Being that these are the final days of Black History Month 2012, I thought it wise to share a news story that is also sadly apropos to the subject of censorship. Prison officials in Alabama have banned a book detailing how the American South established a form of de facto...
To “rush through the yellow light” is a reference to a common practice for the more daring Chinese journalists who write about sensitive topics before the state flashes the red light of censorship. That’s what happened to “The Fat Years,” a dystopian thriller by Chan Koon-Chung, which is now...
Most people are familiar with the classic saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” uttered by George Santayana. He, himself, identified as an American and wrote exclusively in English, but the famous philosopher was born in Madrid and was a lifelong Spanish citizen even...
Last week I reported that the Plymouth-Canton Schools in Michigan resolved a challenge to the book Beloved; but the same parents that objected to that title also have their torches aimed at another novel- Waterland, by Graham Swift. And so it is that Graham Swift becomes the latest casualty...
The campaign against freedom doesn’t just limit itself to the literary classics of Shakespeare and Mark Twain. Works of fiction and non-fiction, both traditional and contemporary, are recurrent fodder for the flames. But did you know that even comic books are kindling for the fires of ignorance? Edited by...
As the story for my next book, A World of Ash, continues to take shape I thought I’d share the prologue from the book. As with all things of a creative nature this is a work in progress and nothing is set in stone until the day of publication....
Many New Years resolutions concern ways of improving the self- smoke less, exercise more; spend less, conserve more. These are worthy goals, but always subjective in nature and often fall to the wayside as circumstances and attitudes change while the year takes shape. As long-time readers of this column...
Hello, my name is Wolf. I am addicted to the camera. It might sound like the beginning of a 12-step meeting, but I think of it as a wonderful gift- the gift of creativity and expression. I believe that photography is poetry to the eye, and I started seeing...
The whirlwind weekend is over and life has returned to the normal daily grind, but I’m still smiling ear-to-ear from the memories of the 2011 Midwest Witches Ball. My best friend in the entire world, Racheal, helped with my booth and I could not have done this without her....
I am humbled and honored by all of the positive reactions across the country and around the world for my Banned Books Awareness and Reading for Knowledge series about censorship. The comments and the discussions are fun and informative and nothing short of amazing. I’ve even ruffled a few...