Latest news with #SlaughterhouseFive
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
It's happening here: when book bans hit home
Some titles banned from the St. Francis High School library by the St. Francis school board's right-wing scoring system. Photo courtesy of Ryan Fiereck. If you're a reader, a student of history, or a writer, it's been appalling to watch book bans proliferate across the nation. As The Reformer reported last month, St. Francis High School and Independent School District 15 recently adopted a policy that defers to Booklooks, a website linked to the far-right group Moms for Liberty when evaluating which books to purchase or pull from shelves. The result: Hundreds of books are now either banned outright or will likely be pulled from shelves in the near future; this includes classics like The Handmaid's Tale, The Bluest Eye, and soon, perhaps the likes of 'Night' by Elie Wiesel and 'Slaughterhouse Five' by Kurt Vonnegut and hundreds of others. I graduated from St. Francis High School in 2001. I owe much of my career as a writer — I've written ten books and edited many more — to one of the soon-to-banned books. It was 'Slaughterhouse Five.' It was the year 2000. Frosted tips and Billabong shirts were everywhere. I picked up the book from a spinner in my journalism class. (That teacher was the best teacher I ever had.) I absorbed it, and I proceeded to read every other book by Vonnegut on the spinner, and then Ray Bradbury; soon I was reading Sylvia Plath and Richard Wright. A good book is a springboard to others; the best books lead to a lifetime of a reading. Rather than trot out generic arguments about why book bans are ill-advised, I want to talk about 'Slaughterhouse Five.' It's a fictionalized story, that like all truly great fiction, is, at its heart, true. Vonnegut was a G.I. in World War II. He was in the 106th Infantry Division and was captured during the Battle of the Bulge. To put that another way: The St. Francis school board wants to ban a novel written by an American serviceman and a member of the Greatest Generation. Vonnegut was forced to do manual labor in Dresden, and he survived the firebombing of the city in February 1945 by the Royal Air Force and the U.S. 8th Air Force. The resulting firestorm killed perhaps 35,000 people. 'Slaughterhouse Five' is superficially science fiction, but it's really about the insanity of war, the absurdity of surviving one, and more than anything, PTSD. Vonnegut's writing will last forever because he's irreverent, funny, and accessible, but he's also honest and fundamentally decent. That's why Vonnegut appeals to younger readers; kids aren't just picky eaters; they are picky readers. You have to meet them where they are in terms of attitude, interest, and style. By removing some of the most popular books among young people — classics and newer books alike — the district is depriving students of great books but also the love of reading and learning itself. And as a rule, if you're banning books, you're afraid of ideas: The Soviets were afraid of capitalism, religion, and freedom of speech. The Nazis loathed the Jews, 'inferior' races, modernism in all its forms, and were racist to their core. The Inquisition banned or targeted works by Copernicus and Galileo and Giordano Bruno because they feared their monopoly on cosmology was at an end. The ideas that Booklooks, and by extension, The St. Francis School Board, fear are plain. Even the most cursory look at its anonymous 'ratings' (available on Internet Archive) shows that the books it targets are by or about women, LGBTQ folks, Black and brown folks, or people who have a 'different' point of view. Like any attempt at censorship, it's an exercise in erasure. But I can promise you this: It won't work. As the packed school board meetings, recent student protests, and a pair of newly filed lawsuits against the district make clear, people care about the freedom to read, the First Amendment, and the books and characters they love. This misguided policy has already been an expensive debacle, and the district has made statewide news in the most embarrassing way. If the policy remains in force, it will continue to hurt the district's own students by depriving them of great works of art, and worse, giving them an incomplete, myopic view of the world.
The Guardian
01-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Rightwing groups across US push new bans to limit ‘obscene' books in libraries
Rightwing groups around the US are pushing legislation that would place new limits on what books are allowed in school libraries in a move that critics decry as censorship often focused on LGBTQ+ issues or race or imposing conservative social values. Caught up in the attempts at suppressing books are classics like The Color Purple and Slaughterhouse Five. Opponents of such bills argue that they would actually hinder individual rights because the proponents would be imposing their beliefs on parents and children who do not share their views. Those campaigning for the restrictions say it would prevent children from being exposed to what they label sexually explicit and obscene content and increase parental rights. There are at least 112 proposed state bills concerning school – and public – libraries that seek to expand the definition of what is deemed obscene or 'harmful to minors' and to limit librarian staff's ability to determine which books are in their collections, according to the American Library Association. Judges have already declared some recent laws that banned books unconstitutional and if approved, the other legislation would probably face court challenges. The battle over school libraries represents another front in the culture war over how American society deals with race, sexual orientation and gender identity. 'Parents want to be able to have a certain way of making sure that inappropriate, sexually explicit books aren't being put in school libraries, and if they ever find these books in the school library, that they can easily and smoothly remove those books,' said Mary Elizabeth Castle, director of government relations for Texas Values, a conservative advocacy group that has tried to ban books that they describe as pornography and has pushed for creationism to be taught alongside evolution. While there have always been efforts to censor books, there has been a surge in recent years in legislation that concerns material in libraries. In 2014, there were 183 titles targeted for removal from public and school libraries; in 2023, there were 4,240, according to the American Library Association (ALA), which also states that it is not a complete list. 'There has been a coordinated effort by' groups like Moms for Liberty that 'because of their personal, political, moral or religious beliefs don't want young people to be reading certain books, and they want the publicly-funded schools and publicly funded libraries to reflect their views', said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the library association's office for intellectual freedom. In Texas, there are at least 31 bills – the most of any state – that would impair libraries ability to 'acquire and provide diverse materials, resources and programming', according to the library association. During the 2023-24 school year, there were 538 book bans in Texas, which trailed only Florida and Iowa, according to PEN America, a group dedicated to promoting free expression. Texas state lawmakers are now considering senate bill 13, which would require that local school boards – rather than librarians – approve all books added or removed from school libraries. They would have to establish a local advisory council, comprised mostly of parents or students in the district, that would recommend which books should be in the school catalog. And they would not be allowed to have 'indecent' or 'profane' content, including books with 'grossly offensive language'. Christin Bentley, a member of the state Republican executive committee who chairs a subcommittee, stop sexualizing Texas kids, has advocated for the senate bill because she is concerned about 'sexually explicit [books] and books that tell kids to go look at porn online', she said. 'It's sexually grooming children,' said Bentley, a mother of two who lives near Tyler in the north-eastern part of the state. Texas districts have also banned books such as Beloved and The Handmaid's Tale, along with newer novels like Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and The Underground Railroad, according to the Dallas Observer. Bentley said she was most concerned about books like Blue Is the Warmest Color and A Game of Thrones graphic novel because of their sexually explicit content. 'A lot of the books that are sexually explicit or very indecent and profane, they are part of a genre called young adult, and that's relatively new,' Bentley said. While supporters of such legislation argue that parents need greater control over what their children are exposed to in schools, librarians already welcome parent input, according to Lucy Podmore, a librarian and former chair of the Texas Association of School Librarians. 'If a parent has a concern about their specific child's reading options, we have always been willing to have those conversations with parents to make sure that we tailor their reading options to whatever it is that the parents have decided,' Podmore said. Proponents of legislation to ban certain books in schools argue that students who want to read banned books can still obtain them in a library or store. But Carolyn Foote, a retired librarian in Texas, said there are towns throughout the state that do not have a bookstore or public library. 'Sometimes the school library is just the center for academic pursuits,' said Foote, who along with other librarians founded a group, Texas FReadom Fighters. 'Also, it assumes a certain amount of privilege that everyone has money and can just go to the bookstore.' Foote spent 29 years as a librarian and said she has experienced other 'waves of censorship', but she said the scale of those did not compare to the last few years. The Texas senate passed the bill on 19 March, and it now goes before the state house. Part of the bill could violate the first amendment's right to freedom of speech and expression, according to Catherine Ross, a professor of constitutional law at George Washington University. Determining what books are 'harmful' is 'incredibly subjective, and it would potentially sweep in much too much material that is protected, even for students in grades K through 12', Ross said. If the bill becomes law, librarians would also have a harder time adding books, and it would require a significant time commitment from volunteers who serve on the advisory committee to review all new books, Podmore said. But banning books because some parents think they are obscene means that other students can no longer access them in schools. 'If you don't want your child to read a book, they don't have to read it, but you're not allowed to tell every child in my campus that they can't read this book because you don't believe in it,' said Margarita Longoria, a Texas school librarian.
Buzz Feed
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
"It Made Me More Resilient And Made Life Seem Less Dire" – 11 Books That Changed People's Perspective On Life
Recently, u/UDSHDW asked r/booksuggestions, "What's a book that changed your perspective on life?" And we thought we'd share some of these recommendations. Sony Pictures Releasing 1. When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi Vintage "It gave me the courage to love despite the fear of losing." – Late-Elderberry5021 About the book: This life-affirming book chronicles the life of Paul Kalanithi, from being medical student, questioning how to live a meaningful life, to neurosurgeon, to becoming a father, and to being diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. He discusses what it's like to face your own morality, and the relationship between doctor and patient, from someone who was both. 2. The Courage To Be Disliked – Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi Allen & Unwin "We have more control over our lives than we realise." – CountryAromatic About the book: This book, framed as a conversation between and their student, is a mindset-changing book that discusses the freedom of self-validation and how to achieve it. Including boundary-setting and fighting the urge to please others, this book reveals how lasting peace happiness can be something generated individually. 3. Parasite Rex – Carl Zimmer Simon & Schuster Ltd "A fascinatingly gross book about parasites. There's so little we know about them. Every living thing functions as its own little world. And even some parasites have parasites. It freaks me out and I can't stop thinking about it." – CityRhymez About the book: This book is a deep dive into the minuscule, marvellous, and sometimes mortifying world of parasites. We discover how they operate, survive, and travel, and the major impact they hold over the world around us. 4. A Short History of Nearly Everything – Bill Bryson Crown Publishing Group (NY) "It's a statistical anomaly that we're even here, and we are such a small part of the history of the universe that it made me realise so many little things are really insignificant in the grand scheme of things." – redog92 About the book: This is an engaging, fun, and informative scientific look back through history that teaches us how we know things as much as what we know. This book covers a whole lot, from the Big Bang, all the way through the formation of civilisation and scientific discovery itself. 5. Slaughterhouse Five – Kurt Vonnegut "It was helpful for me as a teenager, right in the midst of that adolescent angst. It was a comfort, a widening of perspective. It made me more resilient and made life seem less dire, the weight of pressure to escape my circumstances seemed lighter and the future less loaded." – Junimo-Crossing About the book: This American classic anti-war novel follows the life of Billy Pilgrim, who draftee who is caught up in the firebombing of Dresden. Slaughterhouse Five combines historical and science fiction to recount what Vonnegut himself experienced as a prisoner of war. 6. Turtles All the Way Down – John Green Penguin "This book has changed my life, because I don't think people consider mental illness in the correct way; they may not be intentionally disrespectful, but I feel that many are simply just misunderstanding. Turtles represents how people should perceive those that think differently than others in a more accurate manner, in this case OCD. And as someone who was recently diagnosed with this exact disorder, the book has really opened up my mind to the reality of mental illness. It helps when the author also has OCD." – Nerdfighter333 About the books: Turtles All the Way Down follows Azra Holmes, as she and her best friend Daisy endeavour to solve disappearance of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett. The story is about their pursuit, their friendship, and how Azra is attempting to life and relationships whilst managing the spiral of her own thoughts. 7. Stoner – John Williams Vintage Classics "It really put into perspective that even what seems to be a mundane life can still make a story worth telling." – Smooth_Solid_6345 About the book: This delicately sad novel tells the story of William Stoner, a professor who's life is marred by a series of setbacks and disappointments in both his professional and personal life. What comes across is Stoner's quiet perseverance in the face of his continuous challenges. 8. Return to the Brain of Eden – Tony Wright Inner Traditions "I think about it every day. It is now embedded in the way I see the world." – saltedhumanity About the book: This book takes us, and specifically our brains, back to a time before hierarchical societies, and suggests that our cognitive functions were more peaceful and fundamentally different when humans lived more harmoniously with nature. 9. The Creative Act: A Way of Being – Rick Rubin Canongate Books "Rick Rubin's book on creativity is outstanding. As a life long artist, so much of this work resonated with me. Also, it is very well written." – JeffCrossSF About the book: This is an inspection of creativity itself, Rubin sees creativity as its own force, existing in everyone and affecting the way we interact with the world around us. It suggests leaning into our creative, vulnerable, and instinctual processes. 10. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari – Robin Sharma Harper Thorsons "I wouldn't say it changed my life. It does make me think of some things in life differently. I highly recommend it." – ryrhino00 About the book: This book tells the story of Julian Mantle, who, after a life-altering incident, sets out of an mission to find enlightenment. His journey takes him to India, and teaches him lessons of balance, inner-peace, and finding purpose in his life. 11. The Road – Cormac McCarthy Picador "The stark portrayal of survival and the bond between father and son made me appreciate the little things in life and the importance of human connection." – darklightedge
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Yahoo
Tennessee sees surge in books banned in public schools. Here's which ones and why
At least 13 Tennessee counties saw books removed from public school library shelves over the past year, marking the highest number of book removals the state has seen since the passage of the Age Appropriate Materials Act in 2022. Nearly 1,400 books, consisting of 1,155 unique titles, were either fully removed from school libraries or heavily age-restricted between December 2023 and January. Classic titles like 'The Color Purple" by Alice Walker, 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card, 'Slaughterhouse Five' by Kurt Vonnegut and other titles joined the growing list of books banned in schools across the state as school administrators try to comply with the new law. Between 2021 and July 2023, only about 300 books faced similar challenges across the state. Now, in less than half that time, at least 1,389 books were found to be removed or heavily age-restricted statewide over the past year. This count does not include books pulled from shelves that are currently under review, of which there are hundreds across the state. The removals are part of sweeping and often chaotic attempts by districts to comply with the Age Appropriate Materials Act, which requires each public school library in the state to publish a list of materials in their collections and periodically review them to make sure they are 'appropriate for the age and maturity levels of the students who may access the materials,' and to remove materials that do not meet the numerous parameters listed in the law. The law is one of a slew of similar laws that have been passed in the state over the past three years, which have expanded the definitions of book violations under the law and added civil penalties against schools and criminal penalties for book publishers and distributors if they are found to provide books in schools that violate the law. Twenty-one counties either did not respond to multiple records requests in time for publication, or do not having sufficient means to provide such data. The top three counties with the highest number of removed books are: Monroe County: 574 Wilson County: 425 Roane County: 138 Not all of these removals are due to public complaints, either, as schools are now required to periodically review and remove books internally due to potential content violations. For example, Monroe County Schools, which reported the highest number of book removals with 574 titles, removed all of these books in an effort to comply with the law before any complaints were filed against them. The total number of books removed is likely far higher, as well, as some counties do not keep explicit records of books removed from libraries due to content issues, as long as the books are pulled internally by staff members prior to any public complaints. For example, in Blount and Moore counties, books that are removed from libraries due to potential content violations, prior to complaints, are not separated from books removed due to normal wear and tear, making it nearly impossible to track the number of books preemptively removed from libraries due to content reasons. The stark jump in book removals mimic national trends tracked by PEN America, a nonprofit advocacy group focused on free expression and literary access. Kasey Meehan, Freedom to Read program director at PEN America, said the organization tracked over 10,000 book removals over 29 states and 200 public school districts during the 2023-2024 school year — a record high in the four years the organization has tracked such activity. Still, Meehan said, this number is likely an 'under-count' of the true number of removals, due to the complex laws placed on school administrators across the country resulting in each school district handling the removal process differently and making the removals nearly impossible to track. 'We call it like 'soft censorship,'' she said. 'The idea is that materials are being removed or limited or never purchased at all, without there being a formal challenge, despite a book potentially being a good book that would serve a community.' This soft censorship is even labeled as an emerging trend in PEN America's 2024 Banned in the USA report, including instances in Texas and California where entire libraries were closed in order to have collections audited rather than face complaints. Deborah Caldwell-Stone, the director at the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, said the rise in 'soft censorship' is often a result of librarians and school administrators seeking to protect themselves from increasingly harsh punishments and public controversy. 'This culture of fear that they're creating around this issue certainly is contributing to some librarians' decisions to either not order particular books or remove books that are on the shelf to so that they don't risk their jobs or risk a controversy that could cost them their jobs,' she said. Meehan said removing books for potentially being inappropriate only results in limiting access to literature that is already vetted under states' obscenity laws. 'We can very directly debunk the idea that there is porn in schools, or that there is obscene materials in schools,' she said. 'I think that people are taking issue with certain types of representation and certain types of content. There have always been sensible systems in place for parents to be engaging with educators and administrators and librarians in their district about what their student is reading. But what we see happening, you know, at a large scale, is the viewpoint of one or some impacting what's accessible for all.' The full list of counties that removed or restricted books are: Cannon County: 3 Franklin County: 58 Hardin County: 1 Knox County: 48 Lincoln County: 5 Macon: 73 Monroe: 574 Putnam: 2 Roane: 138 Rutherford: 49 Trousdale: 7 Williamson: 5 Wilson: 445 The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@ by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee banned books: See list from Tennessee public schools in 2024
