Banned Book Week

Arcimbaldo Librarian

I think it's cool that the National Book Festival on the Mall (and I did have to answer a tourist question about where were the stores while I waited for daylyn on Sunday) led into Banned Book Week this year. I'm not certain whether it was serendipity or planning.

According to a column in last year's Examiner by Will Grofic, "New Mexico, South Dakota, and Utah" are the only states never to have banned a book.

Those of you who know my mother and I don't always get along, I hope also know that Mom stood up to more than one librarian who wanted to keep me from reading books the librarians deemed too old for me. As far as she was concerned, I could read anything I chose, and that gave me confidence in other aspects of my life. So "Go, Mom!"

There's more information out there. As much as I disliked the book Twilight, I never wanted to see it banned -- discussed so that the students won't just accept its view of women uncritically, yes; banned, no.