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Banned Books Week: 21st Century book challenges

Although you could nitpick when the 21st Century actually started, we’re at least through the first decade of the 2000s. That doesn’t mean book challenges and book banning turned out to be a phenomenon limited to earlier centuries. The process continues (including, as I’ll review tomorrow, around here) and the American Library Association can now […]

Tim September 30th, 2010 | Tags: , , | Category: A Reading Life | Comments are closed | |

Banned Books Week: Giving a reason doesn’t require reason

Lists are always popular during Banned Books Week. Two related and somewhat fun ones have appeared this week looking at the reasons people give when they challenge a book.

First, MobyLives give us The Top Ten Ludicrous Reasons To Ban A Book. Perhaps my favorite is the objection to Little Red Riding Hood: “The basket […]

Tim September 29th, 2010 | Tags: , , | Category: A Reading Life | One comment - (Comments are closed) | |

Dylan treats fans equally, even those named Obama

Anyone who’s attended a Bob Dylan concert knows he is far from a gregarious stage presence. After attending several of his concerts, my wife and I remarked to each other at a show in Minneapolis that he’d actually spoken to the audience other than announcing a song title or saying “Thanks.”

But if you think […]

Tim September 29th, 2010 | Tags: , | Category: Music | Comments are closed | |

Banned Books Week: But you can go to the movie

We are frequently surprised at some of the books that are subject to challenge in libraries and schools, such as Huckleberry Finn or Harry Potter. Yet banned books are frequently a source of highly acclaimed films.

In connection with Banned Books Week, there’s a list circulating of 15 of “the most iconic, popular, and/or celebrated […]

Tim September 28th, 2010 | Tags: , , , | Category: A Reading Life | One comment - (Comments are closed) | |

Reflections on the Festival of Books

This is coming a day or so later than planned but that’s not bad compared to what I’m going to confess. Despite my book addiction, this year was the first time I ever attended the South Dakota Festival of Books. So a couple days late is far better than years late.

I have no good […]

Tim September 28th, 2010 | Tags: , | Category: A Reading Life | Comments are closed | |

Banned Books Week: Should some books be banned?

Although not written in connection with our Banned Books Week, the books columnists for The Independent raised an interesting question earlier this month in connection with something London libraries were doing: are there some books that public libraries shouldn’t carry?

Boyd Tonkin came up with a list of 10 books that could conceivably raise that […]

Tim September 27th, 2010 | Tags: , , , | Category: A Reading Life | Comments are closed | |
 
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