CCBC-Net Archives

RE: Alexie's Novel

From: sully_at_sully-writer.com
Date: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 07:16:49 -0700

Alexie's novel is repeatedly called "pornographic" in many challenges, a completely nonsensical characterization.  I've never been able to comprehend what it is parents who challenge this novel and other books think they are "protecting" their children from. Do they believe that kids who read scenes of sexual encounters will be driven to act them out? Do they actually believe their children are that brainless and easily manipulated? I suppose some of this irrationality is due to the fact that our society still assigns a great deal of authority to the written word. It's also probably due to the fact that some parents have a feeling of helplessness in our completely commercialized, increasingly media-saturated, digitized culture which is largely beyond their control. That must make books an inviting target, something that such people believe can be attacked and suppressed with relative ease.
 
 

Edward T. Sullivan, Rogue Librarian
 
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re:[ccbc-net] It's Perfectly Normal
From: Debbie Reese <dreese.nambe@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, March 07, 2014 6:22 am
To: CCBC-Net Network <ccbc-net@lists.wisc.edu>

Last month I was on Native America Calling (radio program) to talk about challenges to Alexie's book. The objections are due to its sexual content. In Montana, the Native parent community came out in large numbers and succeeded in keeping it on the shelves there.


His book is way up there on the list of banned/challenged books. You could easily find news stories. Here's one from Florida (and it references the challenge in NYC):

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Sherman-Alexie-Book-Assigned-to-Students-Stirs-Controversy-at-Miami-School-240045691.html

The comments you pointed us to, Ed, on It's Perfectly Normal on the KOIN news site Alyson pointed to... similar ones are on both, Amazon, and Goodreads. I agree. Twisted. 

Debbie



Debbie Reese, PhD
Tribally enrolled: Nambe Pueblo

Twitter: debreese

Website: American Indians in Children's Literature

Now: Studying for MLIS at San Jose State University
Then: Assistant Professor in American Indian Studies, University of Illinois 

==== CCBC-Net Use ====
You are currently subscribed to ccbc-net as: sully@sully-writer.com.

To post to the list, send message to...
    ccbc-net@lists.wisc.edu

To receive messages in digest format, send a blank message to...
    digest-ccbc-net@lists.wisc.edu

To unsubscribe, send a blank message to...
    leave-ccbc-net@lists.wisc.edu

==== CCBC-Net Archives ====
The CCBC-Net archives are available to all CCBC-Net listserv members.
The archives are organized by month and year. A list of discussion
topics (including month/year) is available at...
    http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/ccbcnet/archives.asp

To access the archives, go to...
    http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/ccbc-net

...and enter the following when prompted...
    username: ccbc-net
    password: Look4Posts

 

==== CCBC-Net Use ====
You are currently subscribed to ccbc-net as: ccbc-archive_at_post.education.wisc.edu.

To post to the list, send message to...
    ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu

To receive messages in digest format, send a blank message to...
    digest-ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu

To unsubscribe, send a blank message to...
    leave-ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu

==== CCBC-Net Archives ====
The CCBC-Net archives are available to all CCBC-Net listserv members.
The archives are organized by month and year. A list of discussion
topics (including month/year) is available at...
    http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/ccbcnet/archives.asp

To access the archives, go to...
    http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/ccbc-net

...and enter the following when prompted...
    username: ccbc-net
    password: Look4Posts

 

Received on Fri 07 Mar 2014 08:17:14 AM CST