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.
Right to Read Day!
O ur freedom to read has been under assault for what seems like an eternity. And, the attacks on libraries aren’t just book bans anymore. Now, the groups and individuals behind these attacks on libraries are cutting funding, threatening programs, and most frighteningly, trying to pass laws that target educators and library workers. Even the Department of Education is... Read More.