Buy Some Banned Books for Your Literary Friends

If it was banned, it must be a seriously good read.

Guess what? The American Library Association is celebrating Banned Books Week this week. It's sort of a dubious celebration, the need to have this label on this week at all, since it's due to intense controlling stupidity, but that's just human, I guess.

What Banned Books Week does offer is a chance to purchase some banned books, and give them as gifts to the literary minded giftees in your life. A few recommendations include (with pithy commentary on perhaps why the banning; who knows what the censors were thinking):

The Great Gatsby: No book should ever be banned, but seriously, why this book? I just want an explanation.

To Kill A Mockingbird: Maybe the Anti Pork League got mad that Scout was dressed as a ham?

Lolita: For some obvious reasons, I guess. Don't give this book to a precocious 12 year old. On the other hand, one of the greatest, wittiest books I've ever read.

The Lord of the Rings: Could it be the presence of magick???

Lady Chatterly's Lover: With teen girls proudly toting 50 Shades of Grey around with no self consciousness, I think it's time to revisit some really well written smut.

In Cold Blood: Violent, yes. But perhaps the best piece of long form journalism ever.

Tropic of Cancer: See Lady Chatterly's Lover above.

Beloved: The combination of ghosts and condemnation of slavery makes this one a censorship slam dunk.

This is by no means a complete list. For that, go to the ALA site. Then, hit your local bookstore and buy 'em out.