April '20: Read a Book With a Scandalous Past

[Lea]

Read a book that caused scandal or major controversy when it was first released. We're talking widespread bans, major social outrage, governmental or religious condemnation, the author being prosecuted, arrested or exiled for its writing, etc.

The scandal can also be related to the author or the publication of the book itself, for example, the book being a hoax or the author being a scammer or other kind of criminal (e.g. James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces").

ONTD POST: https://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com...

[Tejal]

I saw Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China on the ontd post today and realised I bought a copy some years ago and never had a reason to pick it up. It's a bit of a monster and I really struggled finding time to read my March pick, so I'm going to make sure I find time to read at least 20 pages a day in April to get back into good habits.

[Lea]

I'm going to go with Brick Lane, I had it on my TBR for a while but I was definitely moved to finally pick it up after reading about the controversy it generated! lol

[Avery]

Someone commented on the ontd post that they were going to read Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 and I totally forgot I preordered that so I will be reading that for this month's pick.

[Sasha]

I'm having a hard time finding a book for this challenge, because I don't know if the books I want were persecuted enough. Does Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone count? I feel like I keep running into the same 10 books on lists and I don't want to read those.

I hope others are having better luck than I am, with picking a book, lol.

[Alyssa]

i think, if it counts, i'm going to read Bastard Out of Carolina. i've had it for ages, and its been banned and was the focus of a supreme court ruling in Maine, which makes me think it should count :)

[Lea]

Sasha wrote: "I'm having a hard time finding a book for this challenge, because I don't know if the books I want were persecuted enough. Does Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret or [book:Harry Pott..."

harry potter definitely counts. I think the argument for the Judy Blume book is a little weak though.

[Wendy]

Forever by Judy Blume was probably more widely challenged.

[Despina]

I'm going to read Of Mice and Men because I saw it was banned from various US public and school libraries or curricula for allegedly "promoting euthanasia", "condoning racial slurs", being "anti-business", containing profanity, and generally containing "vulgar" and "offensive language".
On the plus side, it's a classic that's been sitting far too long on my library and it's quite short.

[li]

I'm going to read Lolita. I've never read it before so now feels like the perfect time to finally do it.

[Brittany]

I think I'm going to read either The Color Purple or, if the hold comes through, The Hate U Give.

[Lyn]

I decided to read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

[Wendy]

Since I'm lazy and pulling from my home library, I'm just going to re-read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the 67th time.

[court.]

I'm reading Frances Farmer's autobiography and it's fascinating. She is a super interesting character.

I'm also listening to the Harry Potter series (Jim Dale version) and its my first time revisiting the books in a good decade or so. And I expect to get Ronan Farrow's Weinstein book from my library soon!

[Emily]

I’m going to read Kim Jinyoung born 1982 when I get my copy of it on April 14 because that’s when it comes out and I’m so ready to read it.

[Dainey]

Gonna go with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Between all the withcraft and satanism hysteria associated with it in the past, as well as Rowling devolving from casual wilfully ignorant racism to a proper abuser-supporting terf with proud White Lady Opinions, I figure there's plenty of scandal to go around.

First time I read it, it was a (probably poorly) translated version of it sometime around the turn of the millenium, and I kinda wanted to give the original a go before I say goodbye to the series while I still have some nostalgia-tinted good will left.