Issue date: 9/27/01 Section: Focus

Media Credit: Scott Gurgel English lecturer Elizabeth Preston reads an excerpt from “A Farewell to Arms” at a banned books reading at Borders Books, Music and Cafe on Monday night. Nine people participated in the readings, choosing excerpts from their favorite banned books to read.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of libraries and bookstores across the country working to call attention to the fact that books are under attack. By celebrating Banned Books Week, they do just that.

Borders Books, Music, and Cafe, 4030 Commonwealth Ave., hosted a reading in honor of banned books week. This was the first in a series of three readings in the Eau Claire area to increase awareness about banned books. Nine area residents read excerpts from their favorite banned books.

Elizabeth Preston, a lecturer in the English department, read an excerpt from “A Farewell to Arms,” by Earnest Hemmingway.

She became involved in the reading because she helped organize last year’s events.

Reading of banned books Time: 7 p.m. Date: Thursday Place: L.E. Phillips Memorial Library, 300 Eau Claire St.

“This year I was asked to read, and since I am a strong supporter of the Freedom to Read Act, I agreed,” Preston said.

Her selected book has been challenged for having sexually explicit material. It has been banned in many countries for its realistic portrayal of war.

Thoughts on banning books: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” — The First Amendment “Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.” — Benjamin Franklin “I don’t want to be shut out from the truth. If they ban books, they might as well lock us away from the world.” — Rory Edwards, 12 Washington Post “It’s not the books under fire that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers.” — Judy Blume “Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us.” — Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas “If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.” —Noam Chomsky “God forbid that any book should be banned. The practice is as indefensible an infanticide.” — Dame Rebecca West “If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea offensive or disagreeable.” —Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” — Voltaire

“I was surprised to see it on the banned books list,” Preston said. “I get so moved by the way Hemingway shows the American soldier maturing and learning how to deal with the inevitable unfairness and cruelty of the world.”

Carole Spenser, a lecturer in the communications and journalism department, also read a selection. Her excerpt came from “Spoon River Anthology,” by Edgar Lee Masters.

Spenser said her selection was challenged for containing anti-marriage sentiments and inappropriate and offensive language.

Between 1990 and 2000, there were 6,363 challenges reported to or recorded by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.

The majority of the challenges, 1,607, were based on the idea that the challenged novel contained sexually explicit material. It is estimated that less than one-quarter of all challenges are reported or recorded.

“I’ve found that teaching the conflicts, discussing what is objectionable in a novel and why, is very rewarding,” Preston said.

Seventy-one percent of the challenges were to materials in schools libraries. Another 24 percent were objections to material in public libraries. Sixty percent of the challenges were brought on by parents, 15 percent by patrons and nine percent by administrators.

The top reasons given for challenging books are sexually explicit material, material that uses offensive language, material unsuited to the age group, and material with an occult theme or that is promoting Satanism, according to the ALA. Other reasons are racism, anti-family, sex education, nudity, violence, promoting homosexuality and promoting a religious viewpoint.

“Where is the line between banning a book and banning a group of people from reading? Who is in charge of drawing that line? I find all this truly terrifying,” Preston said.

In 2000 the most challenged book was the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. The reasons given for banning the book were that it contained occult themes, Satanism and anti-family themes. However, it is also one of the best-selling books of the year.

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