“Censorship is telling a man he can’t have a steak just because a baby can’t chew it.” -Mark Twain
Welcome to Banned Books Week, the week when readers all over the world celebrate our freedom to read.
Every year, a number of books are “challenged” from libraries for their content: be it sexual, violent, unsuited for age group or otherwise. Twilight was the fifth most challenged book in 2009. In 2010, it was The Hunger Games. Some challenged classics include The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Brave New World. In fact, Brave New World was number seven just last year.
Some can’t live without their books. Books are, for some, an outlet, for others, they are therapy. They are friends. Lessons. Love. Life. Readers everywhere live for the chance to be lost in that next story, to connect on an emotional level with that next character. Our books help shape who we are.
I’ve read my share of challenged books, and would be absolutely devastated if I didn’t ever have the chance to indulge. Twilight started my passion for the YA genre, and The Hunger Games is one of my favorite series’. As such, I’ll be celebrating my right to read with The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
What banned book will you be reading this week?
Mark Brassington 