Friday, February 08, 2008

They're Still Banning Books in Texas



Albeit in the prisons.



A man sent The Savage Detectives, by Roberto Bolaño, to his brother, an inmate at a Huntsville, Texas prison. The book was seized by the prison officials and the Criminal Justice Department ruled that the scene in which two women compete in a blow-job competition in a bar would "encourage homosexual or deviant sexual behavior" in the inmate. (Emphasis mine). Note on the BJs: in the scene, women are performing blow jobs on men.

And get this, the book was shipped to another of his relatives at the inmate's expense!

I'm sorry, but if you can't read sexy (and good) literature in prison, what else is there to do? I suppose this explains why inmates are so built. Shouldn't they discourage them from working out, as well? I mean, that might facilitate a mutiny!

Ah, Texas. You continue to do us proud, again and again.

2 comments:

Mary-Laure said...

Hey, don't mess with Texas! (My mum is from Fortworth).
I'm pretty sure prison administrations are retards the world over.

I've been wanting to read this book (in Spanish, por supuesto); have you read it?

Jessica Ferri said...

ml, you're right. and if your mom is from texas, it must be lovely.

ooh, kudos to you on the spanish. yes, i have read it. i like it very much, but the ending rubs me the wrong way. however, others have felt differently.