I have a whole bunch of posts floating around in my brain, most of them book geekery. I should be reading for work (and truly, I have read a couple of titles off our spring list that I loved. There’s one that I’ll be demanding everyone I know - especially the gamers - read.)

But, I’m also reading a ton of things that aren’t for work. Soon, I’ll take a picture of the stack of books I intend to read or finish. I think I might work a bit of a contest into it, too, but first things first - let me get the picture taken and uploaded before I start dangling swag in front of you all.

I ended up passing on NaNo this year, though November still has twelve days remaining. I might attempt some made up challenge of my own, to get things flowing. More to come on that as well.

So, who wants pie?

Best part of my weekend:

I never got into Second Life, but this almost makes me wish I had: ALA’s Banned Books Week 2.0.

Actually, I’ve been tempted before, too, when George RR Martin did a virtual reading. (Yes, ASIOAF fans, his avatar was Tyrion Lannister.

I’ll always insist that paper-and-ink books are the best, but I love seeing the cool ways the book industry uses technology to promote new things.

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.)

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?

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?