Silver City, NM- The Miller Library hosted a banned books event on Thursday, September 15 in celebration of Constitution Day. The event showcased books banned in many countries that are free to be read in the United States, thanks to the Constitution.
Students, faculty, staff and community members performed readings from such diverse books as “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. James, “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck, and “The Killing Joke” by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. Many of the books featured violence, sexually explicit content and varying negative views on religion.
“I think that events like this are essential to reminding people of our duty to protect the free exchange of ideas,” said Michelle Reed, Acquisition Technician of the Miller Library.
Among the books on display at the event were Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild,” (banned in both Italy and Yugoslavia in 1929 and burned by Nazis in 1933) Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” (banned at a Texas High School in 1984) and “Don Quixote” (once banned by the Catholic church for the sentence, “works of charity performed negligently are of no value.”)
Miniature copies of the United States Constitution were handed out at the event.
