Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

by Judy Blume (Editor)

"What effect does [the climate of censorship] have on a writer? ... It's chilling. It's easy to become discouraged, to second-guess everything you write. There seemed to be no one to stand up to the censors ... so I began to speak out about my experiences. And once I did, I found that I wasn't as alone as I'd thought."
—from Judy Blume's introduction to Places I Never Meant to Be

Judy Blume is not alone: Many of today's most distinguished authors of books for young people have found their work censored or challenged. Eleven of them have contributed original stories to this collection. Along with a story written by the late Norma Klein when she was a student at Barnard College, they comprise a stunning literary achievement as well as a battle cry against censorship.

Contributors:
• David Klass
• Norma Klein
• Julius Lester
• Chris Lynch
• Harry Mazer
• Norma Fox Mazer
• Walter Dean Myers
• Katherine Paterson
• Susan Beth Pfeffer
• Rachel Vail
• Jacqueline Woodson
• Paul Zindel

Genres: Short Stories, Young Adult, Fiction, Anthologies, Writing, Teen, Books About Books

208 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1999

About the author

Judy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey, making up stories inside her head. She has spent her adult years in many places doing the same thing, only now she writes her stories down on paper. Adults as well as children will recognize such Blume titles as: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; Blubber; Just as Long as We're Together; and the five book series about the irrepressible Fudge. She has also written three novels for adults, Summer Sisters; Smart Women; and Wifey, all of them New York Times bestsellers. More than 80 million copies of her books have been sold, and her work has been translated into thirty-one languages. She receives thousands of letters a year from readers of all ages who share their feelings and concerns with her.
Judy received a B.S. in education from New York University in 1961, which named her a Distinguished Alumna in 1996, the same year the American Library Association honored her with the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement. Other recognitions include the Library of Congress Living Legends Award and the 2004 National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
She is the founder and trustee of The Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation. She serves on the boards of the Author's Guild; the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators; the Key West Literary Seminar; and the National Coalition Against Censorship.
Judy is a longtime advocate of intellectual freedom. Finding herself at the center of an organized book banning campaign in the 1980's she began to reach out to other writers, as well as teachers and librarians, who were under fire. Since then, she has worked tirelessly with the National Coalition Against Censorship to protect the freedom to read. She is the editor of Places I Never Meant To Be, Original Stories by Censored Writers.
Judy has completed a series of four chapter books -- The Pain & the Great One -- illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist James Stevenson. She has co-written and produced a film adaptation of her book Tiger Eyes, and is currently writing a new novel.
Judy and her husband George Cooper live on islands up and down the east coast. They have three grown children and one grandchild.

Reviews

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melinda Dye - Short Stories

From the introduction (by one of my favorite authors, Judy Blume) to the last punctuation mark, "Places Never Meant to Be" is a stunning collection of short stories from some of today's most highly regarded young adult authors. Walter Dean Myers writes about a Harlem youth who goes to college in rural Pennsylvania to get away from the dangers of the city; David Klass shares a tale of a verbally and mentally abusive baseball camp coach; Rachel Vail writes about a young couple losing their virginity; and many others by Norma Fox Mazer, Paul Zindel, Katherine Paterson, Jacqueline Woodson, and others. What do these authors have in common? They have all had works threatened by censorship. After each story, that author shares their experiences with censorship and how it affected them, and their writing.

As someone who is an avid reader, I have always been of the mind I will read what I want to read, and suffer the consequences. As an avid opponent to censorship, it boggles my mind that the writers featured in this book, recipients of awards and writers of some of the most compelling young adult fiction, could have been kept from the literary world by someone making that decision for someone else. I don't know where I would be if I hadn't met Judy Blume's Margaret of Sally J. Freedman. I respect people choosing to read what they want, but they cannot and will not make that decision for me.

[Janie Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

the story about the caterpillars is hecking disturbing but I'm glad I read this book because it made me think more deeply about censorship and I learned a lot. ver revelant, would love to discuss with whoever's down.

[Lexie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first picked this book up on a whim. I heard about it from another source a few years back and saw that it had several authors in it that I read as a child/middle schooler. At the time I had little experience with censorship or banned books (my school district, by in large, held an indifferent opinion towards the reading material of their students) so when I saw that Judy Blume had been censored several times I kind of stared in stupification. It's Judy Blume for crying out loud--she was almost as popular a choice for me as the Baby Sitter's Club books or the Boxcar Children. I never in my life thought she was inappropriate.

Apparently quite a few people did.

In her introduction to "Places I Never Meant To Be" (which you can read online here, at her webpage) she talks about a particular book that first her mother told her she couldn't read until she was older, and then a public librarian told her she couldn't read without permission from her parents. A Rage to Live by John O'Hara was the book. I never read it, but Blume explains that once she had read it far from being influenced by the going-ons of the characters in the book, she was interested in reading the rest of O'Hara's books.

The other contributors to the anthology don't express similar stories, but they do talk about when their books had been challenged, their feelings, how it influenced their writing or the fight that ensued. Their stories push the boundaries of what is considered 'age appropriate'. In "Spear" by Julius Lester, he tackles the issue of a mixed-race (potential) couple when both sides are racist and narrow-minded, in "Going Sentimental" Rachel Viehl paints an unfettered look at losing one's virginity, and in "You Come, too, A-ron" by Harry Mazer talks about Aaron and Kenny in the foster system.

These aren't stories filled with sex, drugs and (my favorite reason for censorship) disrespect for authorities and adults. They're real stories about real problems teenagers face. Some end well, others end sadly and a few end with a bittersweet wistfulness, but they don't try to sugar coat reality. And maybe that's why parents and teachers censor or ban their books. Keep the real world from intruding. They can't change reality, but they can keep it from touching the children as long as possible.

Not all the stories were to my liking. Katherine Paterson's story "The Red Dragonfly" seemed disjointed to me and too subtle (and I credit her book, Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom, as first getting me interested in asian history) for me to understand. And other authors I had never read before (oddly Norma Fox Mazer and Walter Dean Meyers, though I remember their books on my shelves).

I don't read genre fiction as a rule (reality depresses me), but I don't think that I am meant to 'enjoy' the book. Not in the same way that I enjoy Brandon Sanderson's epic fantasies or Georgette Heyer's historical romances at least. This anthology was thought-provoking and interesting, something I recommend if you want stories to discuss and reflect on.

[Dee · Rating 2 out of 5]

was really looking forward to it, but the stories were a bit of a let down - most of them seemed incomplete and needing something. the best part was the reflections by each author at the end of each story about their experiences with censorship

[Allison Renner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m sad this book is still relevant. Let people read what they want to read. That said, I liked reading a bunch of different YA stories in one collection, and the essays authors shared about censorship and why they write were powerful.

[Aj Sterkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Places I Never Meant To Be is a collection of young adult short stories and essays that contain material that is often banned by schools and libraries. The stories deal with issues surrounding love, race, class, sex/sexuality, illness/dying, abuse, bullying, homelessness, and moral dilemmas. All of the stories are tastefully done. The authors aren’t pushing boundaries just for the sake of pushing boundaries. Even the fantastical stories deal with issues that real teens face.

The anthology also contains personal essays about how censorship and book banning has impacted each author’s life and work. Some of these essays are crazy. I didn’t know that people went to such extremes to get books banned. There are a few essays that I like more than the stories because they are so eye-opening.

Most of the stories in this book are pretty average. The anthology was published in 1999, and the stories are showing their age. Many of them feel dated. However, there are a few that I love:

In “Spear” by Julius Lester, the son of a famous black leader falls in love with a white girl. The two main characters in this story are very well-developed. Both of their families are pressuring them to be something they’re not, and I felt bad for them.

Paul Zindel’s “Love and Centipedes” is a horror story about a girl who uses centipedes to get revenge on a bully. I love horror, so of course I’d like this one. The characters are quirky, and the writing is attention-grabbing.

In Rachel Vail’s “Going Sentimental,” a teenage couple discovers that losing their virginity isn’t as dramatic as they expected. This is my favorite story in the anthology. It points out how our sex-obsessed culture can sometimes give teens unrealistic expectations. It’s also hilarious.

“Lie, No Lie,” by Chris Lynch is about a practical joke that turns out to be very unfunny. Reading this story made me uncomfortable (in a good way). I’m not sure how I should feel about the ending.

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I’m not a huge fan of Judy Blume’s introduction to this book. She does tell some interesting stories about how censorship has influenced her work, but the introduction feels a little long-winded and preachy to me. I totally agree with what she says, but reading it reminded me of those really long charity commercials that try way too hard to make you feel guilt and outrage.

Overall, this is an okay anthology. I enjoyed it. It’s a quick read. Most of the stories are short and entertaining. Some of them will make you uncomfortable, and some of them will make you think, and you’ll learn a little about censorship in the process.

[Polly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Places I never meant to be, contains a collection of censorable short stories from different authors but edited by Judy Blume. The short stories are all very touching, close to reality and all of them will leave the readers with a memorable lesson, sadness or realization. I love the style of most of the author because I can easily engage in the stories and I can feel the characters from the beginning to the end. Also after each stories you will realize an obvious but deep moral in life.
For example in the short story “meeting the mugger” by Norma fox mazer, Norma got robbed and the thief cut her back and took her jacket. Her mother have always been telling her, the life experience of herself so Norma woundlt make the same mistake as she did but teenage always seem to repel their parents. After the rob, they finally calmly sit together and talk and Norma enjoy it. After Norma’s mother died, Norma found out that her mother have cancers everywhere and she realized her mom worked through out her life and all she wanted Norma to be safe.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Across 4 years of handwritten high school reading lists, this is one of only two books I ever gave 0 stars. I didn't even consider zeroes to be valid ratings, but that is how much I hated this. My takeaway was basically, "So you're a banned author? If this is what you're like, then good riddance."

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of short stories about real teanagers with real issues.

[Sumi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should not have read the Paul Zindel story. It upset me too much - let that be a lesson to me to tread lightly where he is concerned.

[Kate Stango · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty unique piece of literature: a collection of short stories written by writers who have had their previous work censored, and this work contains not only the stories, but also notes from each author on why they believe censorship of literature is wrong and unnecessary. When I first picked up the book, I was skeptical of the message, typically because when I hear people saying they don't like being censored, I usually assume there's a good reason for that censorship, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. Usually when people complain about being censored, it goes hand in hand with complaints about "PC culture" and the like. However, this work was compiled over 20 years ago, the the works being censored were all regarding difficult topics in schools, like drugs, alcohol, or sex. This collection of stories contained all those topics and more, but it was definitely geared at a high school aged audience. I think it is important for young adults to be exposed to these kinds of topics, but ultimately a lot has changed in the past 20 years, and some of these stories were more relatable and topical than others. It was also challenging to shift gears between writing styles, as all the stories were by different authors and required my attention in different ways. There were one or two stories that I found particularly upsetting, and I wasn't sure I necessarily understood the point. Maybe I'm just not skilled at that type of analysis, but if these stories were written to protest censorship in schools, I don't think the average high schooler would've understood them either. Overall, I would say I enjoyed the majority of the works, but I'm not sure if this collection holds up over time.

[Jim Woolwine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me in a different direction. It is a collection of short stories by authors whose works primarily directed at middle and high school age audiences have been censored. Censored either by a publisher, a purchasing agent, school district or library, parents, the public or self-censored.

The authors convey that real or perceived censorship has a claustrophobic effect on their artistic creation and expression. The result is real: books don't sell and authors aren't paid for their work.

The stories in the anthology, if representative of works that were censored, were solidly tame. Sexual attraction - both same and opposite sex, first sexual experience, homosexuality, depression, the "in crowd" vs. the "in crowd" wannabes. All the social conflict, tensions, and angst that goes with growing up. I think these stories and similar ones would be validating for teenagers.

The anthology was assembled in 2001. I hope that censorship of young adult literature is on the wain if not entirely of the past.

[Chloe Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read all the short stories in this book and truly have no idea why these authors were banned. There’s nothing offensive, there’s no foul language, the stories are sweet and very real. They talk about having sex or sexuality in general but it’s part of life and part of growing up.

There certainly was nothing explicit! I’m not sure if these short stories were merely samples of the authors’ works, or if they were banned themselves.

Nonetheless, they were beautifully written and Judy Blume has been my favorite YA author since I was about seven.

I hope people will eventually become more accepting and open minded because censorship deprives kids of creativity. If we take away all the interesting parts that are considered “bad” then we are left with one thing: boring books that no one will want to read.

[Branden Markevich · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick easy ready that includes short stories that would otherwise be examples of censored writing, glad I picked this up because there is a few stories in this book that really caught my interest. A few of the other stories did not. However it’s insane to think how many of these authors could have been or have been stunted just by angry butthurt parents that are ashamed to talk about basic issues like sex, masturbation and menstruation. Authors try to open the door to these issues and allow parents to talk openly with their children, but instead are shunned and forced to rewrite their work or it will not be seen by readers. A lot of great books have gone wayward because people like to make a fuss about nothing

[Karen Eichler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great short stories plus fascinating reflections on censorship in the United States. Though this book was published in 1999, don't think for one moment that it isn't still important today, and maybe even MORE important. If you're of a certain age (like me!) and remember Judy Blume as THE author you read for honesty about life, then you'll recognize the other authors in this book, too. Aside from just enjoying these dramatic short stories, you should read it just to remember how important these authors were for you "back in the day". Never forget that censorship is real and dangerous.

[Danielle Routh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating story collections is always tough. My favorite was definitely "Love and Centipedes" by Paul Zindel, and I enjoyed "Spear" by Julius Lester and "You Come, Too, A-Ron" by Harry Mazer. The real strength of this book is the reflections from each author on censorship and how it has affected their writing and publication; twenty years later, I think we've made some progress considering what publishing houses will put out (and independent publishing is more prevalent), but education systems are still banning the same old books.

[Olive · Rating 1 out of 5]

Words cannot express how much I hate this book. I will never not think about the flagrant, vile animal abuse that Paul Zindel (for some reason) decided to sandwich into his mediocre story, and for that alone it gets one star. I read this book at 15, and ten years later I’ve only just started reading again after being subjected to this absolute train wreck disaster of an allegedly important anthology. Farewell, Love and Centipedes, may you ever rot in the bottom of my paper shredder.

[Paige Zalewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely love the concept of this collection & the advocacy on behalf of preventing censorship (also, who doesn’t love Judy Bloom?)

As with any anthology, there are some stellar stories that stick out above all the rest. For me, that was “July Saturday,” “The Beast Is in the Labyrinth,” & “Ashes.” I enjoyed their writing a lot, and also enjoyed all the authors’ personal stories about how censorship has affected them & their writing journey.

[Brynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology was pretty good. I enjoyed that it did not have a true theme and it was a bunch of fairly random stories all put together to promote the abolition of censorship. Overall a cool read. Some of the stories were rather weird though.

[Cathy Farrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with any short story collection, there were some I liked & some I didn't.
Regardless of whether their stories were to my taste, I found the short (1-2 page) essays that followed each author's story, with their thoughts on censorship, to be more compelling.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several different voices throughout the different stories. I especially enjoyed the author's note regarding their views about their story and/or censorship.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent collection of short stories by authors whose books have been banned/censored. Interesting to read their opinions on censorship and how it feels as an author. Mature content.

[Isabel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely love the theme of fighting back against censorship but most of the stories were sort of dull.

[Wendopolis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello, old friends.

[Jill Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the intro by Blume the best--will use in future YAL classes.

[Dakota Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great collection! Reminded me I should read more short stories. Highly recommend.

[Jennifer Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So important to hear what these talented, award winning authors have to say about censorship!!

[Noah Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because In this book the author inputed his opinion a lot and said what was on his mind even if people don't like it. He states that it is stupid that people want to ban books because they think that thir kids will do it if they read it. Which honestly I agree with the author our parents should give us more credit then that. This books has many different stories in the book. Different authors are explaning what there banned books are about, and why parents wanted them banned. They feel that none of there books should have been banned because none of them were that bad. And the authors just share there stories. I liked how there were many different points of veiw as to why books were banned and why they were mad about it. this author have written many different books but none of them are like this one this one is kinda dark unlike the other ones. There were not really characters in this book there were just different authors telling there stories. I think this bok is very well writen because I like the transition from author to author. It was a little bit different then what I expected because I knew this book would be about censorship but I did not know it would be stories by many different authors. I would recommend this book If you have a opinion about censorship. This book is written by Judy Blume. This is not her first book.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book, especially considering the current climate on book banning. Some good stories, a few ok and one what-did-I-just-read story.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gotta admit this book was a bit of a dissapointment. I opened it with quite a few expectations, since the topic of being challenged and censored and doing something against it seemed amazing to me and so thought the stories would be. Nothing farthest from reality: only a few ones are good, some are lame and almost the majority of them look really, really interesting and awesome from the beginning but then start to lose it towards the end, when the end isn't completely purposeless and pointless.

So my fave was "Going Sentimental" by Rachel Vail (also one of my favourite young adult authors), I liked the way she tackled the topic, and the ending was totally unexpected and made me smile; "You come too, A-ron" wasn't as bad as it looked, though it was a bit predictable; "July Saturday" and "Something which is non-existent" looked really, really good but turned out to be pretty dissapointing; "Ashes" and "Meeting the Mugger" were a bit predictable, but not bad; I didn't understand anything of what was going on in "Lie, no lie" and "The Beast Is in the Labyrinth" looked also a lot better than then was, same as "The Red Dragonfly", whose ending was stupid, and definitely "Love and Centipedes" turned out to be so much weird and violent than it required, totally deviating from the initial topic. Oh, and "Spear" was good so far. Nor so good as I expected at the beginning, but pretty good anyway.

So, yeah, maybe I got too high expectations on this, partly because the topic interested me quite a lot, and partly because I love short stories books. But anyway, I liked to find out more about the topic and read the essays from the authors at the end of every story was interesting as well.