Customer Reviews

Places I Never Meant To Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers

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I am 26 years old, but I love kids books still and an old favorite is Judy Blume. I have read every word that she has ever printed that I can get my hands on. So when I came across this book, I bought it immediately, especially when I saw names like Norma Klein, another favorite of mine, Julius Lester, a professor of mine at the University of Massachusetts, Walter Dean Myers, Katherine Paterson and others that I used to love to read. All of these stories are engaging and thought provoking and I really believe any lover of fiction, who believes in educating children and not sheltering them, should read this book.

Censorship has been plaguing our society for years. I haven't been ignorant to it, but some of the issues that the authors of the stories in this book discussed hit very close to home with me. They help reinforce that censorship can be a very ugly thing that, in some cases, is a worse fate than silencing an author altogether, for it often attacks their judgment and self-esteem. A wonderful read, it's also important to note that all royalties produced from the sale of this book go straight to the National Coalition Against Censorship.

I could not put this book down! This kept me up and reading threw the night. Within this book, authors tell their stories, of why there book was banned, what their thoughts were, and it makes you ask yourself, "Was it necessary for this book to have been banned"? Authors like Judy Blume, David Klass, and Norma Klein all join together to express their feelings in the fight against National Censorship. These authors are all apart of the National Coalition Against Censorship. In this book, it gives you a brief summary of their thoughts and experiences with censorship. Then there is a chapter or two, on one of their own books. It really opens your eyes to the world of censorship.

Places I Never Meant To Be is a collection of short stories written by censored writers accompanied by each writer's personal experience with censorship. While the stories are mostly good, some of them are a little 2 dimensional simply because they didn't have enough time to develop their characters and/or situations.
I personally enjoyed the commentary more than the stories simply because it introduced me to an issue that I knew very little about. I was a little ashamed when my own hometown was mentioned as being a place where ludicrous censorship has taken place.
If you're not much for short stories, you might do well to simply read the introduction and each author's point of view. If you are, then you will probably enjoy this book.

I first picked this book up on a whim. I heard about it from another source a few years back and saw that it had several authors in it that I read as a child/middle schooler. At the time I had little experience with censorship or banned books (my school district, by in large, held an indifferent opinion towards the reading material of their students) so when I saw that Judy Blume had been censored several times I kind of stared in stupification. It's Judy Blume for crying out loud--she was almost as popular a choice for me as the Baby Sitter's Club books or the Boxcar Children. I never in my life thought she was inappropriate.

Apparently quite a few people did.

In her introduction to "Places I Never Meant To Be" (which you can read online here, at her webpage) she talks about a particular book that first her mother told her she couldn't read until she was older, and then a public librarian told her she couldn't read without permission from her parents. A Rage to Live by John O'Hara was the book. I never read it, but Blume explains that once she had read it far from being influenced by the going-ons of the characters in the book, she was interested in reading the rest of O'Hara's books.

The other contributors to the anthology don't express similar stories, but they do talk about when their books had been challenged, their feelings, how it influenced their writing or the fight that ensued. Their stories push the boundaries of what is considered 'age appropriate'. In "Spear" by Julius Lester, he tackles the issue of a mixed-race (potential) couple when both sides are racist and narrow-minded, in "Going Sentimental" Rachel Viehl paints an unfettered look at losing one's virginity, and in "You Come, too, A-ron" by Harry Mazer talks about Aaron and Kenny in the foster system.

These aren't stories filled with sex, drugs and (my favorite reason for censorship) disrespect for authorities and adults. They're real stories about real problems teenagers face. Some end well, others end sadly and a few end with a bittersweet wistfulness, but they don't try to sugar coat reality. And maybe that's why parents and teachers censor or ban their books. Keep the real world from intruding. They can't change reality, but they can keep it from touching the children as long as possible.

Not all the stories were to my liking. Katherine Paterson's story "The Red Dragonfly" seemed disjointed to me and too subtle (and I credit her book, Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom, as first getting me interested in asian history) for me to understand. And other authors I had never read before (oddly Norma Fox Mazer and Walter Dean Meyers, though I remember their books on my shelves).

I don't read genre fiction as a rule (reality depresses me), but I don't think that I am meant to 'enjoy' the book. Not in the same way that I enjoy Brandon Sanderson's epic fantasies or Georgette Heyer's historical romances at least. This anthology was thought-provoking and interesting, something I recommend if you want stories to discuss and reflect on.

this book offers an author's point of view of book banning. if you ever contimplated the neccesity of censorship you should definately pick up this book. well written and strong arguments for the power children have within themselves.

I loved these short stories. In some of them, I had difficulty understanding why they would be censored. So, okay, my favorite, Paul Zindel's "Love and Centipedes," is a little insane. It was also utterly perverse and simultaneously sickening and hilarious. This one is a real treat and focuses on one girl's infatuation with a popular high school jock with a cheerleader girlfriend. I also enjoyed Walter Dean Myer's "The Beast is in the Labyrinth," a look at the damaging effects of drug abuse (why would anyone have a problem with this story??) Other goodies include Julian Lester's "Spear" and another story called "Ashes," but just about every single one of these stories has something to offer. This book doesn't insult the reader's intelligence by hiding away subjects that it deems you are too immature to handle that exist out there in the world. I highly recommend it.

I agree with one of the reviewers that said the stories in this book could definitely been better had the authors had time to really indulge in the characters and the stories themselves. However, the were very enjoyable for the most part, even at my age. It amazes me how ignorant the world is about great literature and are so quick to want to ban a book just because there's some real life issues in it. It's not like kids are NEVER going to come across issues like sex and violence and foul language. They're going to see it sooner or later and it's better they realize what is ahead (or currently going on) before they have to meet it face to face. If they are introduced to certain things ahead of time, they may be more likely to have thought out what they would do in those situations and make better choices. And anyway, haven't parents learned yet that the harder the try and keep their kids' sheltered the faster they're going to rebel.

I am not a big fan of reading but I saw this book and it caught my eye. I started reading it and I couldnt put it down. I finished it in about 4 days. I am a very slow reader so I read for hours at a time. Its a book that once you start you cant put it down.

I was glad this book was published. I'm strongly against censorship in Fiction or Non-Fiction. I enjoy short stories too, and I liked most of the stories in this book. It's good for people who are already fans of the authors and who enjoy short stories.