The media has been fraught with stories of schools in the United States about the banning of books. I have not dived into the details as to why there is a medieval resurgence of purging certain reads from certain libraries. I thought is was a given that the practice of banning books only serves to increase book sales and makes people want to read them more. Some people making those decisions aren't doing their marketing research. Book banning is the best marketing tool. Look at Prince Harry's book "Spare". It has become the biggest non-fiction best seller of all time. The media has done so much to sour Prince Harry's story, but it sure helped his book sales.
The very act of banning books communicates that books are transformative in the lives of children and adults. What I don't understand is the mindset behind the action. It is 2023... why are people still trying to hide information from their children. Most of the kids (and I'm not talking five year olds) have access to information that would make their parent's toenails curl. Maybe the wisdom doesn't lie in restricting the information, maybe the wisdom lies in having conversations about what is out there. Bring the books in the home and discuss them. Ask your children what they think. What a concept. These are just my thoughts. I'm not a parent. I didn't have that journey. But we live in very different times. Controlling information is impossible now. We need to have conversations and stay active in the lives of children. Banning books isn't the answer. Your children will find ways to read them and banning them makes the desire to read them even more powerful.
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I'm shifting gears. Today I am starting a year long book fast. I am doing a book ban in my own life. Strange maybe after I just said that book bans only increase the desire to read... but maybe that is the very reason that I want to go on this book fast.
Reading for me has been a lonely experience. I have no one to share my amazing reads with, except this blog. A computer program has become my best friend. The people closest to me aren't interested in hearing about the books that have captivated my attention lately. I want to share my passions with my special people. So when I find they aren't really interested in what I am passionate about... then it is time to find a passion that I can share with them. I am not all that interested in lonely passions anymore.
I love reading. I have had so many great reads as you can see from this blog. But my interest has waned as of late and I am wondering if the loneliness has taken over. I start a book and know that if I finish it, the only one I can share it with is this blog and the four or five people that find their way here. It worked for a while, but is is not sustaining me now.
So I am laying down books for a year. Maybe this time next year I might find a renewed passion and some reads that will draw me back into that space.
Until then, I will keep puzzling. I started a blog called "Puzzles with Stories" where I share some of my puzzles and the story behind them. I still like stories and won't take a hiatus from finding great stories. Puzzles have been offering me stories and I can share my love for puzzles with my people.
I don't think my book fast will alienate me from my favourite authors. Bart Ehrman and Pete Enns have great podcasts and I have been soaking so much more now in listening to people's voices.
I will still continue to hang out with my "best friend" I call my blog. I still get inspired to write poetry on occasion and I often share those on my poetry blog. I often share Grief stories on my Grieving blog. I have a week to go in my lent journey that I share in "Authentic Lent" , so I will never lack for writing and sharing space.
I am hoping this journey finds me less lonely. I can't say what books will mean for me in a years time. Maybe this is just the start of something bigger than just a book fast. I don't know. Today, I get to say "until later". But who knows how much later.
Now at the end of this post, you might be waiting to hear me say "April Fools"... Sorry... not this morning. I don't feel very foolish about this. I only feel sadness and maybe hopeful.
Maybe I will back here in a year... or maybe not. Time will tell.