Authors, Writers, Publishers, and Book Readers

Should books ever be banned?

What are your opinions on this? I feel a reader should be able to choose for themselves whether they want to read a controversial book. If it's about a crime that was committed, the guilty party shouldn't profit from publication.

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Permalink Reply by Callie Leah on October 10, 2009 at 1:32am

You know, another reason you shouldn't ban books is because of the author. I mean, people don't write books just to have them sit on some shelf full of banned books. How would you guys feel if that happened to a book you just happened to write?

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Permalink Reply by Sandra Kitchen on October 10, 2009 at 7:40am

See what happens when you get on your soapbox, your age shows! I did not think about the school library, yes it is understand able just as Scribbler stated, they would have to have appropriate reading material for the ages that attend the school.

That is not quite the same as the type of banning books I was thinking of from a Public Library, by whatever powers, be it government, religion or any other group.

scribbler said:

I haven't read them so can't comment on the appropriateness for a school library. Callie, you make a very good point. Why not have them in the public library? With schools the fear is probably more that they would be on the wrong end of a lawsuit if a child that was too young read the content. I can understand them being more cautious.

Callie Leah said:
Banning books is complete nonsense. Maybe you could ban some inappropiate books from SCHOOL library, (such as books that deal with rapists, gory murderers, ect.) but a public libray is just that.

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Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on October 10, 2009 at 10:54pm

Agreed, Sandra. Schools have a different set of considerations. I was thinking along the same wavelength as you. Make room on your soapbox, I'm stepping up beside you! :)

Sandra Kitchen said:

See what happens when you get on your soapbox, your age shows! I did not think about the school library, yes it is understand able just as Scribbler stated, they would have to have appropriate reading material for the ages that attend the school.

That is not quite the same as the type of banning books I was thinking of from a Public Library, by whatever powers, be it government, religion or any other group.

scribbler said:
I haven't read them so can't comment on the appropriateness for a school library. Callie, you make a very good point. Why not have them in the public library? With schools the fear is probably more that they would be on the wrong end of a lawsuit if a child that was too young read the content. I can understand them being more cautious.

Callie Leah said:
Banning books is complete nonsense. Maybe you could ban some inappropiate books from SCHOOL library, (such as books that deal with rapists, gory murderers, ect.) but a public libray is just that.

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Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on October 10, 2009 at 10:59pm

We take freedom of expression for granted in the West and don't appreciate the value of that, scribbler. There are countries that are censoring books heavily like China as a matter of course. They have been known to throw writers in prison for expressing views that disagree with their government's thinking or do not present them in a positive light.

Two weeks ago The Guardian, a very respected newspaper in the UK, ran a story about Chinese officials attempting to halt the publication of a book in Hong Kong that they had banned two years ago. This book, entitled Chinese History Revisited, is a history book.

It explores thousands of years of Chinese civilisation without dwelling directly on the controversies of the last six decades. But even so, Chinese History Revisited has been deemed too sensitive ahead of next week's 60th anniversary of Communist party rule. Its author, who saw his work banned on the mainland two years ago, has come under pressure to stop next week's publication in Hong Kong. Books outlawed by Beijing are often issued in the territory.

Xiao Jiansheng spent 20 years researching and writing the book. It was printed on the mainland two years ago after heavy censorship but officials promptly barred the publisher from distributing it.

Bao Pu, of New Century Press in Hong Kong, said he understood that the ministry of state security learned of the Hong Kong edition and put pressure on Xiao through the editor of his newspaper.

This is what happens when censorship becomes prevalent. China understands the power of the printed word. Westerners need to as well to appreciate why it's worth fighting to make censorship the exception and not the rule.

scribbler said:

I agree on no profiting from anything such as that Kay. The only books I feel I would strenuously object to are books that incite hatred.

As a reader, you don't need to agree or disagree with every book's content. You can complain about it all you want. But to remove the book reader's choice of whether to ignore or read it, or that of a writer to be denied sharing their words, is wrong. Books reflect the thinking and attitudes of our times. Freedom of expression has to be championed. It's as simple as that.

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Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on October 10, 2009 at 11:07pm

I would feel very upset if that happened to me! When I put it out there it's because I want to share it. I've never been the type that hides my writing away. I've been published in magazines and books and to one day wake up to find they had been banned would severely demotivate me. Even though my driving force isn't to write purely for publication but for my own pleasure in the process, I'd be disappointed.

Callie Leah said:

You know, another reason you shouldn't ban books is because of the author. I mean, people don't write books just to have them sit on some shelf full of banned books. How would you guys feel if that happened to a book you just happened to write?

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Permalink Reply by scribbler on October 16, 2009 at 4:41am

I'd be very displeased to see my work taken off the shelves and that's putting it politely. Authors who find that happening to them must feel devastated. It can take so long to finally get published and then to see it vanish doesn't bear thinking about.

Callie Leah said:

You know, another reason you shouldn't ban books is because of the author. I mean, people don't write books just to have them sit on some shelf full of banned books. How would you guys feel if that happened to a book you just happened to write?

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Permalink Reply by Tonia Jones on October 21, 2009 at 8:04am

I think that there is already too many kids who dont like to read why ban books that they might be interested in and make them hate it even more. Reading of any kind is a better habit then going out and getting drunk or trying worse things!

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Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on October 21, 2009 at 6:28pm

You're right Tonia. There's a heck of a lot worse things they could do than read most banned books. Even public places like libraries make mistakes and give kids books that aren't age appropriate.

Quick example: I got a book out the library when I was about nine which was a mix up. It was a short story horror collection and had been misfiled in the kids section, not the adults'. I can remember the cover was black with a skull on it and I think it was by Hitchcock. Anyway, I read it and was up with nightmares the whole night. My dad was livid when he saw the book I had.

Tonia Jones said:

I think that there is already too many kids who dont like to read why ban books that they might be interested in and make them hate it even more. Reading of any kind is a better habit then going out and getting drunk or trying worse things!

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Permalink Reply by Viviana Arteaga on October 22, 2009 at 9:30am

lol My dad gets mad if I have a cross of any kind in my room or on me. Any symbol of a god as well. My sister had some Anne Rice books and when he found out what they were about he tore them. I was so mad I thought it was messed up and I was only 10 at the time. (btw my dad is Jehovah witness I don't want to picture him as satanist or something)

Kay Elizabeth said:

You're right Tonia. There's a heck of a lot worse things they could do than read most banned books. Even public places like libraries make mistakes and give kids books that aren't age appropriate.

Quick example: I got a book out the library when I was about nine which was a mix up. It was a short story horror collection and had been misfiled in the kids section, not the adults'. I can remember the cover was black with a skull on it and I think it was by Hitchcock. Anyway, I read it and was up with nightmares the whole night. My dad was livid when he saw the book I had.

Tonia Jones said:
I think that there is already too many kids who dont like to read why ban books that they might be interested in and make them hate it even more. Reading of any kind is a better habit then going out and getting drunk or trying worse things!

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Permalink Reply by Jasmine Andrade on October 25, 2009 at 2:56am

Books should never be banned. It is the reader's decision whether or not they want to read a book and they should still be allowed because many other people might decide they WANT to read it and they might enjoy it very much. Books can change people's lives and should never be banned!