America's Top 10 Favorite Books for 2014 . . .

The New Republic's Chloe Schama shared the Harris poll results, and has a few interesting observations, one of which is that Atlas Shrugged has finally fallen off the list.

 

2014
1) The Bible
2) Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
3) Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling
4) The Lord of the Rings (series) by J.R.R. Tolkien
5) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
6) Moby Dick by Herman Melville
7) The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
8) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
9) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
10) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald


I've read nine of the ten books. Not being a Fitzgerald fan, I've resisted Gatsby all these years. But suddenly, I feel compelled . . .

What is your all time favorite book? 

I've read many wonderful books over the years (and some not so wonderful), but the one that still stands out easily as my favorite is Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden.

WHERE THE COMON SENSE ENDS?

Banned Books Week begins today.

HarperCollins set up a site for Banned Book Week 1995 (no longer up) which featured a number of their books that have been banned over the years. Included is a top ten list which is silly on its face, but sobering when you think that children's books have actually been challenged for these reasons.




























Top Ten Silly Reasons
to Ban a HarperCollins Children's Book

1. "Encourages children to break dishes so they won't have to dry them."
(A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein)

2. Children shouldn't be "scared by materials they read in school."
(Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz)

3. The book "portrays the U.S. government as lacking in intelligence and responsibility."
(The Fragile Flag by Jane Langton)

4. The book "teaches children to spy."
(Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh)

5. "The little boy did not have any clothes on and it pictured his private area."
(In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak)

6. "Children are not ready for illustrations and conversation about jockstraps."
(The Dallas Titans Get Ready for Bed by Karla Kuskin)

7. School board members were concerned about a "sad ending."
(Alan and Naomi by Myron Levoy)

8. Challenged as a summer reading assignment because, "it sounds like pretty explicit stuff."
(The Contender by Robert Lipsyte)

9. The book is "demented."
(The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh.)

10. "Promotes cannibalism."
(Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein)


Fahrenheit 451: Freedom to Read
AMERICAN BOOKSELLERS FOUNDATION FOR FREE EXPRESSION