Banned Books Week

Well, one of my favourite weeks of the year comes to an end today: Banned Books Week.  The week that spreads awareness about banned and challenged books, censorship, and the first amendment.

I, personally, am highly opposed to censorship.  To quote Voltaire, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."  While I personally may not like the message of some books, first of all, it's all data:  Not only is there a message in the text, but there's also information to be gained about myself and why I didn't like the book.  And secondly, who am I to say what another should be able to read or think?

So here is a list of banned or challenged books and authors that I have read.  Many books on this list are ones that I love greatly, and have really impacted who I am.  Others I did not like, but I did read them, and they still have become a part of who I am:

Lord of the Flies, William Golding

1984, George Orwell -- Anyone else see the irony of having this book on the list?  Oh, yes.  Let's ban books that talk about censorship and the destruction of the freedom of thought.

Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck

The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway

The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien

Scary Stories (Series), Alvin Schwartz.

Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson -- One of my favourite books ever.  Beautiful touching story.

The Giver & other works, Lois Lowry -- Another favourite book.  Fantastically written.  A thought experiment about what happens if we give up our liberties.

Alice (Series), Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

The Great Gilly Hopkins, Katherine Paterson

The Witches, James and the Giant Peach, & others,  Roald Dahl -- His works were some of my favourites when I was in elementary school, and I still love them.

A Wrinkle in Time & other works, Madeline L'Engle -- Fantastic book  By a fantastic author who is greatly missed.

Blubber & Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, as well as others, Judy Blume

The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison

Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes

Harry Potter (Series), J. K. Rowling -- Every time I read these I am impressed by the complexity of the plot and the genius of the work.

A Light in the Attic & other works, Shel Silverstein -- Fantastic & creative.  Yes, Shel Silverstein didn't like kids, but his books were clever and witty.

The Face on the Milk Carton, Caroline B. Cooney

The Dead Zone, Stephen King

The Adventures of Tome Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, & others, Mark Twain

Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, Margaret Peterson Haddix

The DaVinci Code, Dan Brown

Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury -- Again, anyone see the irony here?  Ban a book that shows what could happen in a society where books are banned.

Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky, Peeky Spying, Barbara Park

The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West & others, I'm sure, Gregory Maguire

Twilight Series, Stephenie Meyer

Canterbury Tales, Chaucer

The Arabian Nights, Sir Richard Burton

The Bible

Many works by William Shakespeare

Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Grimm Brothers

The Diary of Anne Frank, Anne Frank

Lysistrata, Aristophanes

How to Eat Fried Worms, Thomas Rockwell

The works of Lewis Carrol