Thursday Thirteen
As promised last Thursday, here is my list (with three extra titles) of Banned/Challenged Books read as an adult:
1. The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger
2. Bless Me Ultima - Rudolfo Anaya
3. Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
4. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
5. Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zoa Neale Hurston
6. Lady Chatterley's Lover - D. H. Lawrence
7. In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
8. Candide - Voltaire
9. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou
10. Harry Potter (series) - J. K. Rowling
11. The Giver - Lois Lowry
12. A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle
13. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
14. The Bluest Eye - Toni Morrison
15. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
16. Beloved - Toni Morrison
Wow, a list where I've actually read most of the books - 12 in this case :) My top two are The Handmaid's tale and Bless Me Ultima.
ReplyDeleteIt never fails to surprise me when I see lists of banned books. Do you know why each of these books were considered questionable, at some point in time?
ReplyDeleteI feel like a goodie two shoes after reading your list...I've only read To Kill A Mockingbird from that list.
ReplyDeleteGuess I need to start reading more 'bad' stuff! ;)
I sure haven't read nearly as many as you have. Good job!
ReplyDeleteIliana - I'd say you are very well-read, but then that would sound like I'm tooting my own horn. Wasn't Bless Me Ultima wonderful? I absolutely loved it. Tried to read more of his, but couldn't get interested.
ReplyDeleteNancy - You know, you can probably Google the titles with the word "ban" in the search and find all sorts of reasons why a book is banned. I didn't search for a list of reasons for the books I found on the ALA site, but there might be one there. When I Googled Bless Me Ultima with "banned," I came up with several links and started reading them, but only wound up making myself mad. I hate it when people decide a book is unsuitable for others when they haven't even read it! I did find this:
http://www.abffe.org/bbw-booklist-detailed.htm
Carl - Ah, well, at least you're off to a great start with TKAM! My favorites are #2, #3, #5, #7, #11, #15 and #16. I enjoyed the first few in the Harry Potter series, but haven't read them all.
Thanks, Booklogged. Not sure how or why I wound up reading so many of these. It wasn't like I had a goal to read all the banned books in a given decade.
Oh rats! I had a copy of Bless me, Ultima and I never read it and I let it go. If I'd known it was a banned book, I would have read it! @#$%!
ReplyDeleteI have read half the books listed. I really liked Bless Me Ultima, too!
ReplyDeleteWow! Seems like Bless Me Ultima is quite a favorite amongst all of us. Hope you get another chance to read it, Bybee.
ReplyDeleteDanielle, I may just have to re-read Bless Me Ultima. One of these days. :)
I can see why Toni Morrisson is banned (GASP!); I can't stand her writing. It seems that she has an ax to grind and she's grinding it in everyone's face. But, that's just my subtle opinion.
ReplyDeleteMy High School French teacher had us read Candide by Voltaire, and analyse it, in French. I consider it one of my greatest literary feats; I'd had 6 years of French, and at the time was able to even dream in it.
Finally, the one that makes me the saddest is Wrinkle In Time. How could that book possible have be considered for banishment?! It's one of those life-changning books for me, a reminder to love no matter what. And that's the stuff of banishment?
Bellezza, I don't particularly care for Toni Morrison either. She's on my list of authors I won't read again. I hate to say never, but I truly doubt I'll ever attempt to read anymore of her books. I don't know what it was about Beloved that impressed me so much, but everything else has been a huge disappointment.
ReplyDeleteI think I may have to read A Wrinkle in Time again. My daughter loved it, but when I read it a few years ago, I was disappointed.
Gasp! Gasp! How could they ban "A Wrinkle in Time?" That's an absolute classic! I intend to make sure my children read it. How could they miss the beautiful symbolism? Who makes these rules?
ReplyDeleteOkay, calming down now . . .
Tristi, it seems A Wrinkle in Time is a favorite among many book lovers. I'll have to give it another try. In spite of not loving it, I agree. I have no idea why anyone would feel the need to ban it from our schools.
ReplyDelete