Last week I reported that the Plymouth-Canton Schools in Michigan resolved a challenge to the book Beloved; but the same parents that objected to that title also have their torches aimed at another novel- Waterland, by Graham Swift. Matt Dame, along with his wife, Barb, complained that “Beloved” was inappropriate because of passages that deal […] … learn more→

Students at the Plymouth-Canton Schools in Michigan got a crash course in politics this week. That’s because one family launched an official complaint on December 20, 2011 to have the fictional novel Beloved, by Toni Morrison, banned from the AP English curriculum due to racial themes, sexual content, and passages about ghosts (the spirit of […] … learn more→

The campaign against freedom doesn’t just limit itself to the literary classics of Shakespeare and Mark Twain. Works of fiction and non-fiction, both traditional and contemporary, are recurrent fodder for the flames. But did you know that even comic books are kindling for the fires of ignorance? Edited by comics icon Ariel Schrag, a 2007 […] … learn more→

Post-Civil War America may be in the history books, but the ignorance and prejudice of ages past is alive and well here in the 21st century. As the Banned Books Awareness project continues, it never ceases to amaze me the sheer number of books on censorship lists, nor the downright ridiculous reasons for their omission […] … learn more→

Many New Years resolutions concern ways of improving the self- smoke less, exercise more; spend less, conserve more. These are worthy goals, but always subjective in nature and often fall to the wayside as circumstances and attitudes change while the year takes shape. As long-time readers of this column are aware, I began a personal […] … learn more→

The Hunger Games is a Young Adult novel by Suzanne Collins that was first published in 2008; a major movie adaption is also scheduled for release in 2012. But did you know that it is the fifth most challenged and controversial book of 2010? The novel centers on Katniss, a 16-year-old girl living with her […] … learn more→

Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America is one of the top ten most frequently challenged books of 2010- coming in at number 8- according to the American Library Association. The events portrayed in the non-fiction work take place between 1998 and 2000 and investigates the impact of the 1996 welfare […] … learn more→

Unless you’ve never picked up a book before, then you at least know the names Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Macbeth, and Hamlet. There’s no denying that the works of William Shakespeare are a fundamental part of literature around the world. He is often called the greatest writer in the history of the English language; and […] … learn more→

Upon its publication in 1962, Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time became an instant classic, selling more than 10 million copies in the years since. L\’Engle\’s book takes place in a vibrant fantasy world that stimulates the imagination and captivates readers both young and old. A writer for the Saturday Review said, “[it is] original, […] … learn more→

Newswires around the world were abuzz last Wednesday after government officials in New Zealand seized a copy of “Bloody Mama” from a local business; the book has been banned there since 1971. Written by Robert Thom and published in 1970 by New English Library, the novel is based on the true story of Kate \”Ma\” […] … learn more→