There are currently broad book bans nationwide. Books currently banned in Utah include:
Forever by Judy Blume; Bag of Bones by Stephen King, plus several books by Ellen Hopkins.
Books banned in Texas include: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess; The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison; and Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.
Stephen King is reasonable for mature readers. Bag of Bones was one I actually read in junior high, and I learned a lot about true human emotions from that book. It represents a genuine experience. I’m currently reading Judy Blume’s Then Again, Maybe I Won’t, which is a fantastic read with a wonderful sense of humor and memorable narrative voice. It’s perfect for younger readers because of its relatability and accessibility. It‘s also a very heartfelt, honest read, and Blume has been studied in schools for decades.
Ellen Hopkins, while more thematic in content and tone, is important for readers to be exposed to. She creates thoughtful poetic writing that is as heartbreaking as it is beautiful. A keeper for sure. I would not recommend Kubrick’s movie adaptation of A Clockwork Orange for young viewers, but the novel, which is written by Anthony Burgess in a creative polyglot style that was very popular in modernism, deals with important themes related to freedom and control, through an analysis of behaviorist psychology. It really is an incredible book that readers can learn a lot from.
I read Beloved by Toni Morrison. While the plot was hard for me to grasp, the emotions were there. Why anyone would ban Morrison is baffling to me. She is an American treasure. No one except for maybe Hemingway or Fitzgerald before her have written in such a unique and impressionable style.
This current trend is really troubling and creates a culture of fear. Books are important; they matter. We have a right to read. When we shut down conversations, we limit education and socialization. We shame people for having different ideas. This is not democracy or debate: this truly is censorship.
The first amendment protects speech because we’ve learned that pluralist argumentation is how we form healthy democracies. You don’t shut out ideas you don’t like by using political clout: you talk about it. I believe that to be the only way forward.
Books banned in Texas include: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess; The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison; and Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.
Hugo is a treasure of French literature. Going off this list, I can reasonably say: these bans make me frustrated and angry. They were banned in school districts in these states. Utah has been growing their list of banned books.
Stephen King is reasonable for mature readers. Bag of Bones was one I actually read in junior high, and I learned a lot about true human emotions from that book. It represents a genuine experience. I’m currently reading Judy Blume’s Then Again, Maybe I Won’t, which is a fantastic read with a wonderful sense of humor and memorable narrative voice. It’s perfect for younger readers because of its relatability and accessibility. It‘s also a very heartfelt, honest read, and Blume has been studied in schools for decades.
Ellen Hopkins, while more thematic in content and tone, is important for readers to be exposed to. She creates thoughtful poetic writing that is as heartbreaking as it is beautiful. A keeper for sure. I would not recommend Kubrick’s movie adaptation of A Clockwork Orange for young viewers, but the novel, which is written by Anthony Burgess in a creative polyglot style that was very popular in modernism, deals with important themes related to freedom and control, through an analysis of behaviorist psychology. It really is an incredible book that readers can learn a lot from.
I read Beloved by Toni Morrison. While the plot was hard for me to grasp, the emotions were there. Why anyone would ban Morrison is baffling to me. She is an American treasure. No one except for maybe Hemingway or Fitzgerald before her have written in such a unique and impressionable style.
This current trend is really troubling and creates a culture of fear. Books are important; they matter. We have a right to read. When we shut down conversations, we limit education and socialization. We shame people for having different ideas. This is not democracy or debate: this truly is censorship.
The first amendment protects speech because we’ve learned that pluralist argumentation is how we form healthy democracies. You don’t shut out ideas you don’t like by using political clout: you talk about it. I believe that to be the only way forward.
Stay tuned for more to come on
THE OSCILLATING OCULUS
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