Banned Books Meme-Time!

It's Banned Books Week!!!

A couple of weeks ago, The Hate Mongering Tart asked readers to send her photos of themselves reading their favorite banned book. Her posts were really fun and informative, which led me to think, HEY! More people should do this!

So, a little meme:

1. Go find your favorite banned book.
2. Take a picture of yourself with said book.
3. Give that book some love by explaining why you think it is an important book.
4. Post it to your blog.
5. Spread the word!



My favorite banned book is The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier.

The first time I read this book, I was in high school.

It changed my life.

This was the first book I read that I felt got it right. Understood. Saw. Knew why people did bad things. This book made me look at the "bad" people around me and see beyond what I was afraid of and look for the story that made them who they were. Human.

And then I began to look for that second story in everyone.

I began to stop making snap judgments about people. I began to wonder, "What's your story?" Why do you behave the way you do?

Instead of saying, "She's just a bully."  I started to say, "I wonder what happened to her."

I didn't know it then, but this book made me a writer.

It also made me more compassionate.

And while critics insist the book has none, it gave me hope.

I didn't care about or notice the swears, Mr. Scroggins.

I didn't care about the masturbation scene, Mr. Freeman.

What I cared about was how all those characters became who they became. I cared about how one character's actions could profoundly affect another. And even though in this book those actions were mostly for the worse, it somehow showed me that the opposite could be true as well. Jerry dared to disturb the universe. And I wanted to, too.

I didn't become a trash-mouth masturbating scoundrel after reading the book. (I know, I know, *laugh laugh laugh* that is a funny sentence).

No.

I became a more caring, compassionate person.

Books don't harm, people do.

So please. Go share a book and help make the world a better place.

:-)


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Monday Morning Warm-up:

Your turn!