Banned Books Week

This week was Banned Books week. I'm finally getting around to writing, as things have just been really hectic lately.

I picked up The Chocolate War from the library, and I'm hoping to crack it open tonight.

I also wanted to post this list:

The 10 most challenged books of 2007 reflect a range of themes, and are:

And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group
The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence
Olive’s Ocean, by Kevin Henkes
Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language
The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman
Reasons: Religious Viewpoint
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
Reasons: Racism
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,
TTYL, by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
Reasons: Sexually Explicit
It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit
The Perks of Being A Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

Books have always been an important part of my life. Wherever I have lived, I have frequented my local library, and those of you that know me, know my love of bookstores (and bringing home something from there...)

This is also an interesting source - it gives a list of challenged novels in the 20th century, and talks about where they were challenged and why they were challenged. I have to say, I don't necessarily agree with everything that every book has written in it, but I think to challenge any book and not allow it to be accessible to the public is a great travesty. People should be able to read what they want, and make up their minds as to what is appropriate for their own family. Parents should be involved and read along with their children.

Many books were written in different times, and context must be taken into account, such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Only by opening our minds to different viewpoints can we truly understand our world.

New Classics Challenge Update

I'm actually making progress on this challenge. List is below:

1. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (finished)
2. Naked by David Sedaris (finished)
3. Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch
4. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (reading now)
5. Holes by Louis Sachar
6. Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInery
7. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown (that's right, I'm one of the 3 people who hasn't read this book!)

Animal Challenge Update...

1. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (finished)
2. Tell Me Where it Hurts by Nick Trout (finished)
3. Eldest by Christopher Paolini
4. Brisingr by Christopher Paolini (when it comes out in September!)
5. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (finished)
6. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
7. The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst
8. Winne the Pooh by A.A. Milne

Not too shabby...

'Cause I just can't stop reading...

I'm entering another challenge. Those of you who know me, know I LOVE dogs. So, this is a perfect challenge. My list will be coming soon...

What an Animal!

The rules are simple:
1. Read at least 6 books that have any of these requirements:
a. an animal in the title of the book
b. an animal on the cover of the book
c. an animal that plays a major role in the book
d. a main character that is or turns into an animal (define that however you'd like ;>)).

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragons, mermaids, centaurs, fairies, vampires...you get the idea...

3. Challenge runs from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. You can still sign up after July 1st as long as you can get 6 books read by June 30th ;>).

4. Books can be fiction or nonfiction.

5. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or just list them as you find them.

6. Books may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with).

7. Crossover books with other challenges is permitted and encouraged.

8. You don't have to blog or write a review, but you can if you want to.

9. Sign up with Mr. Linky below. Please sign up with the specific post announcing the challenge if you are a blogger. If you do not blog, sign up with your name and leave the URL field blank. Thanks!

10. Have fun!!

July Book Blowout Wrap-Up

Just a few comments on the July Book Blowout - which was fun!



I read a total of 6 1/2 books during the month.

The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory (only counts for 1/2, since I started in March)

Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

American Nerd by Benjamin Nugent

There were actually two books that I loved - The Art of Racing in the Rain and The Handmaid's Tale (which I also read for the New Classics Challenge). This was a good month for me to do this challenge, because I was just really in the mood to read. Though, I'm sure August won't be much different!

Book Challenge Updates

I'm currently participating in two book challenges. I'll start with the July Book Blowout!

The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk
The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory (only counts for 1/2, since I started in March)
Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

So, now we're up to 5 1/2 books for the month of July.

I read The Handmaid's Tale as part of the New Classics Challenge.

Set in the future, The Handmaid's Tale is the story of the republic of Gilead, as told by the handmaid, Offred. Gilead is what used to be the United States, before taken over by people whose idea of utopia is that people dress in different clothes to show who they are, commanders have handmaid's to procreate with, and people are put on the Wall when they are salvaged for their beliefs.

Offred tells her story of the time before Gilead, her time in her commander's house, her unusual relationship with him, and her memories of her loved ones. It was very scary to think this is something that could happen. Not everyone's idea of utopia is the same, and I can't fathom being told to live by someone else's rules.

I recommend this book to everyone - it was a great read, and Atwood is at her best in writing this book.

July Book Blowout - UPDATE

I'm up to 4 1/2 books now.

The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk
The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory (only counts for 1/2, since I started in March)
Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers

And another book challenge...

Hm. Hurrah for Entertainment Weekly and their new classics book list!

Joanna at Lost in a Good Story has posted a challenge regarding the 100 new classics list. Bolded titles, I have already read. Italicized titles are ones I will plan to read during the challenge.

Look for reviews, coming soon!

1. The Road , Cormac McCarthy (2006)
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling (2000)
3. Beloved, Toni Morrison (1987)
4. The Liars' Club, Mary Karr (1995)
5. American Pastoral, Philip Roth (1997)
6. Mystic River, Dennis Lehane (2001)
7. Maus, Art Spiegelman (1986/1991)
8. Selected Stories, Alice Munro (1996)
9. Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier (1997)
10. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami (1997)
11. Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer (1997)
12. Blindness, José Saramago (1998)
13. Watchmen, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (1986-87)
14. Black Water, Joyce Carol Oates (1992)
15. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Dave Eggers (2000)
16. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood (1986)
17. Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez (1988)
18. Rabbit at Rest, John Updike (1990)
19. On Beauty, Zadie Smith (2005)
20. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding (1998)
21. On Writing, Stephen King (2000)
22. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Díaz (2007)
23. The Ghost Road, Pat Barker (1996)
24. Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry (1985)
25. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan (1989)
26. Neuromancer, William Gibson (1984)
27. Possession, A.S. Byatt (1990)
28. Naked, David Sedaris (1997)
29. Bel Canto, Anne Patchett (2001)
30. Case Histories, Kate Atkinson (2004)
31. The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien (1990)
32. Parting the Waters, Taylor Branch (1988)
33. The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion (2005)
34. The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold (2002)
35. The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst (2004)
36. Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt (1996)
37. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi (2003)
38. Birds of America, Lorrie Moore (1998)
39. Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri (2000)
40. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman (1995-2000)
41. The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros (1984)
42. LaBrava, Elmore Leonard (1983)
43. Borrowed Time, Paul Monette (1988)
44. Praying for Sheetrock, Melissa Fay Greene (1991)
45. Eva Luna, Isabel Allende (1988)
46. Sandman, Neil Gaiman (1988-1996)
47. World's Fair, E.L. Doctorow (1985)
48. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
49. Clockers, Richard Price (1992)
50. The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen (2001)
51. The Journalist and the Murderer, Janet Malcom (1990)
52. Waiting to Exhale, Terry McMillan (1992)
53. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon (2000)
54. Jimmy Corrigan, Chris Ware (2000)
55. The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls (2006)
56. The Night Manager, John le Carré (1993)
57. The Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe (1987)
58. Drop City, TC Boyle (2003)
59. Krik? Krak! Edwidge Danticat (1995)
60. Nickel & Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich (2001)
61. Money, Martin Amis (1985)
62. Last Train To Memphis, Peter Guralnick (1994)
63. Pastoralia, George Saunders (2000)
64. Underworld, Don DeLillo (1997)
65. The Giver, Lois Lowry (1993)
66. A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, David Foster Wallace (1997)
67. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini (2003)
68. Fun Home, Alison Bechdel (2006)
69. Secret History, Donna Tartt (1992)
70. Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell (2004)
71. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Ann Fadiman (1997)
72. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon (2003)
73. A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving (1989)
74. Friday Night Lights, H.G. Bissinger (1990)
75. Cathedral, Raymond Carver (1983)
76. A Sight for Sore Eyes, Ruth Rendell (1998)
77. The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro (1989)
78. Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert (2006)
79. The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell (2000)
80. Bright Lights, Big City, Jay McInerney (1984)
81. Backlash, Susan Faludi (1991)
82. Atonement, Ian McEwan (2002)
83. The Stone Diaries, Carol Shields (1994)
84. Holes, Louis Sachar (1998)
85. Gilead, Marilynne Robinson (2004)
86. And the Band Played On, Randy Shilts (1987)
87. The Ruins, Scott Smith (2006)
88. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby (1995)
89. Close Range, Annie Proulx (1999)
90. Comfort Me With Apples, Ruth Reichl (2001)
91. Random Family, Adrian Nicole LeBlanc (2003)
92. Presumed Innocent, Scott Turow (1987)
93. A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley (1991)
94. Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser (2001)
95. Kaaterskill Falls, Allegra Goodman (1998)
96. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown (2003)
97. Jesus’ Son, Denis Johnson (1992)
98. The Predators' Ball, Connie Bruck (1988)
99. Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman (1995)
100. America (the Book), Jon Stewart/Daily Show (2004)