I’m going to chime in a bit late here to the heated conversation about Orson Scott Card getting this year’s Margaret A. Edwards Award to say this:
1. From what I’ve read of Orson Scott Card’s publicly-stated views, I find his beliefs and opinions reprehensible.
2. I first read Ender’s Game for a class in library school. I thought it sucked.
Other than that, I’m not sure I have any strong feelings about him getting an award from the ALA.
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What is this ALA you speak of? Oh, do you mean that five headed beast that I keep trying to convince myself is somehow relevant to my professional work-life?
They give out awards, how cute.
After looking at some of Card’s other statements on various subjects, I can’t say I would ever get along with him. However, I did enjoy his book http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastwatch:_The_Redemption_of_Christopher_Columbus”>Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus, which was thought provoking.
All in all, many people have read his books and thus he is continually popular. He does stand for his beliefs, and although I and probably many others disagree with them, he is entitled to them. It is an irony that he was given an award that encourages youth to discover themselves though… I don’t really agree with that aspect. I am sure we have many more qualified writers for that particular award… But then again, as someone else mentioned, does the ALA really have anything to do with me?
Yargh, sorry about the broken link. You get the idea. (I’m not a fan of typing in textarea boxes.)
Hmmm, wouldn’t it be convenient if you had a member of that very Edwards committee to talk to? It would be even more convenient if you worked with said member of the committee.
A statement has been issued by our president here: http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/edwardsstatement.cfm
I think she sums it up pretty well.
Heh. I’ve actually been pretty reticent about discussing this in public precisely because I know and work with someone–who I respect professionally and personally–who was on the committee. Thanks for the link, EDH!
Another perspective I’ve liked was presented in this Shelf Check strip.
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