Read A Banned Book. Do It Now.

Before writers had to come up with controversies all day, every day, there were writers who did it only every couple of years, but boy, they dreamed up some doozies! They were called "authors" and they made paper-and-glue things called "books," which are longer than a paragraph and, unfortunately, don't have any hyperlinks. Nonetheless, we strongly encourage picking one up as often as you can escape from the blogosphere, and if you're lucky, you can read one that an ignorant, small-minded, fearful bureaucrat has decided will give you unacceptable ideas. This week is Banned Books Week, as denoted by our no. 5 top link, and if there's one thing bloggers can't stand — your humble correspondent included — it's pointlessly restricted expression and information, be it governmental or artistic. Some sarcasm from this blogger makes the point: "Don't skip the hardcore pornography, either. I would think that it's in 302, "Social interaction," or in the 700s, the art section." Elise at After School Snack has her recommendation for which banned book to pick up first, while this one soberly implores: "Don't let the narrow-minded, of whatever stripe, determine what we can and cannot think about, and read." We couldn't have said it better ourself.

Posted by Philip Ewing at September 27, 2005 11:18 AM

Category: The Dead-Tree Scene