Banned Books Week: Don't be a Jerk

So, here we are at the end of Banned Books Week. It’s almost time to take down the Banned Books tree, put aside the Banned Book presents, and... I may be thinking of another holiday. 

At the start of Banned Books Week, the American Library Association usually has their list of activities and “what you can do” lists. I like to save mine for the end of the week. The week itself is about awareness, but banning books is a problem for 52 weeks out of the year, not just this one. People publish articles, blogs, whatever for this week reminding people about the problem of banned books. But it has to go deeper than that. So, what can YOU do about banned books?

-The obvious, of course, is not to ban books. Look, I throw this in here, and we all have a hearty laugh (ha!) at the idea that step one is not to ban any books. But that’s easier said than done, sometimes. If something offends you, discuss it. If you don’t like something, talk about it. And if you really, really, hate something don’t ruin it for everyone. We’re all different. Some people like Star Trek: The Next Generation, others like Deep Space Nine. Same with books and values. 

I’ll give you an example: if I were to ban any book today, it’d be Twilight. It has nothing to do with the fact that it’s poorly written. I personally think it’s a dangerous book for young girls to read. The protagonist is a girl who’s special, “just ‘cause” and then proceeds to define herself by her boyfriend, at one point almost killing herself to see images of him after he leaves her. Don’t get me started on the power imbalance between the two. Despite the fact that he’s an immortal, chaste vampire (creepy that a 146 year old man loves a 17 year old girl... I digress) and she’s a normal girl and they get engaged, he won’t turn her into his equal. It’s not until the last minute (after the first time they have sex... after they’re married and even then there are issues) that he finally turns her into his equal. It’s a classic story of an abusive relationship, but extremely romanticized. I just don’t like it. Should it be banned? Nope. I’d hope that anyone in my family that read it would have the values I instill in them to recognize that it’s fiction, that there are issues with it, and if they meet an 146 year old man that finds them cute they’d come talk to me first. But because I didn’t like it, and I have these problems with it doesn’t mean that others shouldn’t read it.

-Read. Read. Read. Read. Read any book you can get your hands on, especially the banned ones. These are the ones that need the most love. Also, reading is fun, as you get to create new worlds in your head. Sure, watching Game of Thrones is fun. But wasn’t it MORE fun when you got to imagine what the Throne looked like in your head? 

Hey, did you notice that I was able to go into detail as to why I didn’t enjoy Twilight? Could it be because I READ THE BOOK? I just didn’t enjoy it. But I read enough of it to be properly informed, and not just throw out vaguries like “unsuited for age group” or “this book is pornography.” I didn’t like the book and was able to make a coherent argument why. Disagree with me. Love me. It doesn’t really matter.

-Encourage others to read. This was actually a good year for me in sharing books. I got someone on the Matched Series, they got me on Mortal Instruments. I got someone else to read The Fault in Our Stars and Thirteen Reasons Why. I was able to burn through about 30 books so far this year. (I don’t always talk about it. Sometimes I have nothing to say. Sometimes I end up with The Twelve, which essentially renders the  last book in the series moot, and actually has a whole section where you learn about the two ancestors of a character that are unrelated to a plot and... it was just... it was just so horrible. Don’t make me relive it, people.) 

But encouraging others to read is important, especially in this day and age. It’s never been easier to get a book. Literally. I’m willing to bet that you’re either reading this on a device that can download a book in seconds, or there’s some device in arms reach that will allow you to do it. So read a book. Look for suggestions. Read anything you want. Don’t be tied down to labels. 

-Lastly, don’t be a jerk. This sort of ties into the whole “don’t ban a book” I mentioned up top, but seriously, calm down. Understand that we live in a country that’s designed to protect everyone’s rights to read, enjoy, worship the way they want, so long as they don’t physically hurt anyone. That means that not everyone is going to share your values. Not everyone will think they way that you do. If they did, it might get old, fast. You need to calm down, understand that it’s a big bright beautiful world, and we’re all going to be different. 

Rather than trouncing quickly on someone else’s point of view, ideas, or way of life, read. Learn. You don’t have to like it, but at least you can talk about it intelligently. At least you can discuss it in a way that doesn’t make you look like a raving lunatic. Also, it opens the doors of discussion, and lets people know that you’re someone you can talk to. It’s just that simple.

We’ll still talk about banned books, mostly as the situations arise. Toni Morrison is under attack by a lot of “concerned parents” lately, almost as if the effort was coordinated somehow. (I’m not often prone to conspiracy theories. I just calls’em like I sees’em.) But I certainly hope you enjoyed this week with me as I discussed a topic that I think is too important.

It’s 2013. The words “Banned Books” shouldn’t exist in America. Let’s work on that.

In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night, No Mean Lady Will Stop Me From Reading, Not Quite...

You may notice, from my “What I’m Currently Reading” tab to the right (Oh... you don’t notice it? Allow me to direct you to it. It’s to your right) that I read a lot of Young Adult Novels. I even took a class in “How to Teach Young Adult Novels.” I was doing it way back before it was cool to read it, make a movie out of it, then have everyone choose a “team” for the movie despite the fact that the book series wrapped up years ago and we all know which couples end up together. (Although deep in my heart, I was hoping that Bella would end up with that one minor character from the first book of the Twilight series. If I’m going to make a joke about it, I probably should read it closer. No, no.. I’m standing by that joke.)

I’m also very aware of the fact that I’m a 34 year old man. A 34 year old man that still wears shirts with his favorite cartoon characters on it and has a Green Lantern Ring for every day of the week, but I give the outward appearance of a responsible adult to those who may not know me that well. I kind of hope that the rather mean lady I met on the metro the other day had known me better to know that while I do a great impression of a responsible adult, I’m a giant kid at heart when she confronted me about reading a young adult novel.

You may have noticed that Reached by Ally Condie was in my “What I’m Currently Reading” tab (located to the right of this article) for quite some time. (I was savoring it.) But unlike a lot of the other books I read, I wasn’t reading it on my Kindle or tablet-like device, I was reading the actual paper book. You know, like they make from trees and the souls of the writer. This wasn’t to make a bold statement, I had mentioned I had enjoyed the first book on my kindle, and my wife being nice surprised me with the book versions of the other two. But rather than reading a faceless black tab of plastic, I was reading a colorful book that showed a young lady in red, standing through a broken glass bubble, symbolizing the final part of the book and the fact that our young hero, Cassia, was able to walk through the final pill: the dreaded red one that takes away memories.

So, it was obvious I was reading a young adult novel when this rather unpleasant lady broke Metro Rule # 1 and actually talked to a stranger during rush hour.

“What book is that?” she asked, looking up from her phone ever so briefly.

“It’s Reached,” I said. I was taken back by the fact that someone was talking to me, so I didn’t point out the large word, “REACHED” written on the front cover along with the young lady in red, standing through a broken glass bubble, symbolizing yadda yadda yadda...

“What’s it about?”

“It’s about a young girl...” and I launched into a rousing description of a dystopian society and a young girl who broke all the societal norms for love, friendship, and freedom.

“So it’s a kids book?” she asked, eyebrows raised.

At this point, I knew where the conversation was going. I was torn by saying a simple, “yes” or something more obnoxious by pointing out that I was reading while she was crushing colorful objects on the game on her phone. I split the difference and commented that it was a young adult novel, and I really didn’t have to defend any of my life choices to her as we’ve known each other for a good four minutes at this point.

“Why don’t you read a real book?”

“This is a real book.”

“It’s for kids! Grow up!” with that the metro lurched to a stop, moved forward a little bit more for some reason, then lurched to a stop again and she was away, no doubt to hop on her broom and interject her special brand of wisdom on someone else minding their own business.

Let me say that Bad Shakespeare does not endorse the persecution of witches, and I sincerely hope that that lady avoids all forms of liquids, as I’m certain that would be fatal to her. I saw it in a movie once, so I’m assuming it’s true.

This post is not to defend any of my life choices, particularly with reading. What candy jewel crushing mean lady was not doing was not reading, which at that point leads me to wonder what type of book she likes to read, if any? (Except Witches’ Quarterly, particularly that one article that tells you to stop one random stranger on a train and tell them that they’re doing everything wrong.) I enjoy Young Adult Novels. I enjoy Science Fiction (or speculative fiction, nerds) Novels. I enjoy Fantasy, Historical, Graphic, Realistic Novels. I like to read. Young Adult is just another form of that.

There’s also the fact that lately Young Adult Novels have been a lot more imaginative than some of the other novels I’ve read lately. I really enjoyed the Matched Series, as I pointed out, and yes, I hopped right on that Hunger Games trilogy bandwagon right when it got cool. Hero was one of my particular favorites, and dealt with the idea of coming out to your father (while saving the world) in a mature, intelligent, fashion. Divergent, Mrs. Pettigrew’s Home for Peculiar Children, and Mortal Instruments are both on my radar once I finish whatever book is in my “What I’m Currently Reading” tab. (located to your right.) So is Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell, but that’s not Young Adult so it’s not proving my point.

I think the point I’m trying to really get across is that one of the things I enjoy doing with my life is reading. I love it. I love reading books. Except The Twelve. That one just made me sad. But for the most part, I love books. And it’s like anything, I look for interesting things that inspire me. And interesting things that inspire me really don’t have an age limit. You just enjoy them. And that’s what you should do.

Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to put down my book and catch the latest episode of Phineas and Ferb.

My Dystopian Utopia

As you can tell from the indicator to your right, I am reading Reached, the last book of the Matched trilogy. (Or have finished, depending on when you’re reading this. If you’re reading this in the future, trust me, I was reading it like, forever.) It’s a fantastic read, and I’m looking forward to wrapping it up soon. For those of who don’t know, it features one of my favorite subjects, a dystopian society. 

Dystopian Societies are interesting subjects. Things aren’t quite post-apocalyptic, so people aren’t necessarily wearing leather. Chances are there’s a ruling class that’s all dressed alike, and everyone else is sort of hanging out in tattered rags or whatever they can find. And there’s a chosen one. Ooh, yeah. There’s a chosen one, and probably a rebellion lurking about, looking for said chosen one. 

But whether you’re lording over a horrific game where you make kids kill each other, you’re burning all the books, banning emotion, making people take funky tables, or just finding some way to subjugate the masses, one thing is certain. Being the overlord (whatever you’ve called yourself... more on that in a moment) of a dystopian society tends to suck. Being the connoisseur of dystopian fiction, I’ve decided to help future leaders of dystopian societies by compiling a list of how to run the perfect dystopian society.

-As I previously mentioned, don’t pick a title for yourself that’s too megalomaniacal. Remember, you’re subjugating a large group of people here, and resources probably suck. There’s an entire ruling class. You’re not an “Overlord” or in some cases, even a “President.” Think small. Mayor? Local Dog Catcher? Something you make up? Just remember that keeping things small will keep you in touch with the common man that’s working in your underground mine.

-The ruling class in these stories are typically wearing white. Do you know what that probably costs in bleach alone? You can’t run a society that’s on it’s last legs by sinking all your money on cleaning your Officials or Peacekeepers uniforms clean. I mean, by now your resources have stopped you from having a ton of food, but one little spill and you’re out.

-Look, you’re going to have a rebellion. It’s a fact of life. You can either work with it, or you can strike against it, hoping each time that “this is it! I’ve crushed them under my mighty force.” No. No you haven’t. Chances are about half of the people that work in your mines are currently working for the rebellion, or spreading rumors about them. What I recommend is catering each meeting for the rebellion. Then you know they’re well fed, and probably too busy complimenting the spread to really focus on fighting against you.

-Ban whatever you want, but don’t ban dancing. John Lithgow was defeated by Kevin Bacon through the power of dance. Seriously.

-There’s going to be a chosen one. Whether it’s by magic, science, or someone who’s got a special skill with a bow and arrow, there’s going to be a chosen one. You can’t fight them. You just can’t. Don’t threaten their family, and for the love of God, don’t monologue. If you get a chance, take them out. And don’t do something to elevate them. That dude in the Hunger Games did everything he could to put that chick right back in the spotlight then wondered why everyone followed her. He deserved the fate that he got at the end of that book that I won’t spoil.

Paying attention to just these few rules can help you run the near-perfect dystopian society.