Banned Books Week Virtual Read-Out: A Separate Peace

So earlier this week I bought a shiny new webcam, and this morning I broke it in by making my first-ever Virtual Read-Out video for Banned Books Week! I chose to read an excerpt from A Separate Peace by John Knowles, partly because I really just love this book and partly because I have already reviewed it here on the blog, so I had a good idea which excerpt I could legitimately read under two minutes.

You can find this and any other videos I end up making for the blog on my new YouTube Channel - I created tabs at the top of the page with links to different places where you can connect with me.

Anyway, here is my video:

If you made a Virtual Read-Out video for Banned Books Week, feel free to leave a link in the comments! And don't forget - 1 October is the last day to enter both my Banned Books Giveaway AND my It's My Birthday! Giveaway. I will be randomly selecting a winner for both giveaways on 2 October.

Banned Books Week Continues!

Hello, lovelies! I'm making this quick because I'm in the library on campus and other people undoubtedly need to use the computer. I won't be back home until later tonight, though, and did not want to miss out on my daily post to promote Banned Books Week!

So far I only have one Banned Book in my reviews archive - A Separate Peace by John Knowles. If you haven't checked it out yet, please do so! Fellow bloggers, do you currently have any Banned Books in your archives? Tell me about it in the comments! Feel free to link to them if you'd like.

And a question for everyone - have you started reading or re-reading any Banned Books this week? I am almost through reading Christopher Priest's The Prestige, and was planning to read Still Life With Woodpecker by Tom Robbins next, but I believe instead I'll start re-reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Also, don't forget you have until 1 October to enter my Banned Books Giveaway! Check out the post for more details.

First Giveaway Post!

Good morning/afternoon, all! I'm pretty excited to post today, because when I saw that I now have over ten followers, I decided what better way to celebrate my appreciation to you guys than by hosting my first annual...

It's My Birthday! Giveaway

The only real requirement to participate is that you please follow my blog. Also, as with any giveaway I plan to host in the future, this is open both to US and International readers! If you are an international reader, however, I do have one limitation: please check to see if The Book Depository ships to your country! If they don't, you CAN still participate, you are just a little more restricted in your prize options. Sorry. :(

So what are the prizes?

For US readers: You may select either up to $25 in books from The Book Depository OR a $25 gift card to Amazon.com. If the gift card will not be used by you, please let me know if you would like a specific design to suit whoever it would be going to.

For International readers whose country The Book Depository ships to: You may select up to $25 (USD) in books from The Book Depository OR a $25 (USD) gift card to Amazon.com. As with US readers, if you wouldn't be using the gift card for yourself, let me know if there is a specific design you'd like.

For International readers whose country The Book Depository does NOT ship to: You will receive a $25 (USD) gift card from Amazon.com.

Closed to entries!

But that isn't all! To continue the promotion of Banned Books Week (24 September - 1 October), I'm also now hosting a Banned Books Giveaway! The rules are the same as for the above giveaway - you must be following my blog, and it is open to both US and International Readers! This one does have a little more of a restriction for internationals, however - The Book Depository MUST ship to your country. If you select a prize option to win books of your choice, all selections must be on the ALA's Frequently Challenged list - classics, 1990-1999, 2000-2009 or from theTop Ten list from 2010. Entries will not be accepted after 1 October, and a winner will be randomly selected at the end of the giveaway.

Banned Books Giveaway Prize Options:

For US readers: You may select up to $25 in banned books from The Book Depository OR up to about $25 in select merchandise from the ALA's Banned Books Week store! It does not have to be merchandise specific to this year. Basically, with the BBW store option, you can get EITHER one t-shirt OR up to about $25 in any combination of these other items: List of Banned Books, Poster, Button, Tote Bag or Bracelet.

For International readers: You may select up to $25 (USD) in banned books from The Book Depository! If they do not ship to your country, I'm sorry, but you are not eligible for this particular giveaway.

Closed to entries!

Thank you again to all my new followers, and good luck!

Banned Books Week 2011

That's right, today marks the beginning of Banned Books Week! The American Library Association runs this event each year during the last week of September to encourage free access to information and to raise awareness of the harm censorship can do. There are many books that have been either restricted or banned in some places, and there are many others that have been the targets of attempted bans. A list of frequently challenged books from just this past decade can be found here, and here is a list of books widely considered to be classics that have been challenged.

Have you read any of these challenged books? I've read some of them, and I think it's ridiculous they'd be restricted at all - I think that in general, people are too easily offended. I think that part of what makes books so special - especially ones that touch on more potentially controversial topics - is that they make you think about these issues by offering different perspectives. Some of these books too, are meant to be taken in their historical context, and people seem to be forgetting about that a lot of the time when it comes to race or gender politics. I would not be able to enjoy a period novel where the values were all modern, just for the sake of political correctness; it would be inorganic to the historical context and I would not be able to really get into the story.

If the theme of a book or an issue is raised in a book that challenges your personal values and/or beliefs, don't take up arms against it - let yourself get outside your comfort zone and keep reading it! There is nothing to be scared of; only YOU can change your values and your beliefs; a book is not going to change them for you. And if the simple fact is that you just plain don't like the book because you can't get past the points that clash with your ideals, that's fine. You don't have to read it and you don't have to like it - but don't go trying to ruin things for other people who might really get something out of it.

What do you think?

On a side note, I really love the BBW robot graphic! He's so cute. Last year's was ace, too. If you've got some extra money and you think the robot is cute, too, you can also help by visiting the ALA BBW store!