Sacramento Public Library discussion

Last year our science fiction book club at McKinley read "Fahrenheit 451", which depicts a society in which books are not only banned but burned--along with the homes where they are found and sometimes the people who own those books. Ironically, "Fahrenheit 451" has been challenged several times, most recently in Texas in 2006 by parents who objected to the mention of the Bible being burned. What the parents failed to grasp was that burning the Bible was to demonstrate just how far the fictional society in the book had fallen.

Speaking of challenged graphic novels: the College of Charleston in South Carolina was threatened with budget cuts for including Alison Bechdel's Fun Home (our example book from July's Graphic Novel challenge) on a voluntary reading list last fall.

Proscription or prescription?

When I was in high school in the late 60's, if the teachers caught you with a copy of Catcher in the Rye, they confiscated it. Imagine my surprise (and delight) when my daughter, who graduated from Bella Vista in 2005, came home and said it was assigned reading.

I wonder which method is more effective at getting kids to read it? Proscription or prescription?

I am that renegade parent who not only seeks out banned books but encourages my kids to read them too! They just shake their heads at me.....but sometimes read the books. Recent ones include Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park and Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Story of a Part Time Indian. I'll have to go track down some new ones to read this month! What a fun theme!

Here's one that puzzles me. The Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park is #71 on the ALA's top 100 banned/challenged books for 2000-2009...

John wrote: "Here's one that puzzles me. The Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park is #71 on the ALA's top 100 banned/challenged books for 2000-2009..."

I believe the main challenge to that series involves, oddly, grammar. Junie doesn't always use the proper form of words and some object saying it sets a bad example along with her back talking and trouble making. Me, I think it is true to life and it makes for a fantastic teachable moment if you discuss it together.

Chip mentioned proscription vs prescription. I know I am always intrigued when I hear a book is controversial or banned. The last book I picked up for that reason was a classic, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte. It proved to be quite a fascinating read. I am always proud when I walk by a display of banned books and realize I have read most of them! I am going to have to search one out that I haven't read yet for this challenge. Can't wait!

not so good so far. I have a copy of Catcher in the Rye and am planning to get that read (finally) once my son can dig it out of his room.

I went through the list to see about pulling a few more to read this month. I have read a whole lot more banned books than I thought!

My wife Linda and I recently saw Roman Polanski's film adaptation of David Ives' stage adaptation of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's Venus in Furs at the Sacramento French Film Festival. (Terrific film by the way.) The book has been on my wishlist for decades, so that's going to be my banned book for this challenge. :-)

(I downloaded a free epub from Project Gutenberg, if anyone is interested.)

If you like dystopian novels, then try the grand daddy of them all - We. It was banned in the USSR until the start of its collapse in the late 80's. I have read so many of the books on several banned lists that I am not sure I will find one to read this month.

Finished Catcher in the Rye. I can see why it was banned, though I will never include it in a "favorites" list.

Hi Susan - just curious, what are your perceptions on why the book was banned?"

alcohol use, profanity, sex, violence, homosexual overtures. I imagine these things would have caused some people concern.

is that a theme hint Chelsea??

I am squeezing in a few more this month (or at least they are in the pile to read)! Almost halfway through The Lovely Bones. Reading it reiterates why I dislike reading books after I have seen the movie. I can't enjoy the progression of the storyline.

I am also hoping to read Flowers for Algernon this week, even if I step a bit into October.

I began and finished The Giver Quartet this month. Since they would have been banned in the Community does that count? lol