#from the book the absolutely true diary of a part time indian

[random-writing-ideas]

Remember when you used to be a human being? When people thought you were smart and your brain was useful?

Uh, actually, that is what happens.

Sometimes you don't have a real teacher.

Dodge suddenly went all pale.

Sometimes you have a real teacher who quit, leaving you without a replacement.

Sometimes you pick one of the other teachers and make him the science teacher.

Well, isn't that interesting? Thank you for sharing that with us, Gordy.

Remember when you used to be a human being? When people thought you were smart and listened when you spoke?

Maybe you were damaged, maybe you were prone to seizures, but you were still useful.

Still human. Beautiful, sacred, magical.

[e-b-reads]

Books of the month: Nov 2022

Now that I am about 5 books into December...let me post my books of the month for November! Since I have been gaining a steady trickle of new followers, I will reiterate that I usually try to pick the books I read in a month that I would recommend to other people to read. This doesn't necessarily mean my favorites of the month, and it also doesn't mean that they're objectively the best books ever, though they're usually books I like and that I think are at least pretty good.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Sherman Alexie): I think this is good to read because, even though it's fictionalized, it's a book about the true experience of being a young Native American guy trying to figure out how best to grow up. Obviously, this fictional kid's specific struggles and wins aren't universal to all Native Americans, but it's still good for us non-Native people to read about them. Also, I think that despite being very specific, Junior's experiences can be somehow relatable to a lot of folks in one way or another.

A Long Way From Chicago and A Year Down Yonder (Richard Peck): These are readable alone, but also they're both very good and they're children's books, so they're quick. In the first, Joey narrates stories over a series of summers as he and his younger sister visit their larger-than-life grandmother in the Illinois countryside; in the second, Joe's all grown up and Mary Alice is the narrator as she lives with Grandma for a year during the depression. The books are full of understated humor, and a lot of heart.

Animal Dreams (Barbara Kingsolver): It was interesting to reread this recently, after having read lots of Kingsolver's more recent books since the first time I read it. It's not a happy book, in a lot of ways. But it has hope, which is maybe more important. A consistent thing in Kingsolver's fiction is that she doesn't shy away from describing the scary things in the world--whether personal or global--but she also considers how her characters, and we, get through them or exist--even thrive--despite them.

[ameliathefatcat]

With all the issues in the world and with so many governments going down the toilet something my history teacher told me is really sticking to me.

Bad history teachers are a threat to National security.

That is what she believes and why she became a history teacher. I agree with her. Bad teachers are threats to National security. Not teaching students about history is a threat to National security. Teaching students a white washed history is a threat to national security. It’s not just history, it’s also science and English teachers who are important. With all of the missinformation it’s important students to how the world works and understand basic science. Especially with anti vaxxers and flat earthers. Good English teach students how to be critical thinkers and think for themselves. Reading books from authors, genres and time periods give students a better understanding of the world out them. I didn’t enjoy many of the books I read such as The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie or The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Manly because both books had like no likable characters. But I’m glad I had to read them for school especially The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Reading it gave me a look on how it is the be a Native American living in the USA and trying to break the cycle of poverty.

Teachers need to be treated much better, we need to give them respect so they can stay in profession and give it their all. They are the ones to prepare the youth for the real world. Some of the most important people in society. Yes there are crappy teachers out there, ones that don’t care, ones that have favorites, ones that are ableist, racist, sexist etc, teachers that in all honesty shouldn’t be teachers. I do have teachers I dislike and one that I hate (she didn’t understand my IEP) but still most teachers want what’s best for their students. I’m super grateful for many of the teachers I had throughout the years. Teachers are the backbone of society and we need to treat them like that.

Being an elementary school teacher is one of the carers I’m looking at (and the one that’s is most possible) and I want to be the teacher that students come back to say hello years later. I want to leave positive impact on my students. Make them love going to school make them feel like they belong, teach them to I brace themselves and respect others as well. Make them love learning want to know as much as possible. Ask questions and be good people. If I become i teacher I would love to work at the elementary school I went to, because that’s where my love for learning came from and I feel like life would have come full circle

[sasha4books]

List of Banned Book to Pick From

(Note: Check trigger warmings for all books)

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook et al

A Bad Kitty Christmas by Nick Bruel

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Alice Austen Lived Here by Alex Gino

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds et al

All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

All Because You Matter by Tami Charles et al

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Ana on the Edge by A.J. Sass

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Flamer by Mike Curaton

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Sold by Patricia McCormick

Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck

The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier

The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klause

Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi

Drama, by Raina Telgemeier

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

George by Alex Gino

I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Ulysses by James Joyce

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

The Naked Lunch by William Burroughs

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez

Bodies Are Cook by Tyler Feder

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

[rockislandadultreads]

Banned Books Week: Freed Between the Lines!

Exercise your freedom to read this Banned Books Week by checking out one of these frequently challenged/banned titles!

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

In this autobiography, Maia charts eir journey of self-identity. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, this book is more than a personal story; it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity - what it means and how to think about it - for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.

This book has been challenged/banned for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit. 

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

This is the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Based on the author's own experiences, this book chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

This book has been challenged/banned for profanity and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit. 

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

This book has been challenged/banned for profanity, violence, and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

This book has been challenged/banned for depictions of sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, and profanity. 

[archivlibrarianist]

From the article:

"Assistant Superintendent Bridgette Exman had a difficult task — How could she vet 42 books, several of which she hadn't read, to determine if they needed to be removed from Mason City's school libraries, as a new state law required?"

Did "read, or at least skim the books" come to mind? Did "check reviews of the book" come to mind? Did "ask colleagues who have read the book" come to mind?

No. Of course not.

Back to the article:

"Her conversations with colleagues across the state gave her an idea: Maybe AI could help."

"So the Mason City Community School District administrator took a list of 42 titles for review that the district had compiled from banned book lists around the U.S. and called up ChatGPT on her computer.

"Then she typed: 'Does [book] describe a sex act?' plugging in a book title, and waited for the answer."

No considerations of whether the "depictions of a sex act" were within a context that was appropriate, for example, in a sex education book, or in the case of Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, a non-graphic discussion of masturbation.

It's going to get worse from here.

[jimhines]

School Book Bans of 2021-22

A lot of the banned books lists I see online are rather outdated or in some cases flat-out wrong. So I wanted to put together something a bit more current. These are the most-banned books in U.S. schools from the 2021-22 school year:

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The subject matter of banned books included:

LGBTQ+ Themes, Protagonists, or Prominent Secondary Characters (41%)

Protagonists or Prominent Secondary Characters of Color (40%)

Sexual Content (22%)

Issues of Race/Racism (21%)

Themes of Rights/Activism (10%)

In other words, the books people were most actively banning -- the books they're most afraid of -- were books about non-straight, non-cis, non-white characters.

See https://pen.org/report/banned-usa-growing-movement-to-censor-books-in-schools/ for more information, or for your recommended reading list.

[thebanishedreader]

Book Bans in Colorado (Pt. 2)

As of June 2023

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

Brief Summary: Author Maia Kobabe (e/em/eir) tells eir experience finding the words to express eir identity through adolescence and adulthood, from inside the closet and out.

Banned pending investigation as of September 2022.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Blackwell's (UK)

Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human (A Graphic Novel) by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan

Brief Summary: An approachable and thoughtful graphic novel that covers topics ranging from romantic and platonic relationships to understanding the functions and connection of one's body, and how those interact in a social world.

Banned from libraries and classrooms as of September 2022.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Blackwell's (UK)

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie*, illustrated by Ellen Forney

Brief Summary: Junior, an indigenous-american adolescent and aspiring cartoonist is torn between escaping his poverty and addiction-stricken home life on the Spokane reservation, and facing racism and other obstacles for a chance at achieving his dream.

Banned from libraries as of February 2023, based on a formal challenge.

*Rather than including links to places you can purchase this novel to support its circulation, I am including a link to a full downloadable PDF. While it is a remarkable book, Sherman Alexie has been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women. I cannot in good faith condone the purchasing of his novel and the addition of money to his estate, since he used that fame and wealth to victimize women. So, read the book! It's wonderful, but do not buy it.

Download Full Novel Here

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Brief Summary: Sethe, an emancipated enslaved person, is haunted by the horrors of her violent past on a farm called Sweet Home. Her future is not free either, as her new home is haunted by the horrible loss of her unnamed infant, whose tombstone bears only one word: Beloved.

Banned from libraries as of February 2023, based on a formal challenge.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Blackwell's (UK)

Statistics Source: Pen America

Support the American Library Association!

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Sam Metz

Published: Jun 2, 2023

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Good Book is being treated like a bad book in Utah after a parent frustrated by efforts to ban materials from schools convinced a suburban district that some Bible verses were too vulgar or violent for younger children.

And the Book of Mormon could be next.

The 72,000-student Davis School District north of Salt Lake City removed the Bible from its elementary and middle schools while keeping it in high schools after a committee reviewed the scripture in response to a parental complaint. The district has removed other titles, including Sherman Alexie’s “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” and John Green’s “Looking for Alaska,” following a 2022 state law requiring districts to include parents in decisions over what constitutes “sensitive material.”

On Friday, a complaint was submitted about the signature scripture of the predominant faith in Utah, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church. District spokesperson Chris Williams confirmed that someone filed a review request for the Book of Mormon but would not say what reasons were listed. Citing a school board privacy policy, he also would not say whether it was from the same person who complained about the Bible.

Representatives for the church declined to comment on the challenge. Members of the faith also read the Bible.

Williams said the district doesn’t differentiate between requests to review books and doesn’t consider whether complaints may be submitted as satire. The reviews are handled by a committee made up of teachers, parents and administrators in the largely conservative community.

The committee published its decision about the Bible in an online database of review requests and did not elaborate on its reasoning or which passages it found overly violent or vulgar.

The decision comes as conservative parent activists, including state-based chapters of the group Parents United, descend on school boards and statehouses throughout the United States, sowing alarm about how sex and violence are talked about in schools.

Because of the district’s privacy policy, it’s unknown who made the request for the Bible to be banned from Davis schools or if they are affiliated with any larger group.

A copy of the complaint obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune through a public records request shows that the parent noted the Bible contains instances of incest, prostitution and rape. The complaint derided a “bad faith process” and said the district was “ceding our children’s education, First Amendment Rights, and library access” to Parents United.

“Utah Parents United left off one of the most sex-ridden books around: The Bible,” the parent’s complaint, dated Dec. 11, said. It later went on to add, “You’ll no doubt find that the Bible (under state law) has ‘no serious values for minors’ because it’s pornographic by our new definition.”

The review committee determined the Bible didn’t qualify under Utah’s definition of what’s pornographic or indecent, which is why it remains in high schools, Williams said. The committee can make its own decisions under the new 2022 state law and has applied different standards based on students’ ages in response to multiple challenges, he said.

An unnamed party filed an appeal on Wednesday.

The Bible has long found itself on the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books and was temporarily pulled off shelves last year in school districts in Texas and��Missouri.

Concerns about new policies potentially ensnaring the Bible have routinely arisen in statehouses during debates over efforts to expand book banning procedures. That includes Arkansas — one of the states that enacted a law this year that would subject librarians to criminal penalties for providing “harmful” materials to minors, and creates a new process for the public to request materials be relocated in libraries.

“I don’t want people to be able to say, ’I don’t want the Bible in the library,” Arkansas Democratic state Sen. Linda Chesterfield said during a hearing.

Parents who have pushed for more say in their children’s education and the curriculum and materials available in schools have argued that they should control how their children are taught about matters like gender, sexuality and race.

EveryLibrary, a national political action committee, told The Associated Press last month it was tracking at least 121 different proposals introduced in legislatures this year targeting libraries, librarians, educators and access to materials. The number of attempts to ban or restrict books across the U.S. in 2022 was the highest in the 20 years, according to the American Library Association.

“If folks are outraged about the Bible being banned, they should be outraged about all the books that are being censored in our public schools,” said Kasey Meehan, who directs the Freedom to Read program at the writers’ organization PEN America.

==

LOL.

For the record, I don't want the bible "banned" or even removed from libraries (we need more atheists), however it's not unreasonable, nor is it censorship, to ensure that like any film and any book containing sex, nudity and mature themes, its availability is age-appropriate.

If there's no relevant age at which a book would be age-appropriate - e.g. Judith Butler in elementary school libraries - then it doesn't need to be there.

[onebluebookworm]

ALA most challenged books of 2022 - surprise, surprise, they're mostly queer again

Funny how all that crowing about keeping "sexually explicit material" out of the hands of minors turned out to just be an elaborate smokescreen to censor queer voices and authors of color. Funny that.

It's been a truly harrowing couple of years for book banning. Last year, the ALA documented 1,269 demands to remove materials from libraries, the highest it's been since they began keeping the numbers 20 years ago. It's nearly double what was reported in 2021, with 2, 571 unique titles being targeted for censorship.

Top Thirteen Most Challenged Books of 2022:

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe Number of challenges: 151 Challenged for: LGBT+ content, claims of being sexually explicit

All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson Number of challenges: 86 Challenged for: LGBT+ content, claims of being sexually explicit

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Number of challenges: 73 Challenged for: depictions of abuse, "critical race theory", claims of being sexually explicit

Flamer by Mike Curato Number of challenges: 62 Challenged for: LGBT+ content, claims of being sexually explicit

Tie - Looking for Alaska by John Green and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky Number of challenges: 55 Challenged for: LGBT+ content, claims of being sexually explicit (Alaska)/depictions of sexual abuse, LGBT+ content, drug use, profanity, claims of being sexually explicit (Wallflower)

Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison Number of challenges: 54 Challenged for: LGBT+ content, claims of being sexually explicit

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Number of challenges: 52 Challenged for: profanity, claims of being sexually explicit

Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez Number of challenges: 50 Challenged for: depictions of abuse, claims of being sexually explicit

Tie - A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, Crank by Ellen Hopkins, Me, Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews, and This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson Number of challenges: 48 Challenged for: Claims of being sexually explicit (Court)/drug use, claims of being sexually explicit (Crank)/Profanity, claims of being sexually explicit (Earl)/LGBT+ content, providing sex education, claims of being sexually explicit (Gay)

Your support matters now more than ever. Donations strengthen ALA's efforts to fight censorship, support libraries and library workers undergoing challenges, and increase awareness about attempts to the nationwide assault on the freedom to read. If you're able, please consider donating to the Office for Intellectual Freedom today.

[thoughtfulfangirling]

2023 Reads

A new year means a new book list! I don't think I can top my 2022 count, but that's okay! I'm not totally sure what my reading goals this year will actually be, but I guess I'll sort it out on the way! XD For future reads, here's my 2024 list!

Four Treasures of the Sky - Jenny Tinghui Zhang

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - Frederick Douglass+

The Bear and the Nightengale - of the Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden

The Secrets We Keep - Mia Hayes

Indian Nations of Wisconsin: Histories of Endurance and Renewal - Patty Loew+

The First Sister - Linden A. Lewis^

The House of the Seven Gables - Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury~

Fin Mac Cool - Morgan Llewlyn^

How Long 'til Black Future Month by N. K. Jemisin

Lavinia - Ursula K Le Guin^

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin*

Black Cowboys of the Old West: True, Sensational, and Littke-Known Stories form History - Tricia Martineau Wagner+

The Mysteries of Thorn Manor - Margaret Roberson%

Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space - Amanda Leduc+

Her Majesty's Royal Coven - Juno Dawson^

She Who Became the Sun~ - Shelley Parker-Chan*

The Witch King - H.E. Edgmon^

Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree*

Mistress of the Art of Death - Ariana Franklin^

The Adventures of Amina El-Serafi - S.A. Chakraborty

Humankind: A Hopeful History - Rutger Bregman+

The Folk Keeper - Frannie Billingsly*%

Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens - (Suzy) Eddie Izzard+

Juniper & Thorn - Ava Reid

Upright Women Wanted - Sarah Gailey%

I Await the Devil's Coming - Mary MacLane+

Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut~

Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Workers' Rights - Molly Smith & Juno Mac+

The Woman in White - Wilke Collins^

King of Battle and Blood - Scarlett St. Clair

Sarah - J.T. LeRoy^

The City Beautiful - Aden Polydoros^

Freshwater - Akwaeke Emezi

Always the Almost - Edward Underhill

All Systems Red - Martha Wells%

The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller

Nevada - Imogen Binnie

A Dowry of Blood - S. T. Gibson

The Prince - Niccolo Machiavelli

The Second Rebel - Linden A Lewis

Get a Life Chloe Brown - Talia Hibbert

The Hero and the Crown* - Robin McKinley

What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing - Bruce D Perry & Oprah Winfrey+^

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea - Rebecca Thorne

The Eye of the Heron - Ursula K Leguin

Artificial Condition -Martha Wells%

The Kraken's Sacrifice - Katee Robert%

Crown Duel - Sherwood Smith*

Rogue Protocol - Martha Wells%

Remarkably Bright Creatures - Shelby Van Pelt

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self Involved Parents - Lindsay C Gibson+

Wildcat: The Untold Story of Pearl Hart, the Wild West's Most Notorious Woman Bandit - John Boessenecker+

The History of Wales - History Nerds+%

Ander & Santi Were Here - Jonny Garza Villa

The Glass Castle - Jeanette Walls^

Rosemary and Rue - Seanan McGuire^

The Gilda Stories - Jewelle Gomez

Irish Fairy and Folk Tails - Various+

The Dead and the Dark - Courtney Gould

Haunted Wisconsin - Michael Norman and Beth Scott+

The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris

The Ruins - Scott Smith

He Who Drowned the World - Shelley Parker-Chan

Fledgling - Octavia Butler

Vampire Forensics: Uncovering the Origins of an Enduring Legend - Mark Collins Jenkins+

The Vampyre - John Polidori%

This is Halloween - James A Moore

Sorrowland - Rivers Soloman

The Lamb will Slaughter the Lion - Margaret Killjoy%

Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Love Her or Lose Her - Tessa Bailey^

One Last Stop - Casey McQuiston*

The Last Hero - Linden A. Lewis

Lovelight Farms - B. K. Borison

Reindeer Falls Collection: Volume One - Jana Aston

Currently reading: One Last Stop (Audiobook to help me sleep XD)

Nonfiction is annotated by + A Re-read is annotated by * A book completed from the list below is annotated by ^ A Read with Empty will be annotated by ~ A Novella %

My current, loose and not that interesting goal for this year is to really work on the books I have current access to right now... at the start of this year. Because it's a lot XD This means books currently favorite in Scribd, on my StoryGraph 'to read' pile, or a book I currently own on my shelves. Main goal is at least one of these a month.

For my own personal reference, I'm putting a list of such books below to hold myself accountable.

Edit: Now the end of 2023, and here's a breakdown of my goal to read books I already had access to at the start of 2023:

I didn't read one a month per se, but I got more than 12 done, so I call this a win. These books are:

-Can't Spell Treason Without Tea - Rebecca Thorn -The City Beautiful - Aden Polydoros -Finn Mac Cool - Morgan Llewlyn -The First Sister by Linden A Lewis (proceeded by the other two in the series) -Get a Life, Chloe Brown - Talia Hibbert -The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls -Haunted Wisconsin - Michael Norman & Beth Scott -Her Majesty's Royal Coven - Juno Dawson -I Await the Devil's Coming - Mary McClane -The Kraken's Sacrifice - Katee Robert -Lavinia - Ursula K Le Guin -Love Her or Lose Her - Tessa Bailey -Mistress of the Art of Death - Ariana Franklin -Nevada - Imogen Binnie -The Prince - Niccolo Machiavelli -Rosemary and Rue - Seanan McGuire -The Ruins - Scott Smith -The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller -Sarah - J.T. LeRoy -Vampire Forensics - Mark Collins Jenkins -What Happened to You? - Oprah Winfrey -The Witch King - H. E. Edgmon -The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

The books I did not get around to reading from this list are as follows: Black Water Sister by Zen Cho; Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye (o); The Book of M by Peng Shepard (o); Charity and Sylvia by Rachel Hope Cleves (o); The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (a); The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey (s); Fallen by Lauren Kate (o); Fanny Hill by John Cleland (o); Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender (s); The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea (s); The Great Hunger by Cecil Woodham-Smith (o); Helping Her Get Free by Susan Brewster (o); The Impossible Girl by Lydia Kang (s); Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (o); The Merry Spinster by Daniel Lavery (o); On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (o); The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang (s); Radiance by Grace Draven (a); Watching the Tree by Adeline Yen Mah (o); The Willows by Algernon Blackwood (s); Wings of Fire (o); Witches Steeped in Gold by Clannon Smart (o); The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid (s)

23/46 Whoa! That's exactly 50% of the books I had on my list! That's pretty cool! All in all, I consider this 2023 goal successfully done!

[sixbucks]

Follow up to the post about “banned” books:

For all my book banning needs my first stop is the American Library Association (ALA) website. To my mind they are at the forefront of protecting the First Amendment rights of Americans by defending writers and publishers from having their books removed from circulation.

Furthermore librarians are veddy good at keeping records and churning out statistics.

Every year the ALA publishes a list of the books that have had their appropriateness publicly questioned. Here is the most recent list currently available.

Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2021

The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 729 challenges to library, school, and university materials and services in 2021. Of the 1597 books that were targeted, here are the most challenged, along with the reasons cited for censoring the books:

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images

Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, profanity, and because it was considered to be sexually explicit

Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez

Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for depictions of abuse and because it was considered to be sexually explicit

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, violence, and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references and use of a derogatory term

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and degrading to women

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Reasons: Banned and challenged because it depicts child sexual abuse and was considered sexually explicit

This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Reasons: Banned, challenged, relocated, and restricted for providing sexual education and LGBTQIA+ content.

Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin

Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.

Fortunately for us, the ALA is unparalleled in record-keeping book challeges. Unfortunately, perhaps one day perhaps their excellence will one day extend to their accessibility. There’s a wealth of great info on their site about book banning attempts, proposed legislation, Banned Books Week, and other goodies. Good luck finding it!😅

(Insert the more you know)

[harmonyhealinghub]

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian: A Captivating Journey of Identity and Resilience

Shaina Tranquilino

October 26, 2023

Sherman Alexie's novel, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," is a powerful coming-of-age story that delves into the challenges faced by Native American teenager Arnold Spirit Jr., also known as Junior. Through humour, heartbreak, and introspection, Alexie skillfully explores themes of identity, resilience, friendship, and the pursuit of dreams. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at why this novel has resonated with readers worldwide.

A Glimpse into Reservation Life: "The Absolutely True Diary" offers readers an authentic glimpse into reservation life on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington State. As Junior navigates between his community and the predominantly white school he chooses to attend outside the reservation, we witness firsthand the stark disparities in resources and opportunities. This contrast underscores deeper issues like poverty, alcoholism, racism, and cultural assimilation that many Indigenous peoples face daily.

Humour as a Coping Mechanism: Alexie brilliantly infuses humour throughout the narrative to alleviate some of the weighty topics addressed in the book. Junior uses his wit to cope with difficult situations while providing readers with moments of genuine laughter. These humorous anecdotes serve as reminders that even amidst adversity, it is essential to find joy wherever possible.

The Quest for Identity: One of the central themes explored in "The Absolutely True Diary" is Junior's quest for identity. Struggling with feeling like an outcast both within his tribe and at his new school, he embarks on a journey to find his place in the world. Alexie paints a complex picture of how one's sense of self can be shaped by culture, heritage, family dynamics, personal experiences, and societal expectations.

Friendship as a Lifeline: Throughout his journey, Junior develops profound friendships that provide solace during challenging times. With his best friend, Rowdy, and a new ally in Penelope, Junior finds unwavering support, loyalty, and understanding. These relationships highlight the significance of connection and how it can help individuals overcome adversity.

Resilience and the Power of Education: As Junior leaves behind the reservation to attend a predominantly white school outside his community, he faces numerous obstacles. However, his determination to pursue education becomes a symbol of hope for both himself and those around him. Alexie emphasizes the transformative power of knowledge and the importance of breaking free from societal constraints to achieve one's dreams.

An Authentic Voice: One cannot discuss "The Absolutely True Diary" without acknowledging its semi-autobiographical nature. Drawing from his own experiences growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation, Alexie brings an authentic voice to every page. This personal touch adds depth and rawness to the story while allowing readers to gain insights into Native American culture often overlooked or misrepresented in mainstream media.

Final Thoughts: Sherman Alexie's "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" is a profound exploration of identity, resilience, friendship, and the pursuit of dreams against all odds. By blending humour with heart-wrenching moments, Alexie crafts a novel that resonates with readers from different backgrounds worldwide. Through Junior's journey, we are reminded of the importance of cultural pride, empathy, understanding, and perseverance in navigating life's complexities.

Whether you're seeking an emotionally charged coming-of-age story or hoping to gain deeper insight into Native American experiences, "The Absolutely True Diary" is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who embarks on this remarkable literary adventure.

[sliebman10]

28, 54 and... 86 for the book rec asks, I am curious 👀

Hello lovely, thank you for the ask <3

28. a book you wish you could read as a beginner again

One of my favorites is Summer Sisters by Judy Blume, and it would be so much fun to read that one again for the first time.

54. a book with the best opening line

I don't know about the best, but the one from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian is a pretty good one:

"I was born with water in the brain."

86. a book with an insane plot twist

Gone Girl was definitely one that had an insane plot twist, for anyone who hasn't read it. Though I can't say I really liked the twist all that much.

[rockislandadultreads]

Banned Books Week: Let Freedom Read!

To celebrate our freedom to read this Banned Books Week, we will be shining a light on the most challenged books of 2022. Next up are the 7th, 8th, and 9th most challenged titles.

Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

For Mike Muñoz, a young Chicano living in Washington State, life has been a whole lot of waiting for something to happen. Not too many years out of high school and still doing menial work - and just fired from his latest gig as a lawn boy on a landscaping crew - he knows that he’s got to be the one to shake things up if he’s ever going to change his life. But how?

In this funny, angry, touching, and ultimately deeply inspiring novel, bestselling author Jonathan Evison takes the reader into the heart and mind of a young man on a journey to discover himself, a search to find the secret to achieving the American dream of happiness and prosperity. That’s the birthright for all Americans, isn’t it? If so, then what is Mike Muñoz’s problem? Though he tries time and again to get his foot on the first rung of that ladder to success, he can’t seem to get a break. But then things start to change for Mike, and after a raucous, jarring, and challenging trip, he finds he can finally see the future and his place in it. And it’s looking really good.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by Ellen Forney that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez

"This is East Texas, and there's lines. Lines you cross, lines you don't cross. That clear?" 

New London, Texas. 1937. Naomi Vargas and Wash Fuller know about the lines in East Texas as well as anyone. They know the signs that mark them. They know the people who enforce them. But sometimes the attraction between two people is so powerful it breaks through even the most entrenched color lines. And the consequences can be explosive.

Ashley Hope Pérez takes the facts of the 1937 New London school explosion, the worst school disaster in American history, as a backdrop for a riveting novel about segregation, love, family, and the forces that destroy people.

[coffeeshopdrawings]

a really long and pointless ramble on one of the most boring books i've ever read, and how a danmei (TGCF) is deeper than it: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

God. I fucking hate this book. For context, I was recently assigned this book in my English class. I was assuming it would share a lot of themes with To Kill a Mockingbird but with a different perspective. And let me tell you, I appreciate that book WAY more after this

Plot

True Diary is about a Native American teenager who lives on a reservation and struggles with poverty. After having a talk with his teacher after throwing a book at him (I'll touch on that later), he decides to move to a school in a farm town mostly populated by white kids.

This Book is Extremely Oversexualized for NO Reason

There are multiple points throughout the novel that just- really shouldn't be there. Here are some quotes:

"Naked women + right hand = happy happy joy joy. Yep, that's right, I admit that I masturbate. I'm proud of it. I'm good at it. I'm ambidextrous. If there was a Professional Masterbators League, I'd get drafted number one and make millions of dollars. And maybe you're thinking, "Well, you really shouldn't be talking about masturbation in public." Well, tough, I'm going to talk about it because EVERYBODY does it and EVERYBODY likes it."

"Have you ever watched a beautiful woman play volleyball? Yesterday, during a game, Penelope was serving and I watched her like she was a work of art. She was wearing a white shirt and white shorts, and I could see the outlines of her white bra and white panties. Her skin was pale white. Milky white. Cloud white. She she was all white on white on white, like the most perfect kind of vanilla dessert cake you've ever seen. I wanted to be her chocolate topping."

"The score was like 12-0. But I didn't care. I just wanted to watch the sweaty Penelope sweat her perfect swear on that perfectly sweaty day."

Gross right? There are more scenes like this, but I don't have the quotes on hand. At one point a kid said he got a "metaphorical boner" from reading, and the main character almost kissed a book once (more on that later!!)

The Unnecessary Derogatory Language

In the prologue, the r-word is prominently used, and the word Indian is used to replace Native American to describe the main character (from the main character's perspective). That is excusable, as the author based the main character off himself. He is a Native American and has excess spinal fluid. However, there are two examples of this book using genuine slurs. Of course, the main character hadn't said it, but my point still stands. The thing is? Take these out and NOTHING changes. Removing this language in a book like To Kill a Mockingbird actually has an excuse for this language since, ya know, it was made in the 1920s. This book? No reason. Just kinda throws in the f-slur and the n-word in there once.

The Plot is BORING

When it says "diary" IT MEANS A DAIRY. Take Diary of a Whimpy kid and strip it of the plot, add some horniness, and there. That's the book. The very inciting incident doesn't even make sense. Basically, our MC is about to make out with his textbook, until he realizes it has his mom's name on it. He's mad that the textbook is old. That's it. So he throws it at his teacher! This breaks his teacher's nose, but you know what happens? The teacher says that the kid got mad cuz. . . poverty??? It read like our MC was just mad they had an old book. But apparently, that means that they have a fighting spirit or something. SO THAT'S HOW HE ENDS UP GOING TO THE OTHER SCHOOL. His parents don't disagree, there's no argument, nothing. The only thing that comes from it is that his best friend (who is low-key a dick) is mad that he's leaving the reservation school for an all-white person school.

Okay. The title. How does Tian Guan Ci Fu act better as a book than this?

You see, here's the thing. In True Diary, there is ZERO takeaway. There really is nothing to learn from it. There's no lesson to learn, no challenge to overcome, nothing to think about. It's DEVOID OF LIFE! Yet, look at TGCF. so many people have taken away meaningful messaging from it. I've personally taken a liking to Hua Cheng, and especially the idea that he doesn't care about all the extravagant things he owns, but instead just his beloved. I relate to that a lot, and it speaks to me. And then look at True Diary? What does this serve? What can I learn? What can I think about?

okay that's it bye bye this was really long and dumb :)