Banned Books Conversations - Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez

Banned Books Conversations: Where Radical Readers Discuss Prohibited Prose

Banned books are works that have been removed from a library shelf or school curriculum. Over the course of Banned Books Week, this series will cover seven different books, the reasons they were banned, and the value in reading them.

Content warning: This episode contains descriptions os sexual assault and violence. Although this is an important discussion, please make sure you feel safe when listening to this episode.

Please take the time to listen to these two podcasts about Out of Darkness including an interviewing author Ashley Hope-Pérez:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-novel-reading/id1674694930?i=1000631558303

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rogue-librarians/id1650426238?i=1000630017004

And find out more about author Ashley Hope-Pérez on her website: https://ashleyperez.com/

Vogue Robinson: Former poet laureate of Clark County. Author, writing Consultant, and advocate for the arts everywhere she goes. Works at Left of Center Art Gallery in Las Vegas.

Susan Joslyn: Writes software and technical articles, beginning to write fiction, essays, and memoir.

Summary
Tonya hosted a discussion with Vogue and Susan about 'Out of Darkness'. Tonya, Vogue, and Susan held a discussion about banned books in conjunction with Banned Books Week. They expressed their concerns about the increasing trend of banning books, which they perceived as indicative of an authoritarian shift in society. They emphasized the importance of reading books that expose us to different people and experiences. The conversation covered a range of topics, including changes in language, the impact of offensive or outdated terminology in
literature, and the importance of diversity and inclusivity in publishing. They also shared personal experiences with books that offended or surprised them, and the responsibility of authors to consider the impact of their work on readers. The group also discussed the importance of education about the content of books and the potential for art to perpetuate stereotypes. The conversation concluded with Vogue sharing her experience with a book that offended her as a child, and how she navigated this.

Catch the video version at https://www.youtube.com/@mstonyatodd

Host: Tonya Todd
Video Producer: JP Butler
Audio Producer: Ria Carrogan
Graphics: Mike Burton