What's the Deal?

With Ali Velshi's Banned Book Club

MSBNC host Ali Velshi founded his #VelshiBannedBookClub in February 2022, in response to the increasingly widespread practice of schools and libraries prohibiting readers — especially young readers — from accessing books that adults believe would make these readers uncomfortable.

These books include such literary classics as William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, contemporary tomes such as Alex Gino’s Melissa and Ibram X. Kendi’s How to be an Antiracist, and illustrated children’s books, New Kid and I Am Rosa Parks. Sadly, the list is way too long to include.

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Velshi's interview with Jeannette Walls

Listen: Ali Velshi Banned Book Club Reads The Glass Castle

The MSNBC host and Citizen board member sits down with Jeannette Walls to talk about her provocative memoir and the complications and ugliness of real life

Listen: Ali Velshi Banned Book Club Reads The Glass Castle

The MSNBC host and Citizen board member sits down with Jeannette Walls to talk about her provocative memoir and the complications and ugliness of real life

In the battle over banning books, concerned parents and pundits argue that against sharing frank and vivid descriptions of challenges like alcoholism and abuse are best with our children. Ali Velshi and Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle, contend that children are better served by exposure to reality.

Velshi calls The Glass Castle a masterclass in the thought-provoking memoir. chronicling Walls’ abusive, dysfunctional childhood, while still painting a picture of her parents that includes nuance and love. Walls and her siblings faced bullying, hunger, homelessness and sexual abuse. Many children share these terrible experiences, and suffer in shame and silence, unaware they are not alone. Concerned adults who feel the subject matter is inappropriate for young people are ignoring how important it is for kids to see themselves in stories about how ugly real life can be.

“The way to protect children is not to put them in a bubble … Give them the tools,” insists Walls. “It’s very empowering to these kids to know I’m not the only one going through it.”

 

Listen to Velshi’s interview with Jeannette Walls:

 

 

Watch Velshi and Walls on The Glass Castle‘s stark portrayal of a dysfunctional family:

 

Velshi on banned books on MSNBC:

MORE FROM VELSHI’S BANNED BOOK CLUB

Ali Velshi interviews Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle

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