Category: Authors
Memoirs about Censorship
Amy Tan – “I am a writer compelled by a subconscious neediness to know, which is different from a need to know. The latter can be satisfied with information. The former is a perpetual state of uncertainty and a tether to the past”
An Interview with Author Elliot Wake
Elliot Wake’s interconnected novels, Black Iris, Cam Girl, and Bad Boy, aren’t often mentioned on LGBTQ book lists, and that’s a shame. His sexy, violent, diverse and feminist romance/thrillers have all the fun of a guilty pleasure without the guilt.
‘Fahrenheit 451’: A Classic Dystopian Tale Throws Sparks — but Fails to Rekindle — on HBO
Novelist Ray Bradbury contended over the years since Fahrenheit 451 was first published that his intent was to show how flashier technology like television could completely eclipse our appreciation for great literature. But now that his 1953 science-fiction classic has been adapted for the 21st century with a booming made-for-HBO film, does that prove he was right?
Great American Read’s List of 100 “Best-loved” Novels Includes More Than 20 Banned Authors
My hope is that the Great American Read series and accompanying library programming across the country may draw in some of those Americans who did not read a book last year. Perhaps they will even read one of the banned books on the list and gain an appreciation for the importance of the right to read and intellectual freedom. Either way, I am thrilled to see so many banned and challenged books on a list of America’s favorite reads. My fellow readers, keep reading books that challenge the status quo and make you consider multiple perspectives.
An Interview with Author April Daniels
After we read Dreadnought by April Daniels, my friends and I had a lot of questions. I decided to ask the author herself, and Ms. Daniels graciously agreed to an interview. This will be the first in four-part series of interviews with trans authors who have published books about trans characters, exploring their writing and depictions of trans characters.
Hitler and Censorship: Is there Value in ‘Mein Kampf’?
I think the recent headlines regarding a lack of knowledge about the Holocaust just serve to reinforce how important it is to continue to allow access to and discussion of Mein Kampf. Only by remembering what happened and by studying Hitler’s mindset and psychology can we understand – as much as is possible – what happened and thereby try to prevent it from happening again. And any consideration of banning Mein Kampf should also consider the fact that book banning (and burning) was an early part of Hitler’s reign, too.
Happy Birthday, Rainbow Rowell!
Do you ever feel that deep-down sense of comfort that comes from just knowing that you’re in a role that is right for you? For some, it might be their role as a parent; for others, it might be kicking butt and taking names at their job. For Rainbow Rowell, it’s her role as a writer. Rowell, author of several Young Adult (YA) and adult books, including the award winning novel Eleanor & Park, does not pin point one experience or time when she knew she wanted to write; she simply describes herself as having “always been a writer.”
Free Printable 2018 Calendars to Advocate for Intellectual Freedom
Whether you post the calendars in your office where you might pique a visitor’s interest or use them to schedule tasks with students or reference desk shifts, you are raising awareness of intellectual freedom. You are starting conversations.
John Green is My Metaphor for Intellectual Freedom
Green’s new novel ponders the many metaphors we use to describe pain, mental illness, and the narratives of our lives…but I left the book with my own new metaphor.
Goosebumps and Censorship
I just saw on a librarian Facebook page that a school librarian has just been dealing with another challenge to the Goosebumps series, yes in 2017! But thanks to positive support and a reasonable response to the challenge, Stine’s books are back on those shelves for the kids.