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Banned Book Club V

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Anaya’s Banned Book Club V

is a haven for literary rebels and courageous readers who dare to explore the pages that others have sought to suppress. In a dimly lit corner of a quaint bookstore, Anaya curates a collection of works that have faced censorship, controversy, and condemnation. From classics like "The Grapes OF Wrath" and "The Handmaid’s Tale" to contemporary novels challenging societal norms, the club thrives on the power of the written word to provoke thought and stir debate. Each meeting is a journey through forbidden narratives, where members discuss the impact and relevance of these books in today's world, fostering a community united by a shared love for freedom of expression.

America has documented nearly 16,000 book bans in public schools nationwide since 2021, a number not seen since the Red Scare McCarthy era of the 1950s. This censorship is being mobilized by conservative groups has spread to nearly every state and predominantly targets books about race and racism or individuals of color and books on LGBTQ+ topics as well those for older readers that have sexual references or discuss sexual violence. —PEN

Break The Silence Contest is running at this time here on P.S., and some of what I’ve read (personal memoirs) unfortunately could be banned! I don’t think that you would appreciate conservative groups banning your words, you may be a conservative as well. So why aren’t you doing everything in your power to stop banning books? Today I’m celebrating “Women’s Day” with women authors. The Well of Loneliness is among the most famous banned books in history. Best Seller!

The Well of Loneliness Novel/Fiction

by Marguerite Antonia Radclyffe-Hall

aka Radclyffe Hall/English poet

^{A groundbreaking work in lesbian literature}

If our love is a sin, then heaven must be full of such tender and selfless sinning as ours— Radclyffe Hall

Explore themes of love and identity
Of Stephen Gordon’s innate sense of masculinity
Since a child, her desire,  ‘women’
The idea that if love is considered a sin 
The unfolding of a female sexual invert
The act of loving must be a tender selfless act, revert? 
Love itself is not inherently sinful or
complexities of love, we shan’t ignore 
But rather the circumstances surrounding it
Misfits from Malvern to London and then to Paris!
Ira furor brevis, the frailty, taboo and strife
Fellow q***r characters, all walks of life
From the *sapphic salon hostess Valérie Seymour
To the 'miserable army' and more
of outcasts that frequents the 'merciless
Drug-dealing, death-dealing' bars of Montmartre
Written in another time, still support and solidarity to
generations of LGBTQ genre 

*Sapphic is an umbrella term for same-gender loving women or woman-aligned people, including lesbians and bisexual+ women. It is used to describe topics, activities, and ideas related to same-sex attraction among women. The term can also refer to the Greek lyric poet Sappho.

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Nancy Kaufman

Date: 3/12/2025 8:13:00 PM

Hi Anaya, I guess it is the dumbing down of America when classics like Gone with the Wind, To kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, The Color Purple, The Great Gatsby, The Jungle, etc. etc. are banned books. I couldn't believe that Amanda Gorman's motivating poem, The Hill we climb was banned..

Duke Beaufort

Date: 3/12/2025 1:35:00 PM

Anaya, It is odd that people on the right feel extremely threatened by LGBTQ+ ideas. These are not contagious diseases we're talking about. There's a dangerous mindset that the world must conform to their ideals. What's worse are those who just use this bigotry for political advantage. Did you see the federal government has a list of terms for removal from federal documents and sites. "Women" is one of the terms. Are you actually a curator in a bookstore? That's now a high profile occupation!

I Am Anaya
Date: 3/20/2025 6:34:00 PM

On the contrary, Duke there are studies of the genes and other such things which make sense, who knows if reincarnation , Hindu teachings have it's not biased of female and male you and i may of been both many times ago. Curator? I've spent hours at the Barns n Nobles all over the valley ha, it should count as credits in my classes at the local collage! ;)

Robert Gorelick

Date: 3/9/2025 11:18:00 AM

The Well Of Loneliness was groundbreaking in that it was the first popular novel with homosexuality as the theme. The protagonist is a lesbian who realizes at childhood that she is "different" in a society where sexual conformity must be followed, lest one is condemned to a well of loneliness. Published in 1929, it dealt with a subject so taboo that most refused to recognize or talk about it. Belated Women's Day greetings! Well-done, Robert

I Am Anaya
Date: 3/9/2025 1:16:00 PM

You are well read indeed, Robert master at most any subject, intelligence matters so much. Ty, poet, man of words! ~

Len Gasun

Date: 3/8/2025 7:09:00 PM

Well-expressed thoughts, sentiments and opinions through this amazing poem my dear poet friend, Anaya. For me, books will always educate, inform and may influence the readers. So sad that there are books to be banned too like movies. Thanks for the precious shares my dear poet friend and also for sharing your brilliant ideas including the card thing for my poem. So much appreciated. I'll try soon, dear. Abundant blessings to you and your poetry. God bless. Hugs

I Am Anaya
Date: 3/9/2025 1:13:00 PM

Posting it as a colorful travel post card, I saw you know how to post images now! A post card sending folks off with Jesus's blessing's. Ty sweet poetess!

Yann Rolland

Date: 3/8/2025 4:59:00 PM

i really don't understand that books are victim of politics, America can go crazy sometimes, read farhrenheit 451 ? Nobody is perfect but eveil "roams" ? here and there thanks poet

I Am Anaya
Date: 3/8/2025 5:23:00 PM

I want to, I shall put it on my list. The importance of books, critical thinking, curiosity, and the courage to question. Books are victims of conservatives (evangelists and other groups) It's all over the world Yann, shocking in America. Ty, my poet friend, I missed you! ~Spring blessings

Banned Book Club V

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