Banned Books Awareness: “Captain Underpants”

April 21, 2013 R. Wolf Baldassarro 0

Most of us aren’t surprised by “Fifty Shades of Grey” being the fourth most-challenged book of 2012, but would you expect a children’s book to make number one? Dav Pilkey’s “Captain Underpants” has been repeatedly banned or challenged due to concerns over offensive language and charges of being “unsuited for […]

Banned Books Awareness: “Gone with the Wind”

April 7, 2013 R. Wolf Baldassarro 10

Some label it as historical romance; while others argue that it doesn’t have all of the required elements, thus making it simply an historical novel- but all would agree that the 1936 work by Margaret Mitchell is one of the quintessential works of American literature. Gone with the Wind garnered […]

Banned Books Awareness: “Neonomicon”

January 6, 2013 R. Wolf Baldassarro 2

Well here we are at the beginning of another new year- a time for fresh starts, new hopes, and the promise of endless possibilities; a time to look ahead to a brighter, smarter future. The only problem is that not everyone got the memo: This is the year 2013- not […]

Banned Books Awareness: “Les Misérables”

November 11, 2012 R. Wolf Baldassarro 4

I was searching literary lists trying to decide which novel to cover this week when I saw something that made my jaw drop and my head shake in a bewildered double take- Les Misérables, the classic novel by Victor Hugo about the trials and tribulations of an intertwined group of people during […]

Banned Books Awareness: “Different Seasons”

October 14, 2012 R. Wolf Baldassarro 3

Stephen King is one of the most recognizable names in literature. His horror-filled library of tales like Carrie and The Shining are classics on bookshelves and on the silver screen. His intense dramas exploring the human condition, such as The Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me, are likewise celebrated. But […]