Banned books week is coming next month. Maybe it's a little early to start talking about it...or maybe we should be talking about it all the time? Anyway, I've compiled a list of my favorite banned books that I'm constantly recommending to readers:
1. To Kill A Mockingbird
This is my favorite non-horror novel. Part coming-of-age, part mystery, and part social commentary, this is a near perfect story. Banned for "immoral content" as well as language, this book tackles racism head-on - a bold and brave move in 1960.
2. Catcher In The Rye
Banned as recently as 1992, this novel is a timeless example of teenage confusion and rebellion. There is a Holden Caulfield in every high school in America.
3. Of Mice and Men
The tale of George and Lenny is as heartbreaking a story as anything you'll read. Banned for profanity and the "anti-business attitude" of the author, the story is one of hope, dreams, friendship, and mental illness.
4. The Scarlet Letter
The book was banned for the immoral actions of Hester Prynne. Her affair and having the love child, Pearl, out of wedlock earned her the scarlet "A" to be worn. Daring subject matter for the 1850s but a book that is widely studied for its literary merits.
5. The Crucible
Arthur Miller's screenplay about the Salem Witch Trials came at a time in America where tensions were high about Communism. Miller was blacklisted as a result, the "Red Scare." I guess the witch trials were a little too close to home for some folks back then.
6. Lord of the Flies
Banned for its violence and racial slurs, Lord of the Flies paved the way for such modern classics as The Hunger Games and The Long Walk. It's a fascinating look at the human reaction to crisis. Special YA Banned Books Feature: The Hate U Give
The Hate U Give was one of the top books in 2017/2018 that has been challenged and banned.
Go ahead, read that line again. The Hate U Give was one of the top books in 2017/2018 that has been challenged and banned.
In a nutshell, the book is about a young black male shot and killed at a routine traffic stop by a white male police officer. Sound familiar? It should, because you can read about it every week in the newspapers.
People who want to challenge or ban a book like this are the same people who turn a blind eye to racism. It saddens and angers me that this mindset still exists.
Everybody should read this book.