As a liberal bookworm, it is quite natural for me to have an affinity towards banned books (not banning books) and collecting quotes from banned books. Here are some that I love and cherish.
Banned Book Week
The American Library Association celebrates the Banned Book week 2018 between September 23 to 29. Of course everyone knows that, it has been the talk of the book blogger world for the past few weeks. Why am I, someone who doesn’t live in the USA , posting about it, right?
As a liberal bookworm, it is quite natural for me to have an affinity towards banned books (not banning books) and collecting quotes from banned books. Here are some that I love and cherish. Click To TweetI am an Indian, who lives at Dubai and I think banning books are more relevant to me than anyone else. In India books get banned for the weirdest reasons and as a country that has just decriminalized same sex relationship mere days ago, it may not be really surprising. More often than not, random books get challenged for religious reason, so much for being a secular country.
So my enthusiasm to give a voice against banning of books and the banned book week is quite understandable.
TEN QUOTES FROM BANNED BOOKS
I am sharing the quotes I love from the books that were banned in any given point of time in the USA. Let us get on with it.
― George Orwell, 1984
they say that time heals all things,
they say you can always forget;
but the smiles and the tears across the years
they twist my heart strings yet!
― J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
I like it when somebody gets excited about something. It’s nice.
― D.H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterley’s Lover
Obscenity only comes in when the mind despises and fears the body, and the body hates and resists the mind.
― Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
I can’t change where I come from or what I’ve been through, so why should I be ashamed of what makes me, me?
― Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale
I want anything that breaks the monotony, subverts the perceived respectable order of things.
― Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner
I opened my mouth, almost said something. Almost. The rest of my life might have turned out differently if I had. But I didn’t.
― Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
He Who Marches Out Of Step Hears Another Drum
― John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men
Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.
Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak
When people don’t express themselves, they die one piece at a time.
― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
I had given up some youth for knowledge, but my gain was more valuable than the loss
Pin me!
Let’s talk
What do you think about censorship? Do you have any favorite book that was banned or challenged in your country? Let us discuss.
I really love this post! It’s always books with diversity and with strong themes that end up banned, isn’t it? I really liked 1984, Of Mice and Men and The Handmaid’s Tale. I didn’t even know Of Mice and Men was banned DD:
I think Of mice and Men was banned for its racist tones and profanity. I haven’t read it though.
Love this post!
Glad you liked it.
FABULOUS. So many amazing books you’ve quoted, and to think there are so many in the world that would censor them. Great post!
Yes it is terrible that so many great books are getting banned or challenged.
What an AMAZING set of quotes! I am always blown away by the ridiculous reasons sighted when books are challenged and banned. The reasons let me know that those people have most likely not read the book they are trying to keep out of the hands of young people. I say let the kids read because we need better informed citizens if we want a better future.
I lost all faith when they tried to ban Harry Potter siting that it promoted sorcery and Satanism. God save us.
The J.D. Salinger one is one of my favorite quotes. I pinned like crazy here 😉 Awesome collection!
Yay, thanks a lot..
I never thought these were banned 🙁
They were banned at certain point of time in the USA.
Love those quotes and I don’t think any books should be banned. Obviously someone thought it was a good book to put it into print. Don’t like the subject? Don’t read it is my motto. But never tell someone else they can’t read a book, that just encourages them to read.
Totally agree with your argument.
I’ve only read three or four of these, but I love this idea for a post, and these are great quotes! I also like when people get excited about things, and I love the one about hearing a different drum.
I loved that quote very much.
Great post idea! And you chose great quotes. It’s hard to believe that some of these books were banned. And I was surprised to see The Hate U Give on here. People are still banning books????? UGH.
Yes THUG was removed out of the school library shelves very recently.
These are all some great quotes! I’ve been actually trying to research about banned books in the UK (where I am based) and it seems we are a lot more lenient over here!
Ugh, I did the same for India and the situation is pathetic.
I was surprised to see the titles that had been banned, and most of all, the recent ones – SMH!
Yes the recent ones have more stupid reasons, if you can believe that.
I cannot believe the list of banned books. It just keeps growing year after year. sigh
And the reasons for banning them are as crazy as ever.
It is so ridiculous that some of those books were banned. I liked your quotes. There are some timeless classics up there.
Yes the reasons are even more ridiculous.
I LOVE the THUG one – I think out of all the ones aside from maybe The Catcher in the Rye (I hated this boom though) quote that speaks to me a lot. 😅 I think one of my childhood favorites that’s banned is Harry Potter? There might be a few others that I’ve read as well…
Oh, To Kill a Mockingbird! One of my favorite required reads. 🤗
I can’t believe some of the books they had banned right? Harry Potter, how in the world! Sigh.
I love 1984, THUG, and Of Mice and Men. They all have such wonderful meanings that it’s a shame that countries ban them. I love all of these quotes. My favorite is: “I can’t change where I come from or what I’ve been through, so why should I be ashamed of what makes me, me?”
Yes the one from THUG is super powerful!
Great post, and that 1984 quote is one of my favorites!!!
I am happy we share the same favorite quote!
Ohh, all nice ones; I particularly like the 1st one !!
As always.. im lost to identify what is what xD so banned books ? I couldnt tell you beforehand if I’ve read anything that is, I’d need to google what’s banned in Canada ..
ALA is celebrating their Banned Book week right now. So these books are banned only in the USA.
It’s news to me that The Hate U Give is a banned book already. Wow. I love your choices of quotes.
It was removed from a few schools for ‘vulgar language’ and ‘depiction of drugs usage’.