Read a Banned Book

I've haven't written here in a while. Life has been just a little crazy lately, but I am working on finding equilibrium again. I have not, actually, fallen on the face of the earth.

This week the American Library Association celebrates Banned Books Week. It's a bit gimmicky, but it's a nice reminder to stop and appreciate the freedom to write and read whatever we want in this nation (mostly). My current read is The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell and it is unlikely to be banned anywhere in the U. S anytime soon. The last book I read was Things I Have Been Silent About by Azar Nafisi. Ending her title on a preposition only bothers me a teensy little bit, but I love her memoirs so much that I won't let that get in the way.

Nafisi's previous book, Reading Lolita in Tehran, is an amazing book and this week would be a perfect time to start it if you haven't already. In memoir form, it explores a number of themes including what makes literature relevant to our lives and the psychic toll taken on women who saw a glimpse of freedom only to lose it. It's a fascinating picture of life in Iran and it will make you more grateful to be able to pick up a copy of Tropic of Cancer or Slaughterhouse 5, or Harry Potter or whatever book you so choose. So go read something controversial.

What are your favorite banned or controversial books?