Sarah Palin's autobiography Going Rogue has been banned by several Marin County bookstores, chain and otherwise. (Though there are few "otherwises" left.) Indeed, it was moose-loving citizens, not to mention tie-dyed-in-the-wool Democrats, who petitioned booksellers to thwart shipments of the 432-page tome. (Is Michener's Alaska even that long?) However, some of the very bookstores refusing to promote Ms. Palin's memoir are stocking additional copies of the December issue of Playgirl featuring Levi Johnston's, um, abs. (In case you haven’t been watching Extra, he's the father of Palin's grandson and is also--oops--her nemesis.)
As far as we know, no books have been banned in Marin bookstores for a good long time. Although back in 1961 a San Anselmo bookstore owner was accused of knowingly selling Henry Miller's "obscene" novel Tropic of Cancer. After he was found innocent by a Marin jury, local booksellers began restocking their shelves with Miller. Ah yes, and then there was the Larkspur homemaker who pushed the Redwood High Library to censor J.D. Salinger's The Catcher In The Rye. Unlucky for her, high school trustees refused. Even today school libraries may choose not to carry "controversial" books, but then they must face potential parent (and student) protest.
Back to Sarah. Speaking of libraries, when she was mayor of Wasilla, she allegedly tried to do away with the town librarian. (Not with an aerial rifle, however.) Seems the librarian refused to remove books that Sarah found objectionable. But residents found Sarah's intentions objectionable, and rose up to defend the popular librarian. Wow--isn't there a book in that?
Playgirl is still around???
Pray tell which bookstores, as I will never set foot in their stores again!
Posted by: Marianne | Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 06:53 AM