Banned books for lunch today: SF Public Library

October 1, 10:51 AMSF Cultural Events ExaminerKate Cohen

Previous Next

2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the SF Cultural Events Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

 

Banned books that have gone on to have a glorious shelf life include Animal Farm, Naked Lunch, The Satanic Verses, and…The Very Hungry Caterpillar? It’s true.  Eric Carle’s beloved children’s book was once tossed from libraries in England's Herefordshire county for “promoting over-consumption and obesity.”

Need I list the dangers of banning books here? I think not.

Get thee to the front steps of the San Francisco Public Library today (12:00 – 1:30 pm) for a good old-fashioned rally for Banned Books Week. Bay Area literati such as Tamim Ansary, Jane Ganahl, and Leah Garchik will read from their favorite banned works.

Here’s the official rundown on BBW from the American Library Association:

"Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. Intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met."

Well said, ALA!