OBSCENE in the EXTREME, by RICK WARTZMAN —Pub. by PublicAffairs (Perseus) (2008)

Description: OBSCENEin theEXTREME by RICK WARTZMAN Published by PublicAffairs (Perseus Books Group)First Edition, Second Printing CONDITION: GOOD to VERY GOOD: No jacket, very little shelfwear; very nice book, but a previous reader made a few small marks on a few pages… nothing very annoying (except maybe to me). The full title of this book is:Obscene in the Extreme: The Burning and Banning of John Steinbeck's the Grapes of Wrath Few books have caused as big a stir as John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, when it was published in April 1939. By May, it was the nation’s number one bestseller, but in Kern County, California—the Joads’ newfound home—the book was burned publicly and banned from library shelves. Obscene in the Extreme tells the remarkable story behind this fit of censorship.When W. B. “Bill” Camp, a giant cotton and potato grower, presided over its burning in downtown Bakersfield, he declared: “We are angry, not because we were attacked but because we were attacked by a book obscene in the extreme sense of the word.” But Gretchen Knief, the Kern County librarian, bravely fought back. “If that book is banned today, what book will be banned tomorrow?”Obscene in the Extreme serves as a window into an extraordinary time of upheaval in America—a time when, as Steinbeck put it, there seemed to be “a revolution . . . going on.” Commentaries on line: Where to begin! I think Susan Straight says it best in her praise for this book: "Rick Wartzman has made a dramatic and tension-filled narrative out of the story of how THE GRAPES OF WRATH was banned in Kern County, and he has given us a chapter of our history that many Americans might not know. (This) new book is invaluable and exciting". The telling of this story about America, California, the San Joaquin Valley, and Kern County in the 1930's is done through excellent reporting. This book includes stories about Steinbeck, cotton, oil, labor unions, and politics (from facists to Communists and everything inbetween). Just fascinating. I love The Grapes of Wrath, and this book provides a lot of political and regional context for both Grapes itself and its banning. I learned a lot about politics and how everybody dislikes everybody else. Things haven't changed very much from the 1930’s. This was clearly a thoroughly researched book and it does an excellent job of giving the reader a feel for the time period when the banning and burning took place. Wartzman did a particularly good job explaining the background behind how Steinbeck researched The Grapes of Wrath. He makes it clear that those who claimed that Steinbeck was simply making things up were wrong. The book was almost more about The Grapes of Wrath itself than the banning. In fact, the rescission of the banning isn't even addressed until the concluding chapter as almost an aside. This is an excellent example that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Banning The Grapes of Wrath completely backfired, as it normally does, by giving the book even more publicity, and probably helping spur sales. A thorough and detailed history of a small moment in history which illuminates larger issues that resonate today. _____________________ {I'll always combine shipping costs and refund any excess shipping charges for multiple-copy book orders.}For all "buy it now" items, you may want to use ADD TO CART if you plan to order more than one item at the same time.______________ WOW! I wrote a book!!! — Come on! Take a look!! ———Just go here:http://www.ebay.com/itm/CTHULHU'S-COUSINS-and-Other-Weirdnesses-W-Paul-Ganley-Wildside-Press-2016-/255154711891?hash=item3ace43fc32 ___________________________________________________________Want to look at my other fantasy & mystery offerings (including Brian Lumley first editions)? CLICK HERE(and if you like what you see there, why not bookmark it for future visits!)

Price: 7.5 USD

Location: Buffalo, New York

End Time: 2024-10-06T18:05:56.000Z

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