Banned Books Week

Did you know that September 30 – October 6 is Banned Books Week? A word from Bradley Graham and Lissa Muscatine, co-owners of Politics & Prose Bookstore in D.C., about this important week:

“Now in its 30th year, the week-long commemoration was initiated by the American Library Association as a nationwide effort to celebrate the freedom to read and to raise awareness of censorship efforts. According to the association, more than 11,000 books have been challenged since 1982, often by local school districts, parents, or outside groups.

Among the most challenged titles in 2011 were classics such as “To Kill A Mockingbird” and “Brave New World” and the recent bestseller, “The Hunger Games.” Also challenged or banned at various times over the years have been books cited by the Library of Congress that helped shape America: Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” Toni Morrison’s “Beloved,” “The Autobiography of Malcolm  X,” Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild,” and Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls.”

During Banned Book Week, P&P and other bookstores, as well as libraries across America, will feature displays of banned and challenged books and sponsor other activities. P&P’s staff members will take turns reading from banned books and will post our selections through social media. While censorship may often seem a problem of a different place or different era, we invite all of our P&P community to join in a collective celebration of books and the ideas contained in them, whether we agree with them or not.

Is one of your favorite books on the Banned Books list or has it faced challenges? Comment below on what your favorite “banned books” are and why you love them so much.