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Banned books  

post #1 of 42
9/6/07 at 1:53am
Thread Starter 
Does anyone have a current list of the top 100 banned books?

I was just reading another thread and a book got mentioned that wasn't available to the poster during a certain time. It got me thinking about the various books I know that are banned (for instance One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is banned in my city from highschools) and now I want to read.

I tried to google it but was getting so many different results that I thought I'd post here. I know libraries put out a pretty standard/universal list...anyone have one they want to share with me?

(No I can't go to my library and ask for a list....we have no library in town and the one in the town over only does that sort of thing for patrons and to be a patron we'd have to pay $50 since we aren't in the district.)
post #2 of 42
9/6/07 at 2:10am
I know a lot of Judy Blume books are on the banned book list.
post #3 of 42
9/6/07 at 2:45am
Here is the link to the ALA's (American Library Association) list of 100 most frequently challenged books of 1999-2000:
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedboo...frequently.htm

Banned Books week is coming up soon. September 29-October 6 is banned books week. ALA has a site all about Banned Books week:
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedboo...dbooksweek.htm

That is probably more information than you wanted to know. My husband and I are both librarians.
post #4 of 42
9/6/07 at 11:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by library lady View Post
That is probably more information than you wanted to know. My husband and I are both librarians.
Hello from a Maine librarian! I started planning my BBW this week. Am trying to decide whether I'm going to display my "I read banned books" t-shirt.
post #5 of 42
9/7/07 at 1:36pm
OMG! I can't believe that Brave New World is on the list! I love that book. :
post #6 of 42
9/7/07 at 1:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MountainLaurel View Post
Hello from a Maine librarian! I started planning my BBW this week. Am trying to decide whether I'm going to display my "I read banned books" t-shirt.
I think you should wear it!
post #7 of 42
9/7/07 at 1:47pm
Quote:
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Beloved by Toni Morrison
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
Whaaaa?
Seriously. What's objectionable about these?

In truth I probably could have quoted almost the whole list. The understandable ones, having to do with anything sexual, I see why people get up in arms about those (not that I agree - I think it's sad) - but A Light In the Attic? How To Eat Fried Worms??

I also find it really disturbing how many of the books on that list deal with race relations in one form or another, and how those books are some of the best examples we have in the canon of modern American literature of Black writers and Black issues. It burns me up how easily people are offended these days.
post #8 of 42
9/7/07 at 2:05pm
Thank you for this thread. One of my friends is a librarian and she sent me the ALA list; I am ready to spread the word. Book banning, blech.
post #9 of 42
9/7/07 at 2:17pm
Don't you remember the little nekkid kids in Shel Silverstein's stuff? I'm almost sure that's why he's banned. Also, kids are always getting eaten, trampled, etc. And he used to write/ draw for Playboy magazine-- probably cost him some points among the righteous.

Most really good books are banned at some point. Borders Books celebrates Banned Book Week (or maybe month, I can't remember) by putting up a huge display window of books that have been banned--dozens of classics.

Brave New World; 1984; To Kill a Mockingbird; Are you There God? It's Me, Margaret; Harry Potter; A Clockwork Orange... if it's worth reading, it's offended somebody, apparently.

I remember walking by their display and thinking-- all my favorites, what is this? Imagine my surprise when I saw the "Celebrate Banned Books!" sign!
post #10 of 42
9/7/07 at 2:28pm
Thread Starter 
Wikipedia's list

That's not a complete list but at least it tells you why the ones on their list are banned. I am so going to read all the banned ones I can get my hands on. If you click around on the ALA site you can find the books banned by person/institution, theme, year etc. Those ones seem to be more current (2000-2005).
post #11 of 42
9/7/07 at 7:51pm
Wow, I love many of the books on that top 100 list.
post #12 of 42
9/8/07 at 3:51am
ITA about that list being full of great books. If I was an author, I'd be totally honored to make that list.

Some of those are downright silly, especially reading the "reasons" at the wikipedia link. Black Beauty being banned in South Africa for the word "black" in the title? Um...
post #13 of 42
9/8/07 at 4:14am
Wow, a lot of those books we read in school. We read How to Eat Fried Worms in, like, third grade! Of Mice and Men was freshman year. And, our school libraries had all of the Goosebumps series. Very interesting!
post #14 of 42
9/8/07 at 8:53am
wow! Im shocked! Ive read many of the books on those lists and found NOTHING objectionable or horrible about them.

man, if someone thinks those are offensive...than dont read them! Just dont inflict your beliefs on someone else!

fyi-NE one notice all the books relating to growing up, relationships and 'un-orthodox' parents that made the list. Its pathetic! Its called life, there are alot of diff people out there in the world...

Umm Ibi
post #15 of 42
9/8/07 at 6:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by library lady View Post
Here is the link to the ALA's (American Library Association) list of 100 most frequently challenged books of 1999-2000:
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedboo...frequently.htm

Banned Books week is coming up soon. September 29-October 6 is banned books week. ALA has a site all about Banned Books week:
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedboo...dbooksweek.htm

That is probably more information than you wanted to know. My husband and I are both librarians.
Thanks, for the list. I can't believe how many of those books I've read. And as for the ones I haven't, well lets just say they've rounded out my reading list.
post #16 of 42
9/8/07 at 6:20pm
I never knew that there was such a thing until a couple of months ago. :
post #17 of 42
9/8/07 at 7:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by UmmIbrahim View Post
man, if someone thinks those are offensive...than dont read them! Just dont inflict your beliefs on someone else!
Ironically, 9 times out of 10, the person or group who challenges a particular book has NOT read the book in question, other than earmarking the supposedly salacious bits.
post #18 of 42
9/8/07 at 8:07pm
Yes, that list was full of literary masterpieces. I remember checking out the Goosebump's series when I was a kid. I read a bunch of them and decided they were lame after awhile. I thought "Of Mice and Men" was boring when I read it, but after now that I am older I can appreciate the message that the author was trying to get across. It is a sad day all over America when a book is banned. Censorship never accomplishes anything except for encouraging people to live in the dark and be very naive.
post #19 of 42
9/8/07 at 9:56pm
Mmmm...banned books week. I love banned books week! All the events at our local independent bookstores are so much fun!
post #20 of 42
9/9/07 at 6:33pm
Can someone tell me why "How to eat fried worms" is on the banned list? Since we read it in 4th grade its been a while. Add James and the Giant Peach to that too....
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