# Banned Books Week is soon upon us! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 21, 2004, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260 "2004-09-21T03:53:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/1 "2004-09-21T03:53:59Z")
Dopers, This coming Saturday begins Banned Books week. Do join me in reading some banned books, contemplating censorship, and the like. [Here](http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm) is a list of the 100 most banned books of the 1990s to get you started. In this paragraph you can pretend that I’m saying something cogent and insightful concerning my opposition to censorship, by the way. (Where’s Waldo? is on this list. Yikes.) ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/2 "2004-09-21T04:01:41Z")
> [@andygirl](#): > > (Where’s Waldo? is on this list. Yikes.) Ayup. In the upper right of the beach scene (2nd part of the first book), you can see nipples. God forbid. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/3 "2004-09-21T04:07:44Z")
I wonder why Cujo is the most frequently banned Stephen King book? Dog lovers? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/4 "2004-09-21T04:14:12Z")
Banned where exactly? I went to a pretty liberal HS with the complete works of Judy Blume available but we didn’t have _The Joy of Gay Sex_ on the shelves either. That said, fascinating list. ---
**Author:** ![Atticus\_Finch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/5 "2004-09-21T05:40:24Z")
I can’t see the objections to many of these books, even when putting myself into the shoes of the most censorious reactionary. I mean, I know morons have a problem with Huck Finn using the n-word, but there’s books on there where I just can’t think of the potentially offensive content. It’s bizarre! Why the hell do people object to James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl (#56), more than they object to The Anarchist’s Cookbook (#57)? A kid who flies around inside a big peach versus bomb recipes! So help me out here. What the hell is wrong with these well-known childhood favourites: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle The Witches by Roald Dahl The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Brave New World by Aldous Huxley The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell …and of course, the classic To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee I’m seriously curious here. Where is the vaguely objectionable content in these? ---
**Author:** ![Atticus\_Finch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/6 "2004-09-21T05:42:43Z")
From another section of the OP’s link, I note the following objections: “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, for using offensive language. “Bridge to Terabithia” by Katherine Paterson, for offensive language and occult/satanism. Where is the offensive language in either? And where the hell is the Satanism? (unless my last sentence counts for both…) ---
**Author:** ![Shadez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Shadez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadez)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/7 "2004-09-21T05:50:10Z")
> [@Atticus Finch](#): > > So help me out here. What the hell is wrong with these well-known childhood favourites: > > The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood The Handmaid’s Tale is about a futuristic society, a feminist piece. The easiest way to explain it is the tension between the ideas _freedom to_ and _freedom from_. It is asserted that you realistically can’t have both. In our world, we have more _freedom to_, ie, freedom to be a prositute, freedom to be gay, freedom to wear makeup, freedom to dress how we please to a large extent, but we do NOT have freedom from rapists, murders, adultery, etc, as woman. In Atwood’s world, we lose the first freedom to gain the second (though there is still government controlled prostitution, etc). [Linkity-Link](http://www.bloodletters.com/banned/) (includes more than just Handmaid’s Tale) ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/8 "2004-09-21T05:57:20Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Ayup. In the upper right of the beach scene (2nd part of the first book), you can see nipples. God forbid. I’m not sure what’s more amazing, the fact that it is banned for this reason, or the fact that you knew that. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/9 "2004-09-21T06:04:24Z")
> [@Atticus Finch](#): > > So help me out here. What the hell is wrong with these well-known childhood favourites: I’m just guessing, here, but: _A Wrinkle in Time_ by Madeleine L’Engle - Magic and the occult. Aren’t the nice old women who take the protagonist dimension hopping called witches? _The Witches_ by Roald Dahl - M&O again. IIRC, there are also good witches in the story. _The Handmaid’s Tale_ by Margaret Atwood - This one is obvious: the book is about a Christian Fundamentalist coup in America, and why that would be a terrible thing. Plus, feminism. _Brave New World_ by Aldous Huxley - Drug use. _The House of Spirits_ by Isabel Allende - Never even read the book, but then, neither have most of the people who try to ban books. I’m guessing the word “spirits” in the title sets off the M&O alarms again. _Where’s Waldo?_ by Martin Hanford - Nudity, as explained by **ultrafilter**. No ideas about the rest. I suspect that there’s either a passing mention of sex, sexuality, drug abuse, or the supernatural that is not presented in a clearly negative light. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/10 "2004-09-21T06:17:51Z")
> [@Atticus Finch](#): > > Why the hell do people object to James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl (#56), more than they object to The Anarchist’s Cookbook (#57)? A kid who flies around inside a big peach versus bomb recipes! [According to the banned books project…](http://solonor.com/bannedbooks/archives/001776.html) > [@](#): > > Complaints: Language, drugs, inappropriate for age > Challenged at the Deep Creek Elementary School in Charlotte Harbor, Fla. (1991) because it is “not appropriate reading material for young children.” Challenged at the Pederson Elementary School in Altoona, Wis. (1991) and at the Morton Elementary School library in Brooksville, Fla. (1992) because the book contains the word “ass” and “promotes” the use of drugs (tobacco, snuff) and whiskey. Removed from classrooms in Stafford County, Va. Schools (1995) and placed in restricted access in the library because the story contains crude language and encourages children to disobey their parents and other adults. [spoiler]There were parents _around_ to disobey? Were there _adults_ around, for 70% of the story? And it’s been awhile since I’ve read it, but who wants to bet that “ass” was referring to a donkey?[/spoiler] Strangely, Mrs. Ladybug’s frequent use of the 12-letter-“M”-word seems to have gone unnoticed. That and the glowing appraisals of King Leopold’s work “civilising [sic] the hottentots.” 😃😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/11 "2004-09-21T06:22:10Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’m just guessing, here, but: > > _A Wrinkle in Time_ by Madeleine L’Engle - Magic and the occult. Aren’t the nice old women who take the protagonist dimension hopping called witches? On the nose. Also—and this is the part I like the best—once, someone objected to [“the book’s listing the name of Jesus Christ together with the names of great artists, philosophers, scientists, and religious leaders when referring to those who defend earth against evil.”](http://solonor.com/bannedbooks/archives/001742.html) It doesn’t say if the person objecting was some kind of atheist, or some kind of christian. I thought I remembered hearing the latter…no cite, though. ---
**Author:** ![Atticus\_Finch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/12 "2004-09-21T07:25:18Z")
Crazy stuff. Those bastard censors can have _To Kill A Mockingbird_ when they rip it out of my cold, dead hands! ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/13 "2004-09-21T10:34:05Z")
The Anastasia Krupnik series? It’s been a while since I’ve read them, but I remember them being slightly vapid novels about a brainy quirky kid. And what’s wrong with The View From the Cherry Tree? It’s a young adult thriller about a kid who witnesses a crime and no one will listen to him. I have a 13 year old son who doesn’t like to read, which almost breaks my heart, because it’s my favorite pastime. I hate to think what would happen if, by some miracle, he found a book that he loved, that he could really get into, that inspired the kind of wonder and joy and pleasure in him that a lot of the books listed have given to me, only to have some teacher or librarian or Public Minded Citizen inform him that that book was Bad and he couldn’t read it any more. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be responsible for my actions. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Lao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/14 "2004-09-21T12:14:54Z")
> [@Atticus Finch](#): > > Why the hell do people object to James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl (#56), more than they object to The Anarchist’s Cookbook (#57)? Probably because they have more opportunities to object. The list is based on the number of challenges. The book has to be in the library first before it can be challenged. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/15 "2004-09-21T12:45:09Z")
> [@Atticus Finch](#): > > I can’t see the objections to many of these books, even when putting myself into the shoes of the most censorious reactionary. I mean, I know morons have a problem with Huck Finn using the n-word, but there’s books on there where I just can’t think of the potentially offensive content. (snip) > > So help me out here. What the hell is wrong with these well-known childhood favourites: (snip) > …and of course, the classic To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee > > I’m seriously curious here. Where is the vaguely objectionable content in these? You don’t remember To Kill A Mockingbird? Shame on you! :eek: I’d reckon it’s on the list for copius use of the “n” word (or if you will, the “n bomb”). ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/16 "2004-09-21T13:11:21Z")
I made it a point to start requesting lots of banned children’s books at my library. The Alice books were leading the way on the list I read, and they are charming. I think they are banned because they mention breasts. ---
**Author:** ![six\_personalities](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@six\_personalities](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/six_personalities)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/17 "2004-09-21T13:18:54Z")
I delighted Birmingham Council(lovely lefties)by requesting Ten Little Niggers from their back stock.Threw their computer into a hissy fit.They asked if I wanted And There Were None instead.Nope I wanted the original.And got the ticket printing it out ;).I ordered two copies and didn’t collect one(it wasn’t the right version).FOr months after,I got pleasure out of the conversations ‘You realize you have an uncollected book?’ ‘Oh OK.Which one’s that?’ ‘The Agatha Christie one…er Ten Little…er…um’ 🙂 Ah the joy of small pleasures And is Where’s Waldo the same as Where’s Wally? I’m waiting for ‘Postman Pat and the Machete Incident’ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/18 "2004-09-21T13:30:29Z")
Wow. I can’t believe some of those. I understand why _The Joy of Gay Sex_ might not make it to most elementary school library shelves … but seriously! I read every one of those Judy Blumes during my young, impressionable phase. I think I may even be a better person for it. I read _Bridge to Terabithia_ as part of an advanced reading class in third or fourth grade, and it’s the first book I remember being truly moved by. I had never _cried_ over a book before, and I found myself bawling for hours. I don’t remember even the slightest reference to Satanism, but now I have to get all up in the establishment’s face and go out and buy a copy. Someday, I hope to have children, and I’m going to let them read whatever they want. 🙂 Sure, I read all the Nancy Drews in one summer and spent the autumn sleeping on the floor of my parents’ bedroom because I was afraid of crime (what crime, I can’t really remember), but I still love to read, and I hope my kids do, too. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/19 "2004-09-21T16:04:20Z")
> [@](#): > > A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle - Magic and the occult. Aren’t the nice old women who take the protagonist dimension hopping called witches? Actually, they’re supposed to be angels. Someone else objected to the character called the Happy Medium, because it seemed pro-occult. The character is a contextual pun- someone accuses the main character of not having ‘a happy medium’, and so later in the story she gets one. I believe that L’Engle wrote about the occult/medium/witches/Jesus situation in her book _The Rock That Is Higher: Story as Truth_. I’ll have a look for it later today. Bridge To Terabithia?? Blubber?! ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260/20 "2004-09-21T16:11:00Z")
> [@Lissla Lissar](#): > > Actually, they’re supposed to be angels. Actually (unless my memory is playing tricks on me), Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs. Which were all “fallen” stars, weren’t they? Zev Steinhardt [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banned-books-week-is-soon-upon-us/265260.md?page=2)