From 2000 to 2007, the American Library Association received reports of 3965 attempts to have books removed from library shelves. Research suggests that for each challenge reported, there are as many as four or five which go unreported. (Get details at their website: www.ala.org/bbooks)
If you were an author, how would you feel if someone tried to have your books removed from library shelves?
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If I wrote a book and it was banned from schools’ curriculum and or certain libraries, I am not sure how I would react or feel. I guess it depends on what aspects or parts of my book were in question, and to the decree of the “banning”. I would probably be a little disappointed that some people may have a harder time obtaining a copy or people never being told to read my book from schools or word of mouth.
It would probably hurt sales a bit which would make it harder to make a living writing, but every artist knows that subjectivity is part of art. It always has been. We are fortunate with all these complainers that we aren’t living in another dark age. Perhaps it will come again. I don’t actually see this happening, if anything our society is the most lenient in what we view as offense, and do a pretty good job of showing empathy to those who are offended and or uncomfortable due to books or other forms of art. Some aspects of life are unpleasant for some and others find beauty in them. Artists should not have harsh feelings towards the people who are uncomfortable by the art and people should only have dislike for the work not the person. I’m surely it doesn’t always work this cleanly, but we can always hope.
It makes sense that most writers don’t seem to mind when their books are challenged because although it makes it harder to make a living; I believe good writers write for themselves and it usually just works out.
Adam Keaton
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