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Laurie Gray | My Secret Aspiration
June 21, 2010
I’m a big fan of the teacher Socrates--you know, the Ancient Greek philosopher
who had to drink poison hemlock because he drove everyone crazy through his
constant questioning. Socrates never wrote anything, but his student, Plato,
attributes these words to Socrates:
Writing shares a strange feature with painting. The offsprings of painting
stand there as if they were alive, but if anyone asks them anything, they remain
most solemnly silent. The same is true of written words. You’d think they were
speaking as if they had some understanding, but if you question anything that
has been said because you want to learn more, it continues to signify just that
very same thing forever. Phaedrus 275 d-e
The enduring value of a good book lies in the questions it raises rather than
those it seeks to answer. Books contain ideas that act as seeds that can take
root in a fertile mind.
To Sell Without Selling Out
On the road to publication, I’ve frequently asked myself if I should write what
sells--give the people what they want--or should there be a higher purpose to my
writing, a value that endures and engages the hearts and minds of my readers?
Can I write something that will sell without selling out? Out of this quandary
emerged my most secret aspiration as a writer...I hope to someday write a book
worth banning.
My Favorite Banned Books
Not long ago I was looking through the Office for Intellectual Freedom/American
Library Association’s 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2001:
5. Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter
(series) by J.K. Rowling
9. Bridge to
Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time
by Madelyn L’Engle
41. To Kill a
Mockingbird by Harper
Lee
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
47. Flowers for
Algernon by Daniel
Keyes
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
62. Are You There God?
It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
70. Lord of the Flies
by William Golding
84. The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer by Mark Twain These are some of my all-time favorite books! The fact that these books have
been challenged is evidence of their greatness. There is no need to ban trash.
It has no enduring value anyway. These books have the enduring value that is
the mark of great literature: They challenge young readers to see the world in
a new light and to think for themselves.
The Danger of a Good Book
Why ban books? When it comes to thought control, authorities (parents and
governments alike) know there’s nothing more dangerous than a good book. Books
that provide escape and fulfill only pleasure-seeking desires are much less
dangerous to the establishment than books that challenge young readers to
question the world around them and begin to think for themselves.
The essence of who we are and what we believe permeates our stories. The
characters live on in readers’ minds and, like good friends, become a part of
who we are. Why not write books that increase our children’s awareness of
themselves and their understanding of the world around them? Let’s stop telling
them what to think, and show them how to think for themselves. Toward that end,
as an aspiring young adult author, my hope is to create stories worth banning.
Do you have a favorite banned book? What books have influenced you most or
stayed with you longest? Laurie Gray is a
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and has served as an author
and lecturer for the National Symposium on Child Abuse. Laurie is the founder of
Socratic Parenting, LLC, the co-creator of Token of
Change, and a consultant for Sophie’s Café Summer Sanctuary is her
first young adult novel. Summer Sanctuary is
published by Luminis
Books
Comments
13 comments posted.
Re: Laurie Gray | My Secret Aspiration
The Giver was a strange book that as parents we had to sign off for our teens required reading. It did raise a number of questions. A Wrinkle in Time and the silly poetry in A Light in the Attic were some of the twins favorites. Flowers for Algernon was required reading in the 60's and was evocative and sad. I don't know what all the fuss is about, since banned books compell kids to get their hands on them since there's something exciting about reading illicit or underground books.
(Alyson Widen 2:38pm June 21, 2010)
I knew that a few of these books had been banned, but not some of the more recent ones--well, banned for young people at least. The ones mentioned here that I've read over the years may not be among my "favorites" but they had a powerful impact on me. And yes, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is definitely one of my all-time favorites. I too think that sometimes you have to get out of your reading rut. However, it does take me some time to get to those books. Sometimes my mind is open only for dessert, not food for thought.
(Sigrun Schulz 2:49pm June 21, 2010)
The Chronicles of Narnia have always stayed with me. I'm not sure, but I think they've been banned at times. I've always had the goal of reading every (as many as possible at least) book that has been banned in America. I've read several in your list. I loved a Wrinkle in Time! And who didn't Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret. help become the woman they are today?
(Kelli Jo Calvert 5:40pm June 21, 2010)
I think A Wrinkle in Time was probably my all-time favorite book growing up. As far as some of the classics that are hard to get through, I've found them a bit easier as audio books. It helps to have an articulate reader who makes it sound the way it's supposed to. And some of them even have little helpful explanations. Still, I think there's lots of room for some "dessert that's good for you." My book Summer Sanctuary is an easy read, but one that might make you think a little here and there, too.
(Laurie Gray 6:45pm June 21, 2010)
As a child I loved Enid Blyton's books. Not saucy or racy but controversial enough to be banned now & then. Taking PC way too far.
(Mary Preston 6:49pm June 21, 2010)
I can't believe they'd ban "Of Mice and Men" but still foist "Waiting for Godot" and "Madame Bovary" on unsuspecting high school students!
(S Tieh 7:34pm June 21, 2010)
What do you think about Huckleberry Finn? Would you recommend it as a good read even though it's replete with racism and the "n" word as it was used in that era?
(Laurie Gray 8:47pm June 21, 2010)
'To Kill a Mockingbird" was the book that made the greatest impression on me. It still moves me 50 years later.
(Rosemary Krejsa 9:23pm June 21, 2010)
To Kill A Mockingbird was banned? That is so surprising to me!
(Brenda Rupp 9:33pm June 21, 2010)
Go For It!
Every year I would put out displays for
Banned Book Week and people would
be very surprised at the books on the
list I posted. The books I pulled for
the display spent most of the time
checked out.
I worked in a small county library in
rural TN - a rather conservative area.
The first Harry Potter book was
replaced over 8 times the first year or
two. Some were checked out and kept
and some were taken so no one could
read it. With each Potter book I would
have people come to the desk to
complain about our carrying the book.
Of course none of them had actually
read it. They were just repeating what
was being said in their church. Before
I lost my job, they were complaining
about all the vampire and paranormal
books.
Censorship by theft was a big
problem. We had 3 books on Darwin,
but didn't realize they were missing
until someone tried to check them out.
I checked the records and none had
ever been checked out. Chances are
they were taken as soon as they were
put out.
I talked to my children's groups about
censorship all the time. I had three
children from a conservative family in
my group. They were among the ones
not allowed to read Harry Potter - evil,
magic, wizards, dragons. Their
cousins were allowed to read them and
watch the movies. They were surprise
at the books on the banned list. The
son who was in 6th grade made the
best comment I had heard in a long
time. He said, "Our parents can tell us
what to read, but they don't have the
right to tell anyone else what they can
read." Everyone is entitled to their
own beliefs and tastes. Those are no
one else's business. That applies to
everyone. So if your tastes go to
christian fiction, enjoy. There are
some very good authors in that genre.
However, if someone else prefers
romance or paranormal, that is also
their right and you shouldn't be giving
them a hard time.
I r
(Patricia Barraclough 9:40pm June 21, 2010)
Thank you for sharing your experrience as a librarian, Patricia! In Summer Sanctuary, Matthew's church frowns upon Harry Potter, but he checks the books out of the library for Dinah. She reads through them so quickly and enjoys them so much that he thinks maybe he'll read them himself. I had several advance reviewers who were quite livid that I would have Matthew go against whe his church said and check out the book for a friend who is homeless. They also frowned on this sentence on p. 2: "At that moment I was convinced that the whole summer was going to suck--only I'm not allowed to say 'suck.'" One parent admitted she smiled when she read it because she doesn't allow her kids to use the word, either, but ultimately decided that she didn't even want them reading the word in a book, even in this context, and for that reason alone probably wouldn't let her kids read the book.
(Laurie Gray 5:59am June 22, 2010)
As far as banned books go, I'm sure that I've read some that were on a list that I didn't realize were banned. I read Gone With the Wind years ago, and know there was flack about it some years back. The one book that stuck with me all these years was the biography of Helen Keller. I always admired her for overcoming her diabilities, and becoming the wonderful woman that she was. She taught me that I too, could overtake any obstacle in my life, and I've learned how to get inner strength from her. She's been a great role model, even though I don't have her disabilities, but I do have my share of health problems.
(Peggy Roberson 5:03pm June 22, 2010)
I can't believe that "A Wrinkle in Time" is on the banned list!! It's a classic case of good vs. evil, albeit with an astrophysics twist! A lot of the others I knew about, and don't agree with, but then again, I don't agree with banning books at all, no matter the content. If you disagree with the content, don't read it. It's that simple. It's also that complicated, given the need that some people have to control other people's lives, which includes their ability to read whatever they choose to read (something I still don't understand).
What makes someone think they have that right? Why do people still let it happen? It's no-one's business but my own what I choose to read, or not read, for that matter. I'd probably smack anyone who tries to tell me I can't read Madeline L'Engle, who happens to be one of my favourite authors, or Steinbeck, or Mark Twain, or any of the other authors on that list. Admittedly, there are some on it I wouldn't read anyway, but again, that's MY business, no-one else's.
Later,
Lynn
(Lynn Rettig 10:09pm June 27, 2010)
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