rinalia

I get a kick out of oakland raiders fans. Every now and then, I'll be on hwy 80 after a game and be like "whoa, there's a lot of black and silver flags, and wow, why is everyone wearing black shirts with a raider wearing a helmet?" The tailgaters are hardcore and a little scary, but I love them nonetheless, because they are enthusiastic and dorky (I don't tell THEM that, though).

Anyways, I've now learned my neighbors are part of the "raider nation". And only one of them is a guy - 8 women, 1 dude, two vans, five coolers, five or six boxes of beer, a grill and, I'm sure, something to put on that grill. 

The only reason I noticed all of this was because one yelled "OMG! Look at the doggie in the window!" Literally (except she said "OH MY GOD", not OMG!). I was all "WHERE!?!?!" Then I realized they were talking about Mina who was sitting on the window seat gazing at the spectale before her. They were all really enamored with the cute patchy-eyed pit bull. Who isn't, though? She IS the best "thing" since sliced bread. And chocolate. I know that's a stretch, but it's true - I'd take Mina over chocolate any day!

That is all.

Every year, the American Library Association publishes the most "controversial" books of the year. These are books that have been challenged by parents, libraries, schools, principals, and people who seem to think they know what is and is not appropriate reading material (like how gay penguins will turn our children gay). The lists highlight the paranoia and blatant stupidity of people who have too much time on their hands.

The ALA also has a list of 100 most challenged books, and a list of challenged books from Radcliffe Publishing's list of 100 greatest books of the 20th century.

This is my challenge - to read books from the ALA "most challenged" list and the Radcliffe list. Books I've already read have been removed. I am also including 2006's list and may/may  not include 2007/2008s. We'll see. 

I am giving myself until Mar/April of 2009 to complete this challenge.

ALA Info on Challenged Books

I'm giving myself a year and a half to complete this project, since it is well over 100 books. 

I'll try to review every book, including why it is on the challenged list and a few quotes.

And I'll even put in good effort to finish all the books, heh. Not every book is listed, because I've read some of them already. You can see the complete list here

Perhaps I could have chosen a more uplifting inaugeral book!

Title: Lord of the Flies
Author: William Golding
Challenge reason: Apparently the idea of humans becoming nameless "savages" is too "demoralizing" for the youth of the world.

Summary: Boys with names end up on deserted island loaded with fruit, nuts, coconuts and pigs. Many boys lose names, cover themselves in mud, kill pigs and each other. Much depressing fun is had.

Quotage:

There came a pause, a hiatus, the pig continued to scream and the creepers to jerk, and the blade continued to flash at the end of a bony arm. The pause was only long enough for them to understand what an enormity the downward stroke would be.

Have no fear, folks! The boys are ever so eager to slaughter some sows later on in the book. So much so that they keep picking out the females with a lot of piglets. Because that's a great way to keep the food supply well-stocked, in case you didn't know. Nevermind they have plenty of edible fruits and nuts and stuff, boys gotta hunt and gut and kill and blood-let. It's what british boys do!

Simon's mouth labored, brought forth audible words.
"Pig's head on a stick."
"Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!" said the head. For a moment or two the forest and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with the parody of laughter. "You knew, didn't you? I'm a part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are what they are?"

Ah yes, it's the poor butchered pig who gets to be the symbol for all that is wrong with "uncivilized" folk. If only there were more rules and glasses and conch shells to maintain order, then all would be well.

Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy.

Piggy was a coward who clung to the rules until his dying breath. He was a socially awkward kid picked on by others and with an idol-complex directed at Ralph. He wasn't wise, in my opinion. He was trying to fit in and trying to cope. He was human, just like the rest of them.

While this is a rather depressing book, I have to admit it was a page-turner. I finished it in a little over two hours, and cringed with every turn of the page. Rather masochistic of myself, really.

Now. I think that life would have been better for the children had they stuck to the gatherer lifestyle and enjoyed the fruit and nuts and berries and coconuts. Maybe not. Some of those kids had some real bad attitudes. And the adults in the book deserve a good whallop upside the noggin like fifty-five times with sharpened spears. Just sayin.