Everyone wants to say that they read. It makes you sound educated and cultured. But where do you start? It’s a huge question. Most of us have very little experience other than high school-era Romeo and Juliet or The Great Gatsby. However, that’s not a problem. The books you ought to be reading are banned books!
1. I thought we read books that were approved and liked by everyone. That’s why they’re called classics, right? Why read banned books? Isn’t that sort of the opposite?
Well, not exactly. Classics are often fought over. The canon—the collection of books which we teach and revere are the very best, composed of 'classics'—changes shape as the years pass. Much of the time, very successful books are also very controversial ones. That’s another way of saying that banned books lists are often populated with the most important works of the canon. Ulysses, the novel by James Joyce, was almost prevented from being read in the United States until Random House won a court case and was allowed to have it published by its literary merit. Now, it’s arguably the most popular novel of the 20th century.
2 Couldn’t I just pick up a book from the popular reading section at the library? Isn't that easier?
Yes. You certainly could. And yes, it's much easier. But will reading the next vampire-romance-science-fiction-gothic-brothers-grimm-retelling be fulfilling and inject your life with new meaning? Probably not. Books which challenge us by both their ideas and form (yes, I’m talking about books that are ‘slow' to read) are in fact those most likely to make us wiser. Banned books very often fit this criteria.
3. I disagree with what the novel is saying. Can’t I just put it down and read Harry Potter?
Don’t spread nasty lies about me on this one. I love Harry Potter, too. But maybe reading the works of Nietzche or George Orwell’s 1984 will help you better understand that which you disagree with. How could we ever hope to understand what we believe without knowing what we disagree with and how to articulate our differences? To quote Aristotle (yes, I know it’s cliché to do this), “It is the sign of an educated mind to entertain an idea but not accept it.” Just give it a try. You’ll thank me, I promise.
4. Okay, maybe you’re right. But I’m too busy. I don’t have time to read!
I understand. Many of us have a lot to do! However, I have recently noticed something which might help. Most people treat reading like it’s an event which requires at least a half-hour to do. That, however, is patently untrue. If you take five minutes before breakfast, another five minutes before a class, another five after dinner, and another fifteen before bed, that’s thirty minutes of reading. Using this method, you could get through a novel in just a few weeks. You could even churn through an ambitious summer reading list if you did longer segments of reading, too. Reading is entirely on your time. You can pick up and leave off wherever you like.
5. Fine, I guess you're right. Where do I start?
Well, here are a few lists to get you started! I’m so glad you’re making the commitment to read more. Reading is one of the best ways you can achieve a healthier, more active and disciplined brain. Enjoy these lists and pick whichever you see fit! On top of it all, many of the titles listed are available for free online or on kindle:
1. American Library Association
2. Banned Books Week
Happy reading!
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