Leaves of Grass: A celebration of American democracy
W alt Whitman (or Uncle Walt as Robin Williams referred to him in the film Dead Poet’s Society) has been described as “the world’s poet of democracy.”[1] And, Leaves of Grass is his visionary collection of poetry celebrating his belief in democracy and the individual’s place in it. Whitman considered democracy to be an inevitable evolutionary force in human... Read More.
The Handmaid’s Tale: Our big mistake was teaching them to read
I had thought America was against totalitarianisms. If so, surely it is important for young people to be able to recognize the signs of them. One of those signs is book-banning. Need I say more? ~ Margaret Atwood [1] F ollowing the Supreme Court’s recent overturn of Rowe v Wade, Margaret Atwood’s book The Handmaid’s Tale has understandably become... Read More.
Fascist Busters: Diverse books thwart divide & conquer strategies
D ivide and conquer. We’re all familiar with this expression, primarily in terms of empire building, colonization or military strategy. But it’s a useful tool for internal politics as well. As poet Padraig O’ Tuama aptly phrases it: You divide and conquer a population, so they fight amongst themselves, and you don’t have to.[1] The divide and conquer tactic... Read More.
Follow This Book is Banned on:
