Ok, as you might already know, this is Banned Books Week, which is sponsored by the American Librarian Association and is a celebration of books that have been challenged or banned. I have been seeing posts all week about Banned Books, so I decided to investigate a little. When I saw the list of books that have been challenged or outright banned, I was pretty surprised to see some of my very favorite books right there on the list. So, I decided to put a little list of my own together of my favorite Banned Books!
1. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
This book has been called sexually explicit, violently graphic, and morally corrupt.
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Banned due to offensive language and racism.
3. Brave New World by Aldophus Huxley
This is thought to have offensive language and insensitivity-insensitive-, hmmmm.
4. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Our beloved wizard is supposedly anti-family (with a family like the Dursleys-no duh!), and promoting the Occult and Satanism!!
5. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Objectionable due to offensive language and sexual content.
6. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Banned due to racism- very strange since it IS a book about the Civil War!
7. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
This book is banned for quite a few reasons- one is that it is “irreligious” which is quite ironic considering the author’s known devoutness to Catholicism. It is also banned in New Mexico for promoting witchcraft and Satanism. I thought the purpose OF the book was to defeat the evil in the world-silly me.
I guess at any point in time almost any book can be seen as objectionable to one person or another. But maybe that is why the universe saw it fit to provide us humans with free will.
What is your favorite banned book?
Great posts about Banned Book Week- go see them!!
http://booksspeakvolumes.com/2013/09/24/bannedbooksweek/
Other websites to visit to read more about banned books-
Banned Books Week Banner (Photo credit: DML East Branch)
