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Banned Books
Banned Books | DK
31 posts | 4 read | 2 to read
Immerse yourself in the stories behind the most shocking and infamous books ever published! Censorship of one form or another has existed almost as long as the written word, while definitions of what is deemed "acceptable" in published works have shifted over the centuries, and from culture to culture. Banned Books explores why some of the world's most important literary classics and seminal non-fiction titles were once deemed too controversial for the public to read - whether for challenging racial or sexual norms, satirizing public figures, or simply being deemed unfit for young readers. From the banning of All Quiet on the Western Front and the repeated suppression of On the Origin of the Species, to 1984, Fahrenheit 45, Catcher in the Rye and Huckleberry Fin, this must-have volume examines the astonishing role that some banned books have played in changing history. Packed with eye-opening insights into the history of the written word, and the political and social climate during the period of suppression or censorship, this is a must-read for anyone interested in literature, creative writing, politics, history, or the law. Delve into this compelling collection of the world's most controversial books to discover: - Covers a broad range of genres and subject areas in fiction and non-fiction, ranging from Alice's Adventures in - Wonderland to Spycatcher - Offers informative insights into society, politics, law, and religious beliefs, in different countries around the world - Features images of first editions and specially commissioned illustrations of the books' authors - Includes extracts from the banned books along with key quotations about them - Completely global in scope A must-have volume for avid readers and literary scholars alike, alongside those with an interest in the law, politics and censorship, Banned Books profiles a selection of the most infamous, intriguing and controversial books ever written, whilst offering a unique perspective on the history of the written word, with insights into the often surprising reasons books have been banned throughout history and across the world. Whether as a gift or self-purchase, this brilliant book is a must-have addition to the library of curious thinkers, borrowers and lifelong learners. If you enjoy Banned Books, then why not try Great Loves - the first title in DK's quirky new hardback series, full of insightful and intriguing topics.
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100%
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Ladygodiva7
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I‘m very late but wanted to see my score. It‘d be higher if I read children books lol.

American Psycho
Clan of the Cave Bears series
His Dark Materials
All Stephen King
The Giver
And many more!

#TLT #ThreeListThursday @dabbe

dabbe You did better than 91%, so I\'d take it as a 91% = A! 🤩 Thanks for playing and sharing. 🧡😢🤎 2w
48 likes1 comment
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TorieStorieS
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Thanks @JenlovesJT47 for the tag for @dabbe ‘s #ThreeListThursday #TLT on banned books. I was really surprised at some of these, and decided to highlight these three that I have read and re-read over the years! And I was happy to see quite a few of the required reading from my own school years on the list!

JenlovesJT47 Have you read the graphic novel of To Kill A Mockingbird? It‘s really good! 2w
TorieStorieS @JenlovesJT47 I will have to check it out!! 2w
dabbe Excellent choices! Thanks for sharing and playing! 🧡🤎💛 2w
TorieStorieS @dabbe Thanks for organizing!! 💗 2w
33 likes4 comments
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kspenmoll
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Too many banned books..😱 pictured a few of the ones I loved reading.
Anyone who wants to, take the quiz.
https://www.listchallenges.com/alas-most-frequently-challenged-books-1990-2020

Thanks Denise for posting this quiz. #ThreeListThursday #TLT

dabbe Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🤎💛 2w
47 likes1 comment
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SaunteringVaguelyDownwards
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Seems like teaching high school, and then children's and YA lit classes has really inflated my score! I have my children's literature students write an Essay in Defense of a Banned Book - sadly, some may need these skills as future teachers!

Favorites:
1) The Witches by Roald Dahl
2) Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (and I especially love her response to people who want to ban it)
3) Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

#TLT @dabbe

dabbe I\'m amazed at how many I didn\'t read as a high school English teacher! 😱 Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🤎💛 2w
8 likes1 comment
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dabbe
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#TLT #ThreeListThursday @dabbe

What a topic near and dear to our hearts. The books I chose are all ones I have proudly taught as a middle and high school English teacher.

I have hope that if we keep fighting the good fight that sanity will eventually prevail. And I've discovered that I have a lot of challenged books to still read! My TBR has just grown, well, bigger!

And if you look closely, you'll see why WHERE'S WALDO made the list! 🤩

sarahbarnes ♥️♥️♥️ 2w
dabbe @sarahbarnes 🧡🍁🧡 2w
Jjaxn95 I didn‘t know Speak was on the list as a banned book. That was one of my favorite books as a teenager and one I recall as being dear to me at that time. I would categorize it as a lifetime favorite of mine. 2w
See All 6 Comments
dabbe @Jjaxn95 So would I. The writing was just gorgeous. Have you seen the movie with a young Kristen Stewart as Melinda? It\'s excellent, too. 🧡🤎💛 2w
kspenmoll I love your idea of presenting the books you taught! 2w
dabbe @kspenmoll It\'s what I miss most about teaching! What do I miss the least? #parents #sorrynotsorry 🤩😂🤗 2w
72 likes6 comments
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kelli7990
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Are You There God? It‘s Me, Margaret - When I was 12 years old the same age as Margaret, I got my period and I read this book. I enjoyed this book. I felt like I could relate to how she was feeling.

The Earth, My Butt & Other Big Round Things - I was 15 the same age as Virginia when I read this book. I enjoyed it because I was a plus size teen like she was and I felt like I could relate to how she was feeling about her body.

#threelistthursday

dabbe And you have just beautifully described why these books are ESSENTIAL for young kids and should not be challenged/banned. Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
24 likes1 comment
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willaful
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#TLT #ThreeListThursday

Doing better than with the songs or movie challenges, I think.

dabbe Better than 80%! #yourock Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
Faranae \“66 of 211 · 31% You did better than 91% of users on this list\“. I blame the URC since so many of these are books I hate. 😂

Though also, the ALA often doesn\'t make an effort to distinguish between \“challenged from being in the school library\“ and \“challenged as required reading\“. And some of the books really aren\'t suitable for certain grades. A library can\'t have every book, either.
2w
willaful @Faranae Definitely. I find it hard to find thorough info about banned books -- the extent of the ban, the reason for it, etc. 2w
26 likes3 comments
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ChaoticMissAdventures
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What a wild list. Mostly kids picture books. I hate book bans and nothing makes me race for a book fast than it getting on one of these lists. I think the most surprising one to see here is Where's Waldo?? What freaks.

Here are 3 I am adding to my TBR

Always Running - Rodriguez
Flowers for Algernon
Kaffir Boy

Anyone else notice the The New Joys of Sex is on the list 2x?

#tlt #threelistthursday
@dabbe

Luke-XVX I love Flowers For Algernon, one of my most reread books 2w
dabbe Ooh, if it\'s on the list twice, that\'s my bad! I\'ll go in an fix it. Thanks for the heads up! And thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
22 likes2 comments
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peaKnit
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#tlt @dabbe
Thank you for the tag! Evidently I need to read more banned books. Thank gosh for Judy Blume and Stephen King for padding my numbers. This was kind of shocking/ridiculous…Skippyjon Jones? Sad what “experts” find offensive. I let my kids read everything and anything, and my mom did the same, it‘s a big world out there - let them be prepared to discuss all the things. 🤯📚

dabbe 🎯! Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
26 likes1 comment
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Amiable
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I‘ve read 22% of the books on this list (that I can remember, anyway—it‘s been a long time since I was reading children‘s books). Three that I was surprised to find on a banned list were:
1. Friday Night Lights (it‘s about … football?)
2. A Light in the Attic (it‘s… a cartoon?)
3. My Brother Sam is Dead (is the Revolutionary War a forbidden topic now?)

Link to the survey is on @dabbe ‘s page

@dabbe
#TLT
#ThreeListThursday

dabbe From what I could gather, #1 has race/racism issues in it. #2 was banned in a Florida school for promoting disobedience and violence in children. #3 dares to portray an unpopular view of the patriotism in America. To all of those, I just do this: 😳. Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
44 likes1 comment
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Read4life
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#TLT @dabbe

119 (56%) Some of my favorites are shown.

Infuriating, disturbing and heartbreaking to see all of those amazing books banned.

dabbe 🎯! Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
48 likes1 comment
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dabbe
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#TLT #ThreeListThursday @dabbe

In honor of this week's BANNED BOOKS WEEK, this survey includes the American Library Association's Most Frequently Challenged Books from 1990-2020.
1. Take the survey at https://shorturl.at/EHil3.
2. Share your score if you want.
3. Share 3 favorites or books you're surprised were/were not on the list.

Interesting list: When you have LOLITA and JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH on the same list, well, what can one say? 😂

Jari-chan Where\'s Waldo - really?! 2w
Ruthiella 24% only! I guess I have some reading to do. 2w
Ruthiella @Jari-chan I looked it up. Apparently there‘s a picture of woman‘s bared breast in one of the books. 2w
See All 37 Comments
Jari-chan @Ruthiella Someone has been doing a lot of intense searching... 😅 🙃 2w
AnnCrystal Thanks for the tag 📚😳😎👍💝. 2w
bthegood 11% -haven\'t read many banned books. I love that banned books leads to reading the books for many people - I\'m sure there are teens in households saying \“I\'ll read what I want to read\“ - make a great day!! 2w
The_Penniless_Author Thanks for the tag! ❤️ 2w
CogsOfEncouragement I‘ve read 33 (16%) of these. 2w
Eggs 🩵❤️💙 2w
catiewithac I only read 28 😮 2w
BkClubCare I got 65 and I‘ve already lost which titles would be faves or surprises! 2w
Lynnsoprano I thought, oh, I‘ll only have one or two, and ended up with 21. But really: Year of Wonders?? That was a shock. I once got into a heated argument about the Harry Potter books with the mom of a kid in my children‘s choir, and she pulled the kid because I wouldn‘t agree that the books were satanic 😠 2w
Monica5 I've read 34 of the 211 books. I was shocked by some of the books on the list. The Holy Bible. No way it should be banned. Then there are books that were required reading when I was in school. 1984, Adventures of Tom Sawyer, John Steinback books. Crazy! Who comes up with these list. Obviously, they aren't readers that care what one good learn. I gifted my nephew some of those when he was little. 2w
dabbe @Jari-chan IKR? 😳 2w
dabbe @Ruthiella Me, too! I\'m scared to take it! 😂 Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
dabbe @AnnCrystal YW! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
dabbe @bthegood And to some teens, the idea of banning a book only makes them want to read it more! Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
dabbe @The_Penniless_Author YW! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
dabbe @CogsOfEncouragement Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
dabbe @Eggs 🧡🍁🧡 2w
dabbe @catiewithac Quite a few are YA or even younger books that came out after we were past our teen years. I think my score will be low, and I was an English teacher! 😂 Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
dabbe @BkClubCare No worries! Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
dabbe @Lynnsoprano I would say \“You\'ve got to be kidding,\“ but after what I\'ve seen these past few years in my district and pretty much across the country, nothing surprises me anymore. I bet she didn\'t even read ONE of the books. 🙄 Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
dabbe @Monica5 This list was created based on information given to the ALA by libraries and schools across the country. Shocking, isn\'t it? Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🍁🧡 2w
kspenmoll I have read 71 of these banned books! 2w
dabbe @kspenmoll #yahooyou! Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🤎💛 2w
rwmg 12% - a lot of books there I\'ve never heard of 2w
dabbe @rwmg Same here! Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🤎💛 2w
tpixie @dabbe thanks for the tag! I hope to have time to look at it soon! 2w
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Only 16 books (8%). If you consider the HP entry is really 7 books and, though I didn't read ALL of the Gossip Girl books, they add a few more to my tally. I have some on my TBR and it's possible I read a couple of the Judy Blume books as a kid and just don't remember. I am fortunate that I want really censored as a child. I was reading Seventeen & Cosmo magazines at an early age, so they clearly didn't give fig if I read anything else. 2w
dabbe @tpixie No worries! 🧡🤎💛 2w
dabbe @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Yay for your parents! Thanks for playing and sharing, too! 🧡🤎💛 2w
Bklover Sorry I‘m late! Thanks for the tag- I‘ve read 37. Thanks @Ruthiella for the explanation of Where‘s Waldo!! 1w
dabbe @Bklover That\'s quite a bit! Thanks for playing and sharing! 🧡🤎💛 1w
Bklover It‘s only quite a few because I‘ve been alive a long time!! 1w
60 likes37 comments
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Soscha
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Fable now has a Banned Books club, one per month, should anyone be interested.

Current book is “Go Tell It on the Mountain” by James Baldwin.

Link: https://fable.co/club/authors-guild-banned-books-club-with-jason-boog-3791040640...

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DGRachel
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It‘s Banned Books Week! I nearly forgot about it and my reading schedule is packed right now with library books that have long hold lines so my checkout time can‘t be renewed, so I tossed together this TBR for the week of mostly short reads. All of these books are on the Top 100 Most Challenged books from 2010-2019 from ala.org.

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dabbe
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#AboutABook
#Controversisal
@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

This topic 🔥 “in me brain“ (EA Poe). Center: a copy of the shirt I proudly wore (now passed on to a younger teacher) every single day I introduced a banned book to my students. All of the books above I have proudly and unreservedly taught to my 7th, 8th, 9th, and 11th graders. In 2023, the # of banned books has ⬆️ by 65% from 2022. Visit the ALA if you want to get involved. 👊

Sleepswithbooks They are beautiful 📚 2mo
dabbe @Sleepswithbooks 🎯. 🩶🖤🩶 2mo
Bookwomble You're a champion 🏆♥️😊 Also, the irony of banning Fahrenheit 451! 🤦‍♂️ 2mo
See All 18 Comments
lil1inblue I'm so thankful that teachers like you are out there! And I'm thankful that so many of the teachers I had were the same way. 💗 💗 💗 2mo
dabbe @Bookwomble IKR? #oytotheultimatevey 🩶🖤🩶 2mo
dabbe @lil1inblue 🩶🖤🩶 2mo
Leftcoastzen Wonderful post ! ❤️✊ 2mo
AnnCrystal 👏😎👍📚💝. 2mo
dabbe @Leftcoastzen 🩶🖤🩶 2mo
dabbe @AnnCrystal 🩶🖤🩶 2mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 👍🏻📚👏🏻 2mo
Eggs All important books 🙌🏻🙌🏻 2mo
dabbe @Eggs I do miss teaching literature. 🩶🖤🩶 2mo
Eggs @dabbe 😢📚 2mo
dabbe @Eggs 😘 2mo
danx Crazy to me that any of these could be banned! USA is a strange place. 1mo
dabbe @danx There are definitely some crazies here. 😀 1mo
69 likes18 comments
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Tamra
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Proposed bill in MN to ban banning books in schools & public libraries! I hope it passes! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/03/21/ban-on-book-bans-introduced-in-minnesot...

I‘ll be even prouder to live on a blue island in a sea of red.

JenP I‘m on school committee in my town (in a very blue state) and last week we got our first request to ban two middle school books. I never thought I would see that here. And I‘m only hoping it comes to our vote before I leave school committee so I can deny the request. My term is over in May (edited) 7mo
Tamra @JenP 🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾 7mo
KathyWheeler My guess is that the people requesting the bans haven‘t even read the books. 7mo
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Tamra @KathyWheeler nope. 🙄 7mo
dabbe Go, Minnesota! May the purple state of AZ follow your lead. 🤩🤩🤩 7mo
jlhammar Me too! I was very pleased to hear about this. 7mo
61 likes6 comments
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AllDebooks
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One of my all-time favourite books is on the banned books list. I'm really enjoying this Audible edition during #bannedbooksweek2023
I fully support #freedomtoread and endorse all endeavours to turn the tide on archaic censorship.

The whole point of writing and literature is to open our minds to new thoughts and experiences we might not ordinarily have access to. ⬇️

AllDebooks Whole worlds, characters, creatures, adventures, ideas and knowledge await the turn of a page. There is no such thing as a prescribed reading list. Each reader has the ability to read and understand text, forming their own opinions, contextualising and debating. All of this helps make us more compassionate, empathetic people. Reading feeds our very humanity, or it should.
The banned books in America makes me sick to my stomach. ⬇️
12mo
AllDebooks We need to fight this and stop the rot now. I think a child would be done more harm from elitist, narrow-minded, toxic views of what's 'normal', than they would reading a book that makes them think. See Alan Cummings video on how his book about his 2 dogs was banned because they have 2 Dads!!

Look to see how you can help and get involved.
https://bannedbooksweek.org/
https://pen.org/banned-book-week-action/

12mo
34 likes3 comments
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TheBookgeekFrau
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So excited my library is doing this 😁 So bummed you have to be between 12-18 yrs to participate 😕

MommyWantsToReadHerBook Lol at your second sentence 13mo
32 likes1 comment
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Amiable
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She has a point.

AmyG Ha! 1y
dabbe 🤣🤣🤣 1y
61 likes2 comments
review
OriginalCyn620
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Pickpick

Enjoyed this look into the world‘s most banned and challenged books. Very enlightening!

#bookspinbingo - free space

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 1y
37 likes1 stack add1 comment
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ncsufoxes
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This image is from Ohhappidani on IG. As she remarked this isn‘t even factoring in 2023. She also mentioned https://pen.org/issue/free-the-books/ working on their legal fight against banned books.

dabbe #headedforthedarkagesagain #keepfighting #banbanningbooks #bbb
I'm on a hashtag toll today. 🤣🤩🤗
1y
22 likes1 comment
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Chrissyreadit
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Meshell1313 🤣🤣🤣🤣👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 1y
TheBookgeekFrau 😂😂 1y
DGRachel I love this!!!! 1y
See All 15 Comments
ravenlee Hell yes! But I mean…that‘s just about all of us anymore, isn‘t it? 😆 1y
JenReadsAlot Hilarious 😂 1y
IndoorDame 👏👏👏👏👏👏 1y
dabbe #bravo 👏🤣🤩😍 1y
BookLove4Ever Not entirely accurate but still funny 😆 1y
Ruthiella 😂😂😂 1y
CoverToCoverGirl Excellent advise! 1y
Reggie Lololol 1y
bthegood I. LOVE. THIS. 🙂 1y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Hahahahahaha 1y
Bookzombie 😂 1y
80 likes15 comments
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bookishbitch
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New shirt. Who dis?

CBee 😍😍😍😍😍 2y
TheBookHippie 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 2y
AmyG Nice! 2y
19 likes3 comments
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Monica5
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Read whatever you like! Don't worry what others may think📚❤️📚

CoverToCoverGirl Exactly!!!💜 2y
18 likes1 comment
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

I think we all know that banning books is stupid, harmful, and narrow-minded. This little book looks back to the earliest written word up to today, looking at some notable banned books and why they‘ve been challenged. The only one I can actually see the reasoning behind is the one pictured, though I still don‘t advocate banning. Really interesting read.

Anna40 My sister teaches literature at uni and de Sade is one of her fields of research. 2y
Hooked_on_books @Anna40 Oh wow, I can‘t imagine that. I‘m just not sure why we need a book about a group of men holding children hostage so they can rape, torture and kill them. I know all his work is controversial and provocative, but I‘ve never read him. 2y
Anna40 Yes, I don‘t know why she‘s fascinated by that topic. 2y
50 likes3 comments
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britt_brooke
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My boys checking out the “banned” section at our local children‘s indie and not understanding what‘s wrong with people. Fortunately, they‘ve read many of these books as part of our elementary school‘s ELA curriculum (Wit & Wisdom). Sadly, the challengers are coming for our curriculum, too. 🤬

#raisingreaders #RightToRead

AlaMich I live in a blue city and I am a liberal. All the stories of book-banning lately fill me with rage. 2y
britt_brooke @AlaMich At the risk of sounding cheesy, there‘s a war on books in this country. It‘s awful. 2y
AlaMich Essentially, there is a war on not being ignorant. 2y
71 likes4 comments
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melissajayne
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Bookish gifts from my parents

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NotCool
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“An author‘s first duty is to let down his country” Brendan Behan

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MaggieCarr
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22/30 at Banned Books Trivia Night at the local pub. Hard questions, but oh so fun!

tokorowilliamwallace O.o Which beers did you all order? I miss trivia social events. 2y
MaggieCarr @tokorowilliamwallace normally I'm all for a good Belgian white but I've been on an Old Fashioned kick lately. BUT during trivia it's all about the ciders this time of year 🤤 they had the audacity to have upcoming taps listed so taking the hubby back soon for blackberry cider. I've never had it but it sounds divine! 2y
tokorowilliamwallace Not much a fan of ciders personally, besides both an Irish and a Scottish one. But glad you're taking a current mood interest in Old Fashions! Not too many varieties of Belgian whites apart from Blue Moon, sadly. I personally go for trying out new sours whenever there's taps for them (not many microbreweries and bars carry/serve them). But I also like to experiment and vary it up every time I go out. 2y
31 likes3 comments
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MaggieCarr
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Pickpick

Can't really rate this one. Just the perfect resource when looking for the jist of the most banned and challenged books. I did like the added content to each passage that references the most recent challenge sightings and why. The perfect book for cramming for Banned Books Week Trivia Night. May listen to it a few more times leading up to the competition 😆.