Go Set a Watchman

[SiRacer420]

Anyone else excited to pre order Go Set a Watchman? For those that don't know. It's the sequel to, although written before, To Kill a Mockingbird. I don't usually get too excited about books but To Kill a Mockingbird was one my favorites in school and now it's #4 on the banned book list.

 

[kronin323]

Though I am familiar with TKAM, I have not heard of GSAW. Hope you enjoy it.

And the banned book list is a joke; trying to stifle freedom of expression and shelter from other worldviews. Shame.

If you'd allow me to use your thread for this, I'd like to share with you (and anybody else) a short story that I found very moving and has stuck with me for decades. And I read a lot, so that's saying something. I've only ever had it as part of a collection in a hardback, but I was recently lucky enough to stumble across it in its entirety online. Formatting isn't the best, but all the text is there.

It might be easier to follow initially if I filled in some background, but the story does that itself eventually so I'll leave it uncommented. If you choose to read this, expect to put aside around 20 minutes for it.

The name is "For I Have Touched The Sky", written by Mike Resnick, originally published in 1990. It can be found here:

- Chapter 2

Happy reading.

 

[SiRacer420]

Harper Lee wrote Watchmen in the 50's and mockingbird was just a flashback in that book. The publishers liked mockingbird better so they had her write more of that. Now 55 years later we get the whole story. I'm super excited.

As for the banned book list, I couldn't agree more. But working in schools I see all those books boxed in closets and it makes me sad. Every once in a while I'll slip a copy of To Kill a Mockibgbird on the shelf. That or Lord of the Flies, In Cold Blood, or Of Mice and Men. I ant believe A Clockwork Orange is like 50 something and these are all much lower.

Resnick sounds familiar but I think I heard that name on The X Files lol. I'll give it a read this evening.

 

[Lexkempo]

Harper Lee wrote Watchmen in the 50's and mockingbird was just a flashback in that book. The publishers liked mockingbird better so they had her write more of that. Now 55 years later we get the whole story. I'm super excited.

As for the banned book list, I couldn't agree more. But working in schools I see all those books boxed in closets and it makes me sad. Every once in a while I'll slip a copy of To Kill a Mockibgbird on the shelf. That or Lord of the Flies, In Cold Blood, or Of Mice and Men. I ant believe A Clockwork Orange is like 50 something and these are all much lower.

Resnick sounds familiar but I think I heard that name on The X Files lol. I'll give it a read this evening.

Wait... Mocking Bird... Lord of the Flies and Mice and Men are BANNED?

What about Catcher? Fahrenheit? Animal Farm?

Why?

 

[SiRacer420]

All banned in public schools. 1984 as well. I don't know why. Because people are stupid, and because a government controls what is taught and how it's taught.

 

[kronin323]

Wait... Mocking Bird... Lord of the Flies and Mice and Men are BANNED?

What about Catcher? Fahrenheit? Animal Farm?

Why?

Technically in the US there are no books banned by law; the only prohibition is child porn. But private organizations maintain their own lists of books to ban, and lobby against them, and some districts (run by dipshits) actually listen to them...

It's really an ignorant, outdated worldview, that you can control what your children are exposed to. Live on a farm a day's travel from your neighbor, yes. But those days are long gone; they're gonna get exposed to the greater world one way or another. Instead you should educate them to make responsible decisions (at least in your eyes) when they are eventually exposed to things you don't like.

And if your worldview doesn't stand up to what their life experience teaches them? There's a quote by Arthur C. Clarke:

"A faith that cannot survive collision with the truth is not worth many regrets.”

 

[Yeti]

Wait... Mocking Bird... Lord of the Flies and Mice and Men are BANNED?

What about Catcher? Fahrenheit? Animal Farm?

Why?

All banned in public schools. 1984 as well. I don't know why. Because people are stupid, and because a government controls what is taught and how it's taught.

Thats crazy!

I am sure Lex is like me and ALL of those books were not only not banned, but we read them in english class!

 

[SiRacer420]

Thats crazy!

I am sure Lex is like me and ALL of those books were not only not banned, but we read them in english class!

Yep me too. Most in 6th and 7th grade.

 

[Lexkempo]

Thats crazy!

I am sure Lex is like me and ALL of those books were not only not banned, but we read them in english class!

Yup...7th to 11th grade ( HS grades over here)