Salinger, Vonnegut & Silverstein

Although my list of favorite books is a long one, three of my favorites appear on the banned book list: A Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Slaughter-House Five by Kurt Vonnegut and A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein. These titles actually have quite a bit in common other than the fact they are on my favorite list and the banned list. Both Salinger and Vonnegut’s main character are outsiders of sorts and the journey they each take is one of personal growth and insight into the human condition. They are asking the questions to which everyone wants the answers. In the same manner many of Shel Silverstein’s poems are also seeking answers. I have read each of these books several times at different periods in my life and with each reading discovered new insights and ideas. These books speak to each of us in a unique and illuminating way and should be on the “Must read” list, not on the Banned Book list.

--Wilma L. Reeder