100 Word Challenge: Rebel

We are smack in the middle of Banned Books Week (Sept. 22-28) and I celebrate every year. Based on archival lists, I have read a few several a lot banned books. You might be surprised to find out how many books you’ve read that were at one time or another banned or restricted at schools, libraries and universities.

I am a proud banned book reader and have several in my personal library, not simply because they are considered subversive by a select few and I’m a rebel, but because they are seriously fine books telling interesting stories.

I’ve read all the Harry Potter books, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “Bridge to Terabithia”, “The Golden Compass” ( the whole Dark Materials trilogy actually), “To Kill a Mockingbird” (one of my all-time favorite books), “The Kite Runner”, good portions of the Bible, “The Handmaid’s Tale”, “Fahrenheit 451” (the irony!), “1984.” “Animal Farm” and “A Prayer for Owen Meany.” I read banned books – “James and the Giant Peach” and “Light in the Attic” – to my children! We’ve even poured over “Where’s Waldo” books. The Horrors!

Censorship is a dirty word in my house. If you don’t like a book, don’t like the subject matter, if you just don’t like the author… don’t read the book. You don’t get to decide what I read, or my kids read, or anyone else reads.

Stay in your book aisle…

Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to read any books except the books that nobody reads. ~ George Bernard Shaw

This week’s word is:

Rebel

What to do:

Using “rebel” for inspiration, write 100 Words – 100 exactly – no more, no less. You can either use the word – or any form of the word – as one of your 100, or it can be implied. Include a link in your post back here, and add your story to the Mister Linky list. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave your submission in the comment section, or as a Facebook status post. Remember to keep spreading the love with supportive comments for your fellow Wordsters.