Banned Books Week: Sept 27th - Oct 4, 2008

Ahh, Banned Books Week. A great week of the year where we all get to celebrate the idiocy of censorship by (usually) the Religious Right, eager to determine what it is we get to read. The above book - one of the most challenged books of all time according to this list from Time Magazine - is my absolute favorite book, banned or not.

I first read "1984" as a freshman in High School. I heard it was science-fiction, and it came highly recommended by my dad. I've read it pretty much every year since then, I've even started collecting interesting/vintage editions of the book. And you know how I know this book is a classic of unequaled quality? Each and every time I read it, I get something more from the tale of dystopian, Orwellian, martial law, and every time I come away with even more respect for the man who penned it. To tell a story that is so provocative, so jarring, so prescient, as to make your very surname an adjective (that it was merely a nom de plume matters little), is a feat that very few authors could ever hope for, let alone achieve.

Reading "1984" is always bittersweet for me. You see, whenever I finish it, I'm disheartened by my own ability to craft the written word. But at the same time, I'm astonished by the skill with which Orwell was able to weave such an incredible story.

As you listen to these songs that remind me of Orwell and "1984", think about the control that folks out there are trying to wrest from your hands by telling you what books you can and cannot read. You wouldn't think it by looking at them, but those wonderful, quiet librarians that help you find the "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" are some of the most staunch advocates for free speech that we have in our corner. So next time you're in the library browsing for your stack of books to keep you sated for the next few weeks, take a moment of your time to thank your librarian for all the work they do to ensure the free access to all information for everyone, not just the information that a committee has decided is appropriate for you.

Banned Books Week Official Site
American Library Association

"Communist Daughter" Neutral Milk Hotel
"Cocaine Socialism" Pulp

if the above image looks unfamiliar to you, that's because it's from the UK only edition of "1984" (paired with Animal Farm) with covers designed by Shepherd Fairey, of "Obey" fame.