Bertha, Banned Books Week, and Biting Back with Acclaimed Author Lauren Groff
Celebrating the recent grand opening of The Lynx bookshop in Gainesville, Florida, and the freedom to read - Banned Books Week runs from September 22-28.
On the first date with my late husband in 1985, he took me to see a quirky two-man play called Greater Tuna at the Charles Playhouse in Boston. To refresh my memory while editing the date scene for my memoir in progress, I found a version of the comedy on YouTube. Two male actors, switching costumes between scenes, played the entire cast of characters in the fictional town of Tuna, Texas. One scene in the play, which was satire at the time, echoed the frightening reality of literary censorship occurring throughout our country today.
In the scene, a reporter from Houston named Chad Hartford interviews busybody Bertha Bumiller, who heads a subcommittee that censors library books. Bertha espouses the need to “protect the minds of the children.” Reporter Chad, with his exaggerated southern twang, asks Bertha why she pulled Roots, Alex Haley’s book, from the library bookshelves. She blithely responds, “Now, we don't deny that Roots has been a very popular TV series, but we feel it only shows one side of the slavery issue.”
I laughed at the absurdity of Bertha’s comments, but not without a reminder that similar words are being used today to alter textbooks and whitewash the darker aspects of our history. Individuals and special interest groups have attempted – often succeeding – to remove published works from classrooms and library shelves that educate and support students and others on the topics of race relations, sexual identity, and recognizing sexual violence. According to the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, a 2023 censorship report showed books (unique titles) targeted for censorship increased 65% from the previous year. This includes public libraries.
While censorship in the US has existed since the Puritans, the steep incline in the last two years infringes on the first amendment rights of our citizens. Fortunately, the literary community (from students to literary superstars) across the nation is fighting back, including acclaimed author Lauren Groff. Her bookshop, The Lynx, is a new addition to Main Street in Gainesville, Florida. Perhaps this endeavor prompted Time Magazine to name her one of its 100 most influential people of 2024.
Lauren’s idea to open the store blossomed when Florida took the nation’s lead in banning books. And who better to collaborate with than her husband, Clay Kallman, whose family owned a bookstore in town for decades? While The Lynx highlights challenged and banned books, it also focuses on general interest books and Florida writers.
As indie bookstore lovers, my husband and I traveled northwest from our home near West Palm Beach for the April 28 grand opening celebration. After turning onto South Main Street, it didn’t take long to spot the shop. A mural of a chestnut-color lynx stretches across the facade of the building, with the accompanying words, WATCH US BITE BACK.
In her opening speech, Lauren introduced the bookstore as a gathering place. “The Lynx is here to be a lighthouse, to shine tolerance and love into dark places,” she said. The day was filled with music, readings for children and adults, and book browsing and buying. Visitors’ ages ranged from at least one newborn (it’s never too early for books) to an enthusiastic nonagenarian (my estimate) waiting in a line of fifty (yes, I counted) outside the back door.
“The Lynx is here to be a lighthouse, to shine tolerance and love into dark places.”
The team of booksellers mingled with customers with a casual elegance. I know, because my husband and I bought over a dozen books. As I roamed around inside and on the outside patio, the photojournalist in me resurfaced, albeit with my iPhone instead of my Nikon. I introduced myself to visitors, volunteers, and staff during my quest to capture the spirit of the day.
AJ Stroh was among those looking for a safe space to meet with others. “I don’t get why people worry so much about how other people are living,” they said. “How I live my life doesn’t affect any of the people that are angry about it.”
Collin Whitlock, a private tutor, former teacher, and volunteer musician, praised Lauren and Clay. “I like a place that is striving to enrich our community by expanding horizons, rather than limiting,” he said.
Near the end of the day, I caught up with Lauren. She estimated thousands of people had flowed through the doors. “Everyone was wonderful,” she said. “We had the whole community in here looking around and buying books. It was a smashing success.”
In recent months, I’ve reflected on the classic books of my youth that are challenged or banned today: Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird; JD Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye; the book commonly referred to as The Diary of Anne Frank; John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, my high-school favorite. Each book taught me about the human condition and helped me prepare for a world that would not always be just and fair – which led me to the memoir-writing path I’m on today.
Now, this is where I could get caught up in a web of my tangled thoughts, but perhaps I will address the specific harms of book banning on real people in the future. For now, I’ll keep this post within the spirit of celebration.
I will imagine Greater Tuna’s Bertha Bumiller walking through the doors and chatting with readers with a banned book or two in their hands. Perhaps she would discover how diverse literature helps to develop critical thinking skills, instills compassion for others, and fills a need for readers – especially our youth – struggling to find their place in the world.
Resources:
The American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Statement
That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America: Louisiana librarian Amanda Jones provides an in-depth understanding of book censorship efforts today. Among many topics, Ms. Jones clarifies misinformation about the charge of pornographic books in schools and libraries and how the misinformation is used to villainize and threaten the livelihoods and safety of others.
PEN America: Book banning research and resources and the protection of free speech
Book banning vs challenged books
Recently Read Books:
The Chronology of Water, Lidia Yuknavitch, published by Hawthorne Books, 2010
I was blown away by the author’s guttural, yet enrapturing prose in this memoir of a swimmer who attempts to escape the pain and personal consequences of growing up with an alcoholic, sexually abusive father and a suicidal mother.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain, published 1884
I’m reacquainting myself with Huck and Jim in preparation for reading Persival Everett’s James, the reimagining of Twain’s book, told from Jim's point of view.
The Full Catastrophe: All I Ever Wanted, Everything I Feared, Casey Mulligan Walsh, published by Motina Books, forthcoming February 18, 2025
A memoir of resilience in the face of life’s many tragedies, including the loss of her adult son. Yet, Casey Mulligan Walsh survives and thrives in her search for love and belonging. I was honored to receive an advanced reader copy.
Thank you for reading and comments are welcome! Kathy
You are awesome!