tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post8585429708428494696..comments2023-11-03T04:41:48.839-04:00Comments on The Center of NJ Life: Challenged Books: or, what to read nowSharon GRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07467317912222026022noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post-33355003976141752522009-08-08T06:43:18.436-04:002009-08-08T06:43:18.436-04:00Ah, I will agree that "His Dark Materials&quo...Ah, I will agree that "His Dark Materials" gets into adult territory pretty quickly....<br /><br />___________________<br />Melvin<br /><a href="http://www.paydayloancashonline.com/" rel="nofollow">Get Instant money</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post-82670877921634442372009-07-20T00:22:21.309-04:002009-07-20T00:22:21.309-04:00Oh, sorry I'm at:
thesconz.wordpress.com
Ja...Oh, sorry I'm at: <br /><br />thesconz.wordpress.com<br /><br />JackThe Sconzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13774146798661535362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post-83589377689999254332009-07-20T00:21:01.270-04:002009-07-20T00:21:01.270-04:00Sharon, good to see you're still blogging. It&...Sharon, good to see you're still blogging. It's Jack, from Jersey Perspective. Remember me? I'm actually in Wisconsin now – and now I blog about Wisconsin. <br /><br />Any brewery posts coming up? I try to keep up with Wisconsin breweries...<br /><br />Stop by sometime!The Sconzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13774146798661535362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post-73983066967187289842009-07-02T01:01:03.807-04:002009-07-02T01:01:03.807-04:00(SPOILER ALERT) I wasn't upset about the conte...(SPOILER ALERT) I wasn't upset about the content level in HDM series. In fact, my Oldest (who was about 10 at the time) read them the same time I did. I was simply disappointed in them. The third book felt so disjointed and unnecessary- elements of plot made no sense, a whole world was built for chapters for no apparent reason, the allmighty was omnicient, the most intelligent being forever and had survived for millenia but was taken in by Mrs. Coulter's beauty (?), gawd disappeared in a whif of wind, the church was-gasp-plotting... it just felt weak. After the promise of a great story from the first book (and the normal middle-book-of-a-trillogy weakness of the second book), I was not merely disappoined, but angry at the time I wasted listening to the book. <br /><br />For the record, Oldest was almost as disappointed as I was. The content level wasn't a problem for Oldest; just the ridiculousness of the plot resoulution.<br /><br />I know that others disagreed with my assessment of the series, but I've found many folk who agree too. I guess it's the type of literature which polarizes people. I'm glad you enjoyed them, G., and I'm sorry I couldn't share your assessment of them (especially since I know that you have excellent taste in literature. :) )Sharon GRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07467317912222026022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post-72941605182715158022009-07-01T20:18:39.003-04:002009-07-01T20:18:39.003-04:00Not to rock the boat, but I love "His Dark Ma...Not to rock the boat, but I <b>love</b> "His Dark Materials"! They don't stay appropriate for very young children very long, but I also think we as a culture tend to shelter the younger set a bit too much and so are inclined to think they're worse than they really are.Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04816489400959448675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post-3907612216345511072009-07-01T16:33:16.531-04:002009-07-01T16:33:16.531-04:00I completely agree, Tami.I completely agree, Tami.Sharon GRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07467317912222026022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post-7097758200626862182009-07-01T15:43:20.483-04:002009-07-01T15:43:20.483-04:00I still don't know why anyone bothered to publ...I still don't know why anyone bothered to publish books 2 and 3 of "His Dark Materials". They were disjointed, abrupt, poorly narrated, and much too adult for young readers. I cannot imagine a "young adult" enjoying that third thing, was it called "The Subtle Knife"?<br /><br />I wouldn't ever request that a book be removed from a library, but you can bet your bippy that if anyone asked me, I'd tell them not to bother reading that particular series. <br /><br />Sorry, I know that wasn't the point, but I hated that series a lot.The One True Tamihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14560386396361999114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post-55211553516434725932009-06-24T22:54:55.645-04:002009-06-24T22:54:55.645-04:00Cool.Cool.SafeLibraries®https://www.blogger.com/profile/06756725065032196698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post-55684432633381874882009-06-24T22:30:17.796-04:002009-06-24T22:30:17.796-04:00Ah, I will agree that "His Dark Materials&quo...Ah, I will agree that "His Dark Materials" gets into adult territory pretty quickly. My friend (who's my age, 25) said they came out just at the right ages as we were growing up, but I read them all at once in college and was quite surprised.Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04816489400959448675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post-49935756254091552352009-06-24T21:58:39.739-04:002009-06-24T21:58:39.739-04:00Hogwash indeed.
These books have not been banned...Hogwash indeed. <br /><br />These books have not been banned, nor has anyone suggested they be. Most libraries- the one for which I work is included- have a procedure for challenging books. As this list notes, one of the most common reasons for challenging a book is age appropriateness. The ALA has not said these books were banned. Even my snarky commentary does not say they were. <br /><br />Banned Books Week is very clear about its objectives. "... annual event celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinions even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those viewpoints to all who which to read them." <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/basics/index.cfm" rel="nofollow">Read about it here.</a> They even explain the difference between a challenge and a ban, patiently, using small enough words that even most wingnuts who bother to read it will understand. <br /><br />Personally, I have strong opinions about several of the books on this list. Specifically, I think some Young Adult book series are very adult and much of a YA audience shouldn't be reading them. That, however, is something I will enforce on a PARENTAL level ONLY, never by insisting they be removed from a library shelf.Sharon GRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07467317912222026022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206743.post-45982040783121575832009-06-24T14:31:11.400-04:002009-06-24T14:31:11.400-04:00If you can't wait for "Banned Books Week,...If you can't wait for "Banned Books Week," then read about "<a href="http://preview.tinyurl.com/sowell" rel="nofollow">National Hogwash Week</a>."SafeLibraries®https://www.blogger.com/profile/06756725065032196698noreply@blogger.com