Banned Book Night at the Newport Public Library

Last night we went to the Newport Public Library for a banned book reading. This event is in support of national Book Banning Week (September 24 through October 1^st) which is to support the freedom to read and have access to all books that provide unique and different perspectives.

This event was a small panel of local people that presented one book each that has been challenged, restricted or banned at some point in our countries history. Each panelist present context of the book to the audience and then read passages that were the target of the controversy. We were then able to ask questions and discuss why that particular book was banned or censored. The discussion and information was very interesting and enlightening. I was amazed to see the long list of books that have been restricted...a lot of classics. In fact, many of these books were required reading when we were in high school and that we fondly remember reading.

According to the American Library Association, here are some of the top classics that have been challenged or banned from libraries at some point.

1. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

2. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

3. The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck

4. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

5. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker

6. Ulysses, by James Joyce

7. Beloved, by Toni Morrison

8. The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding

9. 1984, by George Orwell

Click on this link for the ALA’s complete list and Happy Reading!