Yet another week has gone by with no end in sight for the pandemic. Being able to distinguish weeks became a challenge months ago, so no surprises there. But the weather is getting colder and winter is coming (hopefully not Martin's winter - we had enough of that this year already). I used to love winter, I used to look forward to it. But for the past few years, it has tended to be a very gloomy season. I'm usually just looking forward to it ending. So, this year, it's going to be harder to get through the season, especially since we are all still mostly at home. Mind you, I don't mind the restrictions as they do have a useful purpose, but wish more people followed them well and that we had done a better job when the weather was warmer to keep the virus at bay so that it didn't have to last this long. But that argument probably won't stick anyways, as many countries are now facing second waves. At the end of the day, we really need a vaccine but I hope that isn…
...Any student found in possessionof the magazine The Quibbler will be expelled.
Next week is Banned Books Week. This is probably the first year in over four years that I don't have a plan to read any banned book. Not because I don't want to, but more because I haven't yet got the time to choose a read. Maybe by this weekend, I'll decide one, maybe I will just let this year go by and celebrate the week in spirit.
It's funny though, how, with the Banned Books week just around the corner, we already have a few parents clamoring to ban another popular book, Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park, and calling to discipline the librarians who chose that book. What??
I don't think I quite get the whole ban philosophy. I know I've said that repeatedly. I grew up reading whatever I wanted, even erotica, and I turned out fine, thankyouverymuch. It boggles my mind why people would want to ban books, rather than call for a discussion or fill one of those opt-out forms. According to me, banning books will do what banning The Quibbler did to Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter. All the kids are now for sure, going to want to read Eleanor and Park. They are going to be very curious about what the "dangerously obscene" thing is in the book. This incident brings to memory that whole ugly ban of Speak that happened a few years ago (that book was considered pornographic!).
The things some people say!
If I had a child, I would be more worried about the child reading Twilight, for its domination and subservience themes than something like Eleanor and Park.
I am going to start Eleanor and Park today. And I cannot wait. I've been looking forward to reading this one for so long.
Comments
And as you say, the whole theme and tone of a book is far more important than any isolated incidents of swearing etc.
I also admit I think Banned Books week is a bit of a misnomer and more of a marketing ploy. Books in the US aren't REALLY banned - they may not be in the school library, but they are pretty easy to find. But it's good to bring attention to incendiary novels, anyway!