read a banned book for Banned Book Week (September 23–30)

I got 75% of the way through “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” (Maya Angelou) and couldn’t finish it. Nothing caught hold of me, in fact the whole rape/molestation scene made it harder to keep going and took any pleasure out of Angelou’s writing (very similar “voice” to Steinbeck).

“Slaughterhouse Five” and “A Wrinkle in Time” are still taunting me. Though I’ve read Wrinkle before and Slaughterhouse looks more enjoyable. Maybe I’ll get to them in my infinite spare time.

I bought this book for my daughter a while ago and realized I never actually read it cover-to-cover. (She’s a little young for it still, but it won’t be long now.) Very sweet and charming.

As part of Banned Books Week (http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm) I’ve decided to read (probably not all all in the week ;)

• Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0440180295)

• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0440498058)

• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553279378)

I’ll let you know how it goes!

From the ALA website:

• “It’s Perfectly Normal” for homosexuality, nudity, sex education, religious viewpoint, abortion and being unsuited to age group;
• “Forever” by Judy Blume for sexual content and offensive language;
• “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger for sexual content, offensive language and being unsuited to age group;
• “The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier for sexual content and offensive language;
• “Whale Talk” by Chris Crutcher for racism and offensive language;
• “Detour for Emmy” by Marilyn Reynolds for sexual content;
• “What My Mother Doesn’t Know” by Sonya Sones for sexual content and being unsuited to age group;
• Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey for anti-family content, being unsuited to age group and violence;
• “Crazy Lady!” by Jane Leslie Conly for offensive language; and
• “It’s So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families” by Robie H. Harris for sex education and sexual content.