Banned Books

April is National Library Month, so the first week or so, we talk about banned books. 

Some people are so afraid of the written word and so offended by certain concepts that they feel the need to prevent other people from reading the books and making their own conclusions.

The latest on the chopping block is Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Yeah, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.  It seems people are aghast the Ma Ingalls had nasty things to say about the Native American population and Laura is getting backlash for reporting it in her books. They just took her name off some National Book Prize as a repercussion. I wonder if we will rename all the Mark Twain Libraries?  After all, he consistently uses "the N Word" in his books   What is the difference between what Laura reports Ma saying and his language? It was the prevailing attitude at the time,  Laura didn't make it up. it was THERE.  Isn't this an opportunity to discuss the racial mores of the period rather than sweeping it under the rug?  Can't we talk to children and explain that while people actually thought and acted the way they act in the  book, it is wrong and we should LEARN something from it?

Nope, just ban the whole thing and pretend it didn't happen or that the concept of a change in how we treat other humans is so radical we won't even consider addressing it.

For me, I loved the Little House books as a kid, but I understood Ma was afraid and had good reason to be- she and her family were basically taking land that did not belong to them and claiming it as their own.  I always thought Pa was a bit selfish,always moving the family JUST when they got everything set up.  I also thought he was anti-social  DESPITE the fiddle playing.  Caroline really was a product of her time.  I always felt a little sorry for her, being married to Charles. He's come home after a long day or who-knows-what and announce that he had seen a neighbor's smoke so they were moving.  I often wondered if she had any say in the matter.

I'm going to pick a banned book or two from the helpful list that the American Library Association provides; one I have not read before at least.  Everyone touts Huck Finn, but I am meh about it.  I had a had time getting the dialect down and had to resort to listening to it when I had to read it for a book club.  I want something current. 

What banned book are you going to read?