The Things They Carried

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien is a compilation of short stories revolving around a platoon of soldiers during the Vietnam war. These short stories revolve around life before, after, and during the war; what these men carried, physically, mentally, emotionally, and invisibly.

This book was challenged and banned due to moments of profanity, which surprised me, because of how graphic parts of this book are. I am completely against censorship, but the reasoning to ban this novel seemed weird considering the other subject matter. I am not new to war stories or materials, but parts of this book did make me cringe. The raw truth that can only come from a soldier's mouth can sometimes be hard to take in. Being an avid lover of M*A*S*H and being the daughter of a history buff, I have had many a conversation and lesson of the personal experience of war, and every adaptation and different storyteller manages to teach something new. O'Brien did not fall short.

I loved these stories, I didn't always love the characters, but I think that O'Brien did a great job in bringing in his own voice and own renditions of the war to help the reader understand a little better what war is all about. This book reminds you that you can never understand, because even those in the trenches cannot fully understand it either.

I fully intend to read Tim O'Brien's other works, I appreciate his raw sincerity and ability to convey meaning in places that are usually foggy. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone, especially those who are trying to understand society as a whole, or who are struggling with dealing with realities of life.

Would you call this censorship?

A Canadian publisher has taken away Santa's pipe — and thus the smoke curling around his head — in a new version of an old favorite.  Twas the Night Before Christmas, illustrated by Elena Almazova and Vitaly Shvarov, was published in September and has already caused quite a ruckus.

"The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath."

While some complain that taking out a line that Clement Moore wrote a hundred years ago is censorship, the author wanted to help Santa kick his smoking habit.

"I'm not telling people not to read books, and anyone is free to go out and buy one of the many other editions of this book. But smoking is going to kill one billion people in this century, and that needs to be discussed."

On the other hand, the publisher easily found this in a child's email letter to Santa:

"I also want my Mom and Step Dad to stop smoking.  Pretty Please."

What do you think?  Read the article (or any of the many others online — just google "Santa smoking" to find them), and let's talk about this change in a classic book.  Is it censorship, or is it a good idea?

Censorship

On this second day of Banned Books Week, Jan @ Yearning for God wrote about censorship, refuting this quote by George Bernard Shaw:

Censorship

will Rage

until it reduces itself to

Absurdity;

and even then

the best books will be

in Danger still.

Jan took part in a Read-Out on Saturday.  She read from Shel Silverstein's challenged book, A Light in the Attic, and shared one of his whimsical illustrated poems on her blog.

The Bane of Banned Books

Bill Moyers, honorary co-chair of Banned Books Week, talks about how libraries provided his first opportunity to indulge his love of reading and learning.  He shares his dismay over efforts to remove books from schools and libraries in modern times in this video essay entitled, "The Bane of Banned Books."  (If the video quits working, click on the link to view it on YouTube.)

Banned Books Week ~ starts tomorrow!

"Many people are amazed to learn that books are still banned and challenged in libraries and schools across the United States of America.  Join us in spreading awareness about censorship by participating in the American Library Association's Banned Books Week 2012.  Banned Books Week runs September 30th through October 6th."

 This thought that flashed across the screen (at 0:44) is oh-so-true!

People ban books because

they can't ban thoughts.

If the video quits working, see it on YouTube here:  50 State Salute to Banned Books: Massachusetts Library Association.  Many thanks to A.M. for sharing this link.

Calling all bloggers!

Sheila @ Book Journey is "looking for bloggers to participate in Banned Books Week by choosing to read one or more of the Banned Books on the list or to write a post about banned books week.  All participants will go into a drawing for a $20 Amazon gift card as my thank you for participating in a week that is near and dear to me."

Here are the books Sheila has reviewed (so far) on this Banned Books blog:

• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian ~ by Sherman Alexie
• Are You There God?  It's Me, Margaret ~ by Judy Blume
• Beloved ~ by Toni Morrision
• The Face on the Milk Carton ~ by Caroline B. Cooney
• Fahrenheit 451 ~ by Ray Bradbury
• Freedom Writers Diary ~ by Erin Gruwell and her students
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ~ by J. K. Rowling
• Hunger Games ~ by Suzanne Collins
• To Kill a Mockingbird ~ by Harper Lee
• Mrs. Dalloway ~ by Virginia Woolf
• Night ~ by Eli Wiesel
• Speak ~ by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Speak (The Movie)

Sept 30—Oct 6 is Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week 2012
September 30 — October 6

I hope you'll have a book review or two
that we can post around that time.

Mapping censorship.
Resources.
ALA Banned Books Week.