It’s an oversimplification, perhaps. Reading books won’t make everything better in a world that seems determined to continually catch fire in new places while old fires continue to burn.
Reading can give you a reprieve. Stories can give you hope.
We were proud to be part of the social media campaign put on by I Heart Sapphic and the Golden Crown Literary society for Banned Books week. The week was all about encouraging awareness about the book banning issue happening around the world. The graphics below were created by PEN America, and the numbers are scary.
Banning books is about authoritarian control. It’s saying, “I don’t want to read this, so no one should read this.” It’s also saying “I believe in certain things, and that means you don’t get to read or think anything that doesn’t agree with what I think.”
That, my friends, is a dangerous, dangerous place. One we’ve been in before and which led to a horrific section of history. And this is why we can’t stay silent. That’s why we must use social media as a tool for good, for outreach, for empathy, for understanding, and for connection. Free will and free thinking create a stronger world. One where someone in control demands that freedom curtailed can quickly become one where fear and silence become the norm.
We simply can’t let that happen.
How can you help? Social media makes it really easy, if you’re in that part of the cyber chaos. Sharing author’s posts, letting people know about the books you’re reading, and generally making books a conversation topic is a great, simple way to help. Here’s a little list, again from PEN America:
See those social media icons? You can find Butterworth Books on all three of them. If you’re over there, give us a follow. Check out our posts. And if you can, hit the share button and spread the word. Help give other readers a bit of hope and a bit of light in the dark.
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