Archive for September, 2008

30
Sep

In the News

   Posted by: falconesse   in books

Today’s “Shelf Awareness” newsletter has a great round-up of Banned Books Week articles about halfway down.

And via this article on Galleycat, a link to The Haphazard Gourmet’s “Civilization is Cooked Without Books” series (which includes a recipe for a vegan chocolate mousse pie. You dirty hippies.)

29
Sep

Banned Books Week Events

   Posted by: falconesse   in books

In poking about my alma mater’s website, I noticed that they’re hosting an event for Banned Books Week on Thursday night. I have to check and see if it’s for current students only, but if it’s open to the public, I think I’m going to go.

Now’s a good time to take a look and see what’s going on near you. If there aren’t any readings to attend, check out your local bookstore and see what they have on display.

Via the ALA, these were the ten most challenged books of 2007:

  1. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
    Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group
  2. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
    Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence
  3. Olive’s Ocean, by Kevin Henkes
    Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language
  4. The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman
    Reasons: Religious Viewpoint
  5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
    Reasons: Racism
  6. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
    Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,
  7. TTYL, by Lauren Myracle
    Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
  8. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
    Reasons: Sexually Explicit
  9. It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
    Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit
  10. The Perks of Being A Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
    Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

For an even more comprehensive selection, take a gander at the ABFFE’s Banned and Challenged Book List. If you’re between books and looking for something new to read, why not see if anything on there tickles your fancy?

26
Sep

Banned Books Week

   Posted by: falconesse   in books

Banned Books Week starts tomorrow. I’ll be putting up posts throughout the week, but I haven’t quite decided what I’ll be doing, so in antici… (say it, say it)… pation, go on over to the link and click around.

Maintaining two blogs seems kind of unfeasible at the moment, while I work on writing and other things that take up my spare time (neglected guitar practicing, writing, housekeeping/fixing up, more writing…) so I’m officially putting the book blog on hiatus and will squeeze in the occasional bookish things here. Consolidation ftw.

No, I’m not abandoning the idea of opening a bookstore - there’s still more than three years to go on that goal - but while I watch what others in the industry do, and see how the changes shake out, there won’t be a lot of progress to see over there. I’ll start it back up again at a later date, but for now, my book rants will move over here. See? You can even clean up your bookmarks a bit. I’m helpful!

It seems right to kick off the blogsolidation with Banned Books Week. Lists of bannination and other interesting things still to come. In the meantime, why don’t you kids tell me which of your favorite books have been banned or challenged? Have you ever read anything simply because someone else tried to tell you (or someone you knew) that they shouldn’t?

16
Sep

Score One for Love

   Posted by: falconesse   in stuff

Nothing witty to say about this. I just think it’s awesome:

George Takei Marries Longtime Partner Brad Altman

6
Sep

I Don’t Care What the Rest of You Think

   Posted by: falconesse   in music

“The Mariner’s Revenge Song” is fucking awesome.

Decemberists tickets. I has them.

2
Sep

All Right, You Dirty Hippies

   Posted by: falconesse   in diet, food, self-image

In an effort to not only eat better to be more healthy, but to also be a bit more environmentally conscious and because holy crap meat’s getting expensive, I’m on the prowl for good meatless recipes.

No, we’re not going completely vegetarian by any means, but I realize that there are certainly ways we could cut back and improve our eating habits. I know if I go and stand in a bookstore and stare at the wall o’cookbooks, it’s going to intimidate and overwhelm me. Some of the dishes in there will seem way too fancy/complicated/involved and it’ll just languish on my bookshelf.

So, tell me what you eat. Are there brands/products I should always have on hand? Are there ones I should run screaming away from at the store? I am certainly open to suggestions from the carnivores here, too - my goal is to collect healthy recipes in general, so they don’t all have to be meatless.

And if your’e curious, this weekend I decided to kick my ass back into gear and get back on track with Weight Watchers. But, rather than filling up this blog with food-oriented posts, I started up a google doc and published it for anyone who cares to follow along. I’ll toss a link over there in the sidebar, but for now, you can find it here.