Posted on 12/29/2004 12:36:31 PM PST by Mr. Silverback
The NEH seems to have made a good pick in L'Engle, but the NEH and the NEA shouldn't exist. Art is not a legitimate government function.
She wrote many other books that had no sexual connotations whatsoever. The first book I ever remembering picking out on my own and reading completely on my own in first grade was Freckle Juice which was one of hers.
I remember reading some of Judy Blume's books. "Blubber" is the one I remember the most clearly. I fail to see what the sexual stuff was in her books. I guess I would have to read them again to be certain.
Forever was a bit sexual. I remember reading it and being fascinated and embarrassed at the same time. It was my first venture into anything of that sort and it was kind of shocking. Hahahaha
I adore L'Engle's books to this day. They are well written and incredibly interesting. I re-read Wrinkle in Time and the rest of the books in that particular series every few years.
I read exactly one Judy Blume book, as a teenager, I believe. I don't remember there being anything sexual in it, but it was embarrassing - needlessly so. Bodily functions, yep. For example, I remember a boy urinating into a potted plant because a parent or sibling was taking too much time in the bathroom. Entertaining? Not in my book. Stupid? Yes. Yuck.
I never liked Blume's choppy teen titillators even when I WAS a teen. The above posting describes her books just as I remember them, even then. However, I devoured every L'Engle book I could get my hands on. This is not to say that I was any kind of literary snob at that (or any other) age, but quality is quality, and one doesn't need an English Lit degree in order to see the difference between the two authors.
If they made freckle juice into a movie it would be XXX! and don't even get me started on that piece of filth "tales of a fourth grade nothing!"
-just kidding, I used to read Judy Bloom when I was a kid I don't rememebr anything dirty in them. I am sure she might have written some books with sex in them, but I never read any of them.
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Hmm. I didn't remember that one at all. Thanks for mentioning it, I may have to take a look-see. Of course, all my children are boys-we may have a girl yet, lol-so it probably doesn't matter a whole heck of a lot to me. :)
"A Wrinkle in Time" was one of my favorite childhood books. I read it over and over.
Having said that, I also read many Judy Blume books and this article is really overstating the "sexual" angle, which was really only in some later books geared toward teenagers, like "Forever". The books I read as a kid included the aforementioned "Freckle Juice", plus "Iggie's House" (about a black family moving into a white neighborhood), "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" and its sequels, "Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret" (the all-time classic about a girl growing up), "Blubber" (about an overweight girl), etc..
I seem to recall in "4th Grade Nothing", a 2-year-old swallows a full grown turtle. Whole and alive. I have never been able to reconcile that point in the book.
The "peeing in a potted plant" incident actually didn't happen. This event was chronicled in "Superfudge", where Peter's little brother, Fudge, took too long in the bathroom. He got out before Peter relieved himself on the plant. However, the reader got familiarized with the medieval practice of urinating in chamber pots. Fascinating stuff.
"Blubber" troubles me even to this very day. I can't place my finger on it, but reading it reminded me of watching an auto accident.
Judy Blume is Judy Blume. Just a preteen author who has made a name for herself. Call it junk lit if you want (and I won't strongly disagree) but I have read some teen novels that focused on larceny and violence. A book for a 14 year old boy written about his wee wee isn't a big deal.
APf
I liked both as a kid, but I think L'Engle is the much better author. Some of Blume's books (Fudge, etc) are harmless but some for older kids were a bit risque. I do remember seeking out a copy of Forever at a library that hadn't thought to ban it..and reading it out of my parents' sight.
Should this be an Xer ping? Blume was very popular in our school days, and so was L'Engle to a lesser extent.
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I remember the Christmas that many parents bought it for their children thinking it was like the others. I was one of the lucky recipients.
All the neighborhood kids would camp in my best friend's backyard and we'd read excerpts aloud in between games of "Truth or Dare."
Ah, memories....
I enjoyed both authors. L'Engle is a marvel. Blume actually instructed this Texas gal about New York culture.
Yeah, it was a good book.
She wrote exactly two books with sexuality in them. And many ,many without. The author is being disengenuous by only mentioning those two titles.
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