app? I'm seeing both available through Libby in my library system but they could be checked out in yours.

milk and honey is available as an audiobook, but I don't know if I want to listen to it. I can put the book form of both of them on hold and get them from other libraries.

QNPoohBear, each library purchases a certain number of downloads of whatever books they want that Libby carries. So if they buy 20 copies and no one wants any, there could be no wait. If they have 2 copies and everyone wants them, there could be a long wait. If a library hasn't bought them at all, it will still show up usually but it will say "notify me" next to the title. If you look in the data for the book, it will tell you how many copies the library has purchased.

Thanks for the reminder Jennifer. I did remember but I've got a lot of crap going on right now. I asked people to recommend two other books to post and I don't have time to deal with it right now. If you would be willing to tell me what the books are that were nominated and which ones you suggested, I'll get them posted later. I'm just dealing with some major stuff this week and really stressing out.

So sorry, Kelly! Don't worry about us, we'll be here when you're able to deal!

Sending good vibes!!

To recap what was suggested, though. I put forward milk and honey and Blankets. QNPoohBear suggested Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, and I don't think we came up with a 4th.

I was just reading that Stephen King has a lot of his books banned in Florida. I've never read him, and I'm pretty much a wimp when it comes to horror, but other people might join in since October is coming up. It looks like It and Carrie were most frequently banned, but there's plenty of others to choose from.
https://www.newsweek.com/stephen-king... (list starts about halfway down the page)

Thank you for understanding.

Let's choose It. People really like the book so they might want to discuss it more.

I figured out why I've found it hard to bounce back from the crap going on: I have COVID. I avoided it for 4.5 years so I guess it was inevitable. I flew twice last week so I'm sure I caught it in the airport. I'll put them up in a few minutes.

Kelly (Maybedog) wrote: "I figured out why I've found it hard to bounce back from the crap going on: I have COVID. I avoided it for 4.5 years so I guess it was inevitable. I flew twice last week so I'm sure I caught it in the airport. I'll put them up in a few minutes

Oh no! I've managed to avoid it so far but travel is tough. I'm so sorry. I hope you recover quickly.

Actually I decided on The Shining because I easily found the reasons for it being banned and I'm too tired to keep looking.

Okay, all the books are posted and discussion threads established. Let me know if you see any errors. Thanks, folks!

Oh no! I've had Covid twice, and it is miserable! I hope you get feeling better soon- lots of rest! Thanks for getting group read stuff up! :)

Thank you for your kind words everyone. Jennifer, I'm so sorry you've had this twice! It's horrific. I'm so exhausted, all I do is sleep and wake up long enough to hack up a lung. :)

Yeah, sounds about right. :/ I was so exhausted that I'd make it to the couch just for someplace different to lie down, and then later have to argue with myself to get up to go to the bathroom!!

Feeling better, Kelly?

Kelly (Maybedog) wrote: "Thank you for understanding.

Let's choose It. People really like the book so they might want to discuss it more.

I figured out why I've found it hard to bounce back from the crap going on: I have..."

Are you feeling better? Have not wanted to fly, take the train etc. since covid as I am sure I would get sick (always pick up something when I travel and have also avoided covid so far and would like to keep it that way).

Manybooks wrote: "Have not wanted to fly, take the train etc. since covid as I am sure I would get sick (always pick up something when I travel and have also avoided covid so far and would like to keep it that way)..."

It's safe enough if you wear an N-95 mask. You could wear safety goggles if you were really anxious.

Kelly I hope you're feeling yourself again!

I am much better, thank you all for the kind words! I'm still tired but I've heard that can last weeks. I'm frustrated though I still test positive and my family uses that as a gauge as to whether I can see them. It wouldn't be a big deal but my sister is only here from Melbourne another 10 days.

I've been testing positive for two weeks now. The line was getting really faint and now it's gotten darker. The web says it indicates the level of the virus in the blood stream. How am I getting worse?

Anyway, I'm here, back to writing ridiculously long posts. :)

Glad you're feeling a bit better. That is weird that you're still testing positive for this long. Are you still feverish? Most places go by 24 hours fever free to say you're over it enough to go back to the real world.