1. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson. Issues: homosexuality, religious viewpoint.
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie. Issues: language, racism, sex and violence.
3. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley. Issues: insensitivity, language, racism and sex.
4. Crank, by Ellen Hopkins. Issues: Language, drugs and sex (but not rock and roll).
5. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. Issues: sex and violence.
6. Lush, by Natasha Friend. Issues: drugs, language and sex.
7. What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones. Issues: sex and sexism.
8. Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich. Issues: drugs, accuracy, language, politics, religious viewpoint.
9. Revolutionary Voices, edited by Amy Sonnie. Issues: sex and homosexuality.
10. Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. Issues: religious viewpoint and violence.
The good news is that To Kill A Mockingbird and Catcher in the Rye dropped off the list this year. The not so good news is the classic Brave New World made it. I don't know most of the books on this list, though my high school daughter read Twilight. I didn't realize it was objectionable. I thought it was just boring. Kudos to Ms. Ehrenreich for managing to hit just about every hot-button issue other than sex.
I have not read the leader, And Tango Makes Three, but my understanding is that it is about penguins, a true story to boot. Sounds harmless enough until you discover it is about two male penguins raising a young flipper. You can see the problems here. Apparently, one of the males later moved on to a female. Hopefully being bi isn't quite so offensive to those who would ban this book.
Commenting on the list, American Library Association President Roberta Stevens said, "Danger does not arise from viewpoints other than our own; the danger lies in allowing others to decide for us and our communities which reading materials are appropriate." Amen.
Veteran commentator Andy Rooney had a few choice words on the subject of printed vs. electronic books on the venerable CBS newsmagazine 60 Minutes recently. Rooney already expressed his appreciation for the printed word in a commentary on his visit to the New York Antiquarian Book Fair a few years back, so his reaction was as expected and welcome. Rooney likes printed books. "If you were to make a list of all the good things in the world," Rooney said, "books would be right up near the top. Someone did a great thing when they invented books." He goes on to say, "I'm not interested in having my books on an electronic device. I want them in books. I want my words in books." If Andy Rooney represents the wave of the future, those who prefer the traditional, printed book have little to fear.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
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Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/00d5fd41-2542-4a80-b119-4886d4b9925f.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.")
