Comments | sammee42: How I meant the list to look!!!!

sammee42

How I meant the list to look!!!!

Jan 22, 2006 14:53

I tried to put the list under an LJ cut, but I couldn't figure out how to do that *and* keep the formatting...

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Of Mice and Men by John ( Read more... )

Comments 21

eisworth January 22 2006, 20:41:18 UTC

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

I was raised (at least until I was 13) in a United Methodist Church. Sometime in 3rd grade, several of us went through confirmation classes in order to join the church. My mom bought me that book as a present. Of course, she had no idea what it is was about -- she assumed it was about a young person learning about God. I spent the next couple of weeks wondering why in the world my mother had bought me a book about a young Jewish girl's experiences with menstruation.
It was traumatic because I had never heard of menstruation before -- I think I was 8 years old or so... ;-)

sammee42 January 23 2006, 05:50:10 UTC

How traumatising!! I can't imagine being a young boy reading about such a feminine issue ... it was difficult enough for ME to hear about it!!!! What a peculiar present. Did your mom realise how inappropriate it was?!

Without such a context, however, and for a girl, it is an interesting read. I did enjoy Judy Blume quite a bit as a child. :)

eisworth January 23 2006, 19:58:45 UTC

Reading through that book at age 8 gave me a bit of the Heart of Darkness experience: "The Horror. The Horror." ;-)

Mom had no clue what the book was about when she gave it to me; all she knew was that Judy Blume was an acclaimed author of books for young adults, and she assumed it was about a young person coming to terms with god and religion.

I especially remember that her friend lied about having her first period [I KNEW she was lying!].

sammee42 January 23 2006, 20:01:26 UTC

*lol* SO many girls lie about having their first periods, so they can look 'cool' like the girls who develop faster.

It is akin to stuffing one's bra.

Ahh, the horridness of adolescence. Thank GOD I don't have to repeat it!!!!

tree_and_leaf January 22 2006, 22:54:47 UTC

Why on earth was Anastasia banned? I loved those books, and I can't remember anythign anyone would have thought objectionable in them.

allysaundre January 22 2006, 23:28:34 UTC

I cannot really understand why any of those books were banned from libraries (out of the ones I know in any great deal). From what I've heard about the Madonna book Sex, I can understand why that would be banned from libraries, but Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mocking Bird? I read them both as a child and, despite their dark scenes, I didn't find them unsuitable (though Catcher in the Rye made me somewhat scared of my then looming adolescence). I take it that most of these books have had their ban lifted now. If I recall, though, isn't it the case that individual states choose to ban books in America? I guess that would mean that almost all of those books would remain banned in some states, even today.

Be well,
Rob.

sammee42 January 23 2006, 05:44:54 UTC

Actually, I'm not sure that book-banning would even make it to the state level. I think it is just instigated by individual libraries, especially in schools that have children of ultra-conservative parents.

sammee42 January 23 2006, 05:47:24 UTC

_To Kill a Mockingbird_ is my favourite novel. 'Pass the damn ham!' *lol*

Thread 7

DEAD ZONE!! inmemoriam January 23 2006, 04:48:36 UTC

one of my very favorite movies is The Dead Zone - i've never read the book but now i'm in the mood to see the flic again...

Re: DEAD ZONE!! sammee42 January 23 2006, 04:56:26 UTC

There is a TV show called The Dead Zone now ... is it the same as the film??

Re: DEAD ZONE!! inmemoriam January 23 2006, 14:06:24 UTC

Objectively speaking, I have no idea.

Subjectively speaking, it could NEVER be the same as the film because Christopher Walkin (walken, walkan, walkon... BRAIN FREEZE can't remember... spell name... ARRRGH) waukin woken wowcyn oh this is nonsense...

because Christopher makes the whole movie, really. he has the most unlikely and definitive ability to steal scenes from anybody unfortunate enough to be standing beside him. i have never seen anything like it.

Re: DEAD ZONE!! sammee42 January 23 2006, 17:04:45 UTC

I love Christopher Walkien (I think that's how you spell it), too! He does have a commanding presence on the big screen! :)

Thread 7

krakenwakes January 23 2006, 22:33:18 UTC

Its a fascinating list as much by what is omitted as what is inclduded. We had to read Of Mice and Men at school as an example of fine American literature. I would really like to read How to Eat Fried Worms and Slaughterhouse 5. It raises the question how did Williams S. Bourroughs avoid being banned.

sammee42 January 24 2006, 00:26:42 UTC

Kurt Vonnegut is awesome, and _Slaughterhouse 5_ is a terrific book.

I shudder to think that _Of Mice and Men_ was your example of 'fine American literature'. But then, I've mentioned before how I'm not the biggest fan of American literature.

krakenwakes January 24 2006, 01:19:10 UTC

Any nation that can produce both Jo Heller & Scott FitzGerald can't be all bad.

I think it was meant to be an example of the dialogue heavy social realism that didn't seem to have in England till the 50's. I seem to remember finding the experience of OM&M quite entertaining. I suppose since we were a class entirely made up of 14 year old boys a bit of bad language and violence was \ctually considered something of a plus.