Monthly Archives: July 2012

Banned Books Awareness: To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee’s immortal classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, was first published in 1960 to instant acclaim- despite her editors’ warnings that it probably wouldn’t sell all that well. In its first year of release it would garner rave reviews by The New Yorker and Time magazines, as well as...

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Using Inspiration to Transcend Tragedy

When incidents happen like last Friday’s shooting, we as a society always focus first and foremost on the negatives like the hows and whys, shouting endless, tired diatribes about gun control, violence, and social triggers from all points along the socio-political spectrum as we nitpick at the various elements...

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What is a “Real” American, anyway?

If you grew up in the ’80s like me, many of you probably spent Saturday mornings watching the WWF and Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling. You knew every line of Hulk’s trademark theme song and sang along before he pummeled the latest WWF heel. Come on, sing it with...

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Banned Books Awareness: Bastard Out of Carolina

Literature dealing with hot-button topics such as AIDS and child abuse are okay for classroom use- so long as those works have happy endings, at least according to the administrative board of the Fremont Unified School District in California. The board has approved other books with sensitive topics in...

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Thought for Food

One normally doesn’t find fast food to be synonymous with philosophy, or the source of creative inspiration, but a recent visit to a local Jimmy John’s sub shop was just that. The shop was decorated with signs scattered along the walls, positioned in just about every direction. Some were...

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Banned Books Awareness: Literary Freedom Update

Over these many months this column has shed light on some very real current events around the world in which the freedom to read has been challenged by individuals, or groups, armed with torches lit by the flames of ignorance. This week offers updates on some of those stories....

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