Banned Books Week

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Banned Books Week

We love stories. That’s why we are in the business of storytelling. But what happens when certain stories are withheld from the public, access is denied in schools and libraries? This is no new concept, certain books still get banned. Censorship is still alive and well and continues to be implemented in school boards all over the world today.

This week, Sept 24th-Oct 1st has been declared Banned Books Week, a time when libraries, schools, and bookstores celebrate our First Amendment freedom to read. Whether it’s print or in the form of an audio book, stories are a precious resource that provide us not only with entertainment, but information, ideas, opinions that may otherwise not be heard.

Recently, there have been various books banned, books I recall reading way back in my high school English classes. Below are some commonly challenged books that you might be interested in. But as you review the list, ask yourself, where do you stand with the content questioned? Sure, there are various reasons why these books are banned, some due to sexual perversity or overall obscenity like Lolita, or because of political, religious, or racial grounds, but does that make it right to remove it from bookshelves?

Commonly Challenged Books:

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee –A classic work of literature that was banned two years ago from a high school in Brampton, Ontario due to the prejudice in the novel. A parent objected to the language used, like the vulgar “N” word used in reference to African-Americans.

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut – Although this book came out 42 years ago, this summer a high school in Missouri banned Kurt Vonnegut’s counter-culture classic from its library and curriculum alleging the book promoted “values contrary to those found in the bible”.

Others include:
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
1984 by George Orwell

Looking for Comic Relief? – A Review of Fluke

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 Looking for Comic Relief? – A Review of Fluke

I once read that a doctor actually prescribed Christopher Moore books to a patient who needed to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol. How awesome is that? I guess laughter really is the best medicine!

To those of you who haven’t experienced the joy and sometimes unending laughter or fits of giggles that come from listening to a Christopher Moore audio book, I suggest that it’s about time you did! I am a huge Christopher Moore fan and recently sat down to listen to Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings.

This is story about  whale researchers (or action nerds as they are lovingly described) who are trying to discover why the Humpback Whales sing. They have been living in Hawaii and documenting whale songs for years without any real leads on why the whales sing. After hundreds of hours of work, they finally hire a young, stoned fake-Hawaiian with dreadlocks who unexpectedly gives them their first real clue about what the whales are singing. Unfortunately for the action nerds, this is where the trouble starts. Their house is broken into, their ship is missing, and the head researcher is eaten by a whale.

Christopher Moore takes his listeners on a wild ride where any science that you don’t understand is simply, magic. I highly recommend that you start listening to this, or anything else by Christopher Moore, but be careful where you listen. Public transit riders may give you some strange looks when you’re sitting on the bus laughing to yourself.

Are Genres Becoming Less Divided?

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Are Genres Becoming Less Divided?

It’s always great when you see young readers listening to your favorite authors like John Grisham, James Patterson, or even Candace Bushnell. If you’re asking yourself why kids would be listening to these adult writers, the answer is simple. This year we have seen many adult writers expanding their readership by writing stories for a younger age group. Now, everyone has the opportunity to discover these great authors.

British author Philippa Gregory, known for The Other Boleyn Girl, just announced that she will be writing four new young-adult historical romance novels. I couldn’t be more thrilled about this as I enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl.

John Grisham, Candace Bushnell and James Patterson have also joined in on readership expansion by writing YA best sellers. Grisham’s two Theodore Boone novels are both about a young lawyer who looks to be about 12 years old. Bushnell, known for writing Sex and the City, has published two audio books in her young-adult series, The Carrie Diaries and Summer and the City which are narrated by a younger Carrie. Patterson has also written Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life which was released this past summer.

It’s becoming clear that no matter what the genre is, everyone is on the hunt for a great story. I believe it’s important that a younger generation is able to grow up into reading or listening to great stories from great authors. The genre is slowly becoming less prominent. This is evident with the Twilight series, where women and men of all ages are reading a series intended for teens. The genre itself, “teen fiction” no longer holds the same weight as it used to. A great story is a great story, whether it’s intended for a younger or older audience!

The Art of Racing in the Rain – A Hidden Gem

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The Art of Racing in the Rain – A Hidden Gem

As an avid reader, I’m always scanning through staff picks, bestseller lists and book blogs for my next read. After seeing this book on a number of lists I figured it was time to give The Art of Racing in the Rain a try. I hadn’t heard any reviews, and didn’t know anyone who had read it, but it just kept popping up so I wanted to hear what all the fuss was about for myself.

The Art of Racing in the Rain is narrated by Enzo, the beloved family dog, on the day of his death. Enzo knows that he is different from other dogs, almost human, and he explains how he knows this and how he desperately hopes to come back to life as a human.

Throughout the story, Enzo is reliving his life as a dog and tells the tale of Denny, his race car driving best friend and human owner, Denny’s wife Eve and their daughter Zoe. There are many hardships faced by the family as well as many wonderful heart-warming events.

This audio book is brilliantly narrated and will take you on a wild ride of emotions. It is a wonderful pick for any fiction lover, and particularly great for those who love their canine companions.

Girls Have “Chick-Lit” Novels, But What Do Boys Have?

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Girls Have “Chick-Lit” Novels, But What Do Boys Have?

It’s funny; I came across an article today that made me think about something I have never really thought about, but probably should have. Let me ask you, have you thought about why boys/men don’t have “man lit” novels but we have “chick lit” novels? And I’m not talking about John Grisham or James Patterson novels who are open for anyone to read. Sure, lots of guys like them, but so do some women! Women that read these novels by Grisham, Patterson, and even Stephen King etc. are not subjected to being labeled any less of a woman. But a man reading a “chick lit” novel, that’s a whole other story.

I bet if I looked hard enough I could probably find a series of “boy books”, or maybe better yet, find a man to attempt to write them! But why aren’t they easily accessible. There are lots of stories directed at men but the difference is they can also be read by women, not like a “chick lit” novel. I know as a girl, I could easily find hundreds of “girly” books in minutes…but “man” books, I’m not so sure.

I would assume that a “man lit” novel, as I have cleverly named this new genre, would involve nonstop action, the occasional illustration, topics about gross food and music. Maybe they don’t exist because conventional wisdom states that boys don’t like to read a lot , especially romance, primarily what chick lit novels are based on. But even so, why not just have a book about characters in love with sports instead of a girl, falling for a car instead of falling head over heels for his girlfriend etc.

I guess the question is would boys find these topics appealing to read? I do find it troubling though to even suggest we reinforce stereotypes in these books, but that’s exactly what I find chick lit novels doing! They are stories that most women could probably relate to. So what books do men relate to? I mean by calling the genre “chick lit” we are already cutting off boys from reading any of these types of books. But girls aren’t really cut off from anything or at least nothing I can think of.

So, I ask you audio book fans, what would you call a genre strictly created for boys/men? Do you think they exist already in the same fashion as a chick lit novel?

Stephen King Is At It Again!

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Stephen King Is At It Again!

Our favorite spine chilling, master of horror author, Stephen King is at it again…and not in the same way as you’d think.

Stephen King, owner of the Bangor radio station, will be shaking things up on a new talk radio show. The show is said to feature a former Vice Presidential candidate and a former Maine Secretary of State’s Communications Director.

King stated that WZON 103.1 FM and 620 AM will be launching “The Pulse Morning Show” on Sept 12th, which will be airing every morning on weekdays and online at www.zoneradio.com. King is thrilled to see his station grow at a time where others are forced to cut their staff and decrease programming. He is excited to see what lies ahead.

“We’re going to try to be informative. We’re gonna be provocative. We’re going to be amusing, and we’re going to try to be a positive community force,” King said.

I have to admit, this doesn’t surprise me. I’m quite used to Stephen King’s audio books ruffling up a few feathers already, now he is doing it on the radio!