Oprah Pulls Children's Book From Her Web Site

[hoppyfrog]

Eve--

Do you teach at a high school?

Hoppy

 

[eve]

Eve--

Do you teach at a high school?

Hoppy

Yup!

Eve

 

[Rino]

I think Oprah has every right in the world to not recommend a book for whatever reason - it is her list after all!

Of course it is. But she liked the book, thought is was spiritual , the book won awards and was on her list. She took if off not becuase of the books contents, but because she didn't like the authors past. That is passing judgement based on the authors previous misdeeds he tried to escape. Additionally she has always been a strong proponant of forgivess and moving on, but not here imo - that is my right

 

[SewingDeb]

So right, Nova, my approach exactly. I have been in a running disagreement with my boss about the Kite Runner. I want to teach it because my students have a only very faint understanding of or exposure to
the middle east, and I think it is relevant in today's world. My boss seems to think the one incident of sodomy (so relevant to the book's meaning and not graphic or gratuitous) will subject us to too much flack. The hoops I have to jump through are ridiculous.

Eve

I love the Kite Runner. My daughter was required to read it last year (she's a senior this year) and recommended it to me. I could not put it down until I had read the whole thing. I see nothing wrong with this one for high school students.

 

[Nova]

So right, Nova, my approach exactly. I have been in a running disagreement with my boss about the Kite Runner. I want to teach it because my students have a only very faint understanding of or exposure to
the middle east, and I think it is relevant in today's world. My boss seems to think the one incident of sodomy (so relevant to the book's meaning and not graphic or gratuitous) will subject us to too much flack. The hoops I have to jump through are ridiculous.

Eve

A friend of mine teaches high school in a town north of L.A. He tells me he finally gave up suggesting changes to his syllabi because the approval process takes 2 or 3 years and countless hours of struggle.

I hope you'll keep up the good fight.

 

[Nova]

Of course it is. But she liked the book, thought is was spiritual , the book won awards and was on her list. She took if off not becuase of the books contents, but because she didn't like the authors past. That is passing judgement based on the authors previous misdeeds he tried to escape. Additionally she has always been a strong proponant of forgivess and moving on, but not here imo - that is my right

Does it make a difference that this is a living author? Maybe she doesn't want to recommend something that increases his bank balance.

 

[eve]

A friend of mine teaches high school in a town north of L.A. He tells me he finally gave up suggesting changes to his syllabi because the approval process takes 2 or 3 years and countless hours of struggle.

I hope you'll keep up the good fight.

You know Nova, I have days where I want to, and days that I don't. Sometimes I just do what I want and luckily I have a lot of autonomy and my immediate supervisor gives me that. Don't ask, don't tell.

The crying shame: the trash these kids digest on a daily basis on tv, the internet, etc. But people worry about a literary work. The same parents who won't ok R movies (educational) have kids doing things that would curl their hair if they knew. One kid I had could never get his permission slips signed to watch or read certain things in my class. He is the same kid who snuck a porn disc into my classroom and put it in a girl's laptop. Obviously, he has a history and mom knew it but I don't think Les Miserables with its one bare breast scene (rated PG-13 anyway) would have corrupted him too much.

Eve

 

[Rino]

Does it make a difference that this is a living author? Maybe she doesn't want to recommend something that increases his bank balance.

He died in '79. My guess is if the were the intent it would backfire. You know the old ... "any publicity is good publicity"

 

[BOESP]

If I remember correctly, The Education of Little Tree was written decades ago (maybe early 1970s or late 1960s). I'm not sure why the prize in the early 1990s, but Asa Earl Carter has been dead for years too.

The scam part was when Carter was alive he tried to pass off the story as his factual autobiography. It is the story of an orphaned Indian boy (supposedly Carter himself) who is raised by his grandparents in the Cherokee Nation on the North Carolina/Tennessee border. The story is excellent but fictional and not autobiographical. Much like Alex Haley's Roots, the gaps were filled in with fiction and embellished with what made an interesting story.

I don't think what Oprah approves of or disapproves of should effect what anyone else reads. She only has an opinion, just like the rest of us. :innocent: In my opinion, the book is an excellent read for children and teens but Carter should have been up front about it being fiction.

 

[eve]

If I remember correctly, The Education of Little Tree was written decades ago (maybe early 1970s or late 1960s). I'm not sure why the prize in the early 1990s, but Asa Earl Carter has been dead for years too.

The scam part was when Carter was alive he tried to pass off the story as his factual autobiography. It is the story of an orphaned Indian boy (supposedly Carter himself) who is raised by his grandparents in the Cherokee Nation on the North Carolina/Tennessee border. The story is excellent but fictional and not autobiographical. Much like Alex Haley's Roots, the gaps were filled in with fiction and embellished with what made an interesting story.

I don't think what Oprah approves of or disapproves of should effect what anyone else reads. She only has an opinion, just like the rest of us. :innocent: In my opinion, the book is an excellent read for children and teens but Carter should have been up front about it being fiction.

Sounds familiar, maybe that's why Oprah begged off (James Frey).

Eve

 

[BOESP]

Sounds familiar, maybe that's why Oprah begged off (James Frey).

Eve

I don't understand what you mean about "why Oprah begged off (James Frey)."

 

[eve]

I don't understand what you mean about "why Oprah begged off (James Frey)."

Sorry, just thought maybe she dropped the Little Tree book because it was fiction protrayed as fact after what happened with Frey's Million Little Pieces (reportedly a memoir but later learned to be fictional - Oprah was furious).

Eve

 

[Nova]

You know Nova, I have days where I want to, and days that I don't. Sometimes I just do what I want and luckily I have a lot of autonomy and my immediate supervisor gives me that. Don't ask, don't tell.

The crying shame: the trash these kids digest on a daily basis on tv, the internet, etc. But people worry about a literary work. The same parents who won't ok R movies (educational) have kids doing things that would curl their hair if they knew. One kid I had could never get his permission slips signed to watch or read certain things in my class. He is the same kid who snuck a porn disc into my classroom and put it in a girl's laptop. Obviously, he has a history and mom knew it but I don't think Les Miserables with its one bare breast scene (rated PG-13 anyway) would have corrupted him too much.

Eve

It is ridiculous, isn't it? Believe me, I thanked my lucky stars every day I taught that at the university level, I didn't have to deal with parents. (Sometimes they visited, of course, which I allowed. I mean I didn't answer to them for my courses.)

 

[Nova]

He died in '79. My guess is if the were the intent it would backfire. You know the old ... "any publicity is good publicity"

Oops! Thanks, Rino. I misunderstood. I'll put him in the "Dead Authors" file from now on.

 

[angelmom]

Of course it is. But she liked the book, thought is was spiritual , the book won awards and was on her list. She took if off not becuase of the books contents, but because she didn't like the authors past. That is passing judgement based on the authors previous misdeeds he tried to escape. Additionally she has always been a strong proponant of forgivess and moving on, but not here imo - that is my right

She did take it off b/c of the content. She discovered it was a work of fiction that was clearly misrepresented as the truth.

I think part of the reason that she took it off her list is also b/c she probably got some flack from Native American groups after they enlightened her about his message and how he portrayed their people.

If it had been autobiographical, then it would be hard to argue with. BUT, he made up a story that casts native people in a negative light and portrays the white man as his savior. When she discovered this, she had every reason to reassess the book.

He clearly did this b/c of his strong beliefs in the superiority of the white race. I don't blame Oprah for having mixed emotions about recommending it. Her sticker on a book carries a lot of weight, whether it should or not, and some people would use that for their own perverse objectives.

 

[philamena]

I have to jump and and say that A Million Little Pieces by James Frey is one of my all time favorites. I am anxious to read his next book.

I never cared if it was true or not, rarely does a book grab me like that one did and that is what really mattered.

Oprah needs to be careful about making judgments, IMO.

I love that book too and agree with your other comments.

 

[capps]

Of course it's acceptable for Oprah to reject the book,it's her website to do as she wishes.What I think is sad,is our society as thinking human beings,that put so much weight on one person,in this case Oprah,to decide for us what we should or should not read.

I can't believe how many people use Oprah's book list as bible,and will almost blacklist a book,if she doesn't like it.No one should have that kind of power,and we are to blame.