The Most Controversial Books

Ten Of The Most Controversial Books

Some books attract a lot of controversy and even calls for banning the book from members of the public or those in religious or political organizations. Some qualities common in the most controversial books include religious degradation or slurs, foul language, violence, racism, extreme political views, and vivid or graphic sexual descriptions.

Here are some of the most controversial books that have fueled the flames of controversy ever since they were published.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain (1884)


A controversial book for years, Twain’s novel shows a contrast between indulgent childhood dreams and blatant cruel realities, bringing out the themes of equality, justice and human rights. In this book, Huck fakes his own death to run away to the river. There he meets an escaped slave named Jim. Together, they seek liberation and their journey tests them at every turn.

While Huck looks forward to returning to a freewheeling life, Jim looks for the personal freedom he has never known. With the entry of Tom Sawyer, Huck faces a dilemma of whether to return home or risk his life to help Jim achieve freedom. Because the word “nigger” appears more than 200 times in the book and it was perceived as racial, it initially caused a lot of controversy, especially in the 20th century. This book was also criticized for its coarse language. Earnest Hemingway, however, called it “the best book we’ve had.”

Brave New World – Aldous Huxley (1932)

Published in 1932, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is his most popular novel, although it might not have been his most important. It was frequently challenged with banning attempts, and is still considered controversial. The reader is swept into Huxley’s vision of a future based on science and technology. The novel depicts drugs, sexuality, and suicide and reveals Huxley’s disdain for the culture of the United States. A group of parents attempted to get the book banned because they felt there was an overemphasis on negativity.

Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell (1949)


Written in 1949 by George Orwell while he was dying of tuberculosis, the book brings to light the sad state and future of a society that is robbed of privacy, truth, or free will. This book forces us to re-examine our lives, lifestyles, and how our governments work. It offers a fresh perspective on many topics; totalitarianism, torture, mind control, the United States, the Soviet Union, privacy, technology, power, human emotions, organized religion, censorship, sex, and more.

It was a controversial book right from publication and remains so today. Many people claim that the work is unnatural and intense because it was written by a man choked with a subconscious death-wish. Many American reviewers also assumed that the book represented a repudiation of his democratic socialism.

The Catcher In The Rye – J.D. Salinger (1951)


This novel was topping the New York Times best-seller list almost immediately upon release in 1951. Salinger’s Catcher In The Rye is an account of three days in a 16-year-old boy’s life. It was originally meant for adults but eventually became a part of the curriculum in many high schools and colleges. It was also translated into many languages. There were several controversies for several reasons, such as the portrayal of sexuality and teenage angst, the use of profanity, the anti-white sentiment, and the excessive violence. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, became an icon for defiance and rebellion. In fact Mark David Chapman, who shot John Lennon in 1980, cited the book as his reason for doing it.

Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov (1955)


Nabokov’s Lolita caused a storm of controversy when it was published in 1955 in France, and those controversies have shadowed the book ever since. This novel explores the mind of a pedophile named Humbert Humbert, who narrates his life and obsession for nymphets like the 12-year-old Dolores Haze. It was banned in France, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina. But in America, it was a huge success and is said to be the first book since Gone With The Wind to have sold 100,000 copies in the first three weeks.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou (1970)

This is the first of the five autobiographical works by Maya Angelou and was published in 1970. The title of the book was taken from the poem “Sympathy” by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and it describes perseverance even in the face of oppression. Maya Angelou, through this book, gives an account of her youth filled with trauma, tragedy, frustration, disappointment and eventually independence.

Angelou describes the racism she and her grandmother encountered in the town of Stamps and other places, in spite of her grandmother having more money than the whites. There are passages in the books that describe how she was raped when she was just eight years old by her mother’s boyfriend. Her grandmother’s influence was what helped her overcome the hardships in her life. The graphic nature of the book, depicting details of abuse and rape was considered controversial by many. However, the book was widely hailed and even taught in schools. This book was also nominated for the National Book Award.

The Anarchist Cookbook – William Powell – (1971)


This 1971 cult classic is a guerrilla how-to book that provides strategies useful for activists — including violent activists. It covers several sections that describe organizing demonstrations, sabotage, affinity groups, stenciling, and other topics like supporting survivors of domestic violence and mental health.

This book angered government officials and anarchist groups felt it misrepresented anarchist ideals. Others criticized the book for the bomb-making recipes, which they said were dangerously inaccurate. Later, when Powell was older, he tried to censor his own book and said that this book was “a misguided product of my adolescent anger at the prospect of being drafted and sent to Vietnam to fight in a war that I did not believe in.”

The Satanic Verses – Salman Rushdie (1989)

This book by Salman Rushdie sparked controversies galore because of the controversial topic it touched. The title, The Satanic Verses, refers to an incident that is disputed between fact and fiction. Some called it a blasphemous treatment of the Islamic faith as Rushdie refers to the Prophet Muhammad as Mahound, which is the medieval name for the devil. In Pakistan, there were riots in 1989 over the book where a few people were killed, and many were injured in India.

In spite of Rushdie issuing an apology, the Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomeini condemned the author publicly, and went to the extent of putting a $1 million bounty for killing the author, increasing that to $3 million if the assassin was Iranian. Even Venezuelan officials threatened 15 months of prison for anyone who owned or even read the book. Japan imposed a fine on anyone selling the English edition and a Japanese translator was said to be stabbed to death for getting involved with the book. Major U.S. booksellers removed this book from the shelves because they received death threats. Rushdie himself lived in hiding for almost a decade. Such was the animosity towards the book, and in a way it makes it all the more appealing.

The Harry Potter Series – J.K. Rowling (2001)


J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series is wildly popular and seen generally as adventurous and harmless tales for children. However, this series has caused controversies over the past few years, from many different groups of people who look at them as stories that inspire children to become involved in witchcraft and the occult.

These novels follow the life of a young wizard, whose parents were killed by the evil Lord Voldermort. The young boy receives an invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft on his eleventh birthday and each book represents a year of his life at the school. These books have their fair share of opponents (not to mention hoards of fans). Some parents and religious groups feel that these books can take children deep into the unwanted land of fantasy.

The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown (2003)


A recent book that surrounded by controversy since its publication is The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. The book gives a fictional account of characters revealing a hidden truth concealed by the Catholic Church for centuries, including the divinity of Christ, his celibacy, and the possibility of a genetic heritage. Most of the complaints against the book are due to the speculation and misrepresentation of the history of Roman Catholic Church and the basic questioning of the tenets of Christianity. The book was also criticized for inaccurate description of history, geography, European art, and architecture.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the controversial books as there are many more. But these are certainly some of the books that have been considered some of the most controversial books ever published.

- The Most Controversial Books

Book Review : JAGO TIK

Jago Teknologi Informasi dan Komunikasi SMP

Information and communication technology is one of the lessons that must be mastered by junior high school students. This book is presented in the materials used by students at every level of junior high school classroom, complete with exercises and practice of computer and internet knowledge.

Teknologi informasi dan komunikasi merupakan salah satu pelajaran yang harus dikuasai oleh para siswa SMP. Dalam buku ini disajikan materi-materi yang digunakan oleh siswa SMP di setiap tingkatan kelasnya, lengkap dengan latihan dan praktik komputer dan pengetahuan internet.

Product Detail

Penulis: Fauziah, S.Kom., MMSI.
Ukuran Buku: 15.5 x 23.5, 152 BW
ISBN: 979-978-1481-56-4
Penerbit: PUSPA SWARA

- Book Review : JAGO TIK

Book Review: The Origin Surname of Nasution

SI BAROAR: The Origin Surname of Nasution

(Source: www.pustakasumut.com)

There is a story about a magic Baroar in Mandailing, South Tapanuli which became known as King of the Sakti, or in terms Mandailing called "Nasaktion".

It is said also by stories of old people, who bear the title The Emperor Baroar Aru is the origin of the tribe (clan) Nasution. Nasution clan that grown rapidly in the region and Indonesia in particular Mandailing general.

The story is a folktale Baroar still alive until now in the midst of the community in Mandailing and is quite interesting story. According to old people, especially derivatives Nasution clan, Baroar The child is said to be the Yang Sakti. But by the people who are not happy to see the Baroar nor its descendants say that Si is the son Sutan Baroar Pulungan, the king who ruled in Huta Bargot. They say that Si is the son Sutan Baroar Pulungan from one of his concubines.

Until now the two opinions are still always be the talk sometimes even caused disputes among the people. However, according to investigations and research historians and community leaders say that the clans in Mandailing in the reign of his time Sutan Namora Pulungan and Pande Raja Iron or Iron Cleaver, clans existed. Instead, say residents of religion or belief still animists.

Like the story of the old folks, the oldest clans in Mandailing is Lubis clan and clan Nasution. Medium clan (tribe) before Pulungan is not a clan, but it is a name only, the name of the king who ruled in Huta Bargot (Mergat Village) Sutan Pulungan.

- Book Review: The Origin Surname of Nasution

Book Review: Asal Mula Marga Nasution

SI BAROAR : Asal Mula Marga Nasution
(Sumber: www.pustakasumut.com)

Tersebutlah kisah Si Baroar yang sakti di daerah Mandailing, Tapanuli Selatan yang kemudian dikenal sebagai Raja Yang Sakti atau dalam istilah Mandailing disebut “Nasaktion”.

Konon pula menurut kisah dari orang-orang tua, Si Baroar yang bergelar Sultan Di Aru adalah asal mula dari suku (marga) Nasution. Marga Nasution yang berkembang dengan pesatnya di daerah Mandailing khususnya dan Indonesia umumnya.

Kisah Si Baroar adalah cerita rakyat yang masih hidup sampai sekarang di tengah-tengah masyarakat di Mandailing dan merupakan cerita yang cukup menarik. Menurut orang-orang tua, terutama turunan marga Nasution, Si Baroar dikatakan sebagai anak orang Yang Sakti. Tetapi oleh orang-orang yang tidak senang melihat Si Baroar ataupun turunan-turunannya mengatakan bahwa Si Baroar adalah anak Sutan Pulungan, yaitu raja yang memerintah di Huta Bargot. Mereka mengatakan bahwa Si Baroar adalah anak Sutan Pulungan dari salah seorang selirnya.

Sampai sekarang kedua pendapat ini masih selalu menjadi bahan pembicaraan malah kadang-kadang menimbulkan persengketaan di tengah-tengah masyarakat. Namun demikian, menurut penyelidikan dan penelitian ahli-ahli sejarah maupun tokoh-tokoh masyarakat mengatakan bahwa marga-marga di Mandailing pada masa pemerintahan Sutan Pulungan maupun masanya Namora Pande Besi atau Raja Pandai Besi, marga-marga belumlah ada. Malah dikatakan agama atau kepercayaan penduduknya masih animisme.

Seperti kisah orang tua-tua, marga yang tertua di Mandailing adalah marga Lubis dan marga Nasution. Sedang marga (suku) Pulungan sebelumnya bukanlah merupakan marga, tetapi adalah sebagai nama saja, yaitu nama raja yang memerintah di Huta Bargot (Kampung Mergat) Sutan Pulungan.

- Book Review: Asal Mula Marga Nasution

Book Review: Eat, Pray, Love

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

Novel yang berjudul “Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia” ini merupakan pengalaman pribadi Elizabeth Gilbert saat berusia 34 tahun pasca bercerai dari suaminya.

Berhari-hari ia sedih dan kecewa dengan perceraiannya serta kegagalannya membina hubungan baru dengan pria lain, membuat Gilbert mengambil keputusan untuk berkelana ke berbagai negara demi mencari pengalaman spiritual serta harapan menemukan cinta baru.

Tiga negara yang sempat dikunjungi Gilbert ketika itu adalah Italia, dimana ia menghabiskan waktu selama empat bulan di sana, kemudian berlanjut ke India selama empat bulan demi mencari ketenangan spiritual dan berakhir di Indonesia dimana akhirnya ia menemukan cintanya kembali setelah bertahun-tahun tinggal di pulau Bali.


Sejak terbit pada 16 Februari 2006, novel ini telah mendapat review yang bagus dari berbagai media di Amerika. Salah satu yang menyukai isi novel ini adalah Oprah Winfrey yang pernah mempromosikannya lewat dua episodenya. Bahkan Oprah sendiri menyatakan bahwa novel ini seperti “sebuah kitab suci bagi segala permasalahan wanita modern saat ini”. Novel ini sempat bertahan di posisi teratas New York Times Best Seller selama hampir 110 minggu sejak diedarkan.

- Book Review: Eat, Pray, Love

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

The Lost Symbol Review

"The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown is a sequel to "Da Vinci Code" which was released Tuesday (15/9/2009). This novel tells the conspiracy secret society of Freemasonry in the United States government.

Brown still presents the story of symbols expert Robert Langdon with a quick story and make readers difficult to divert from the page. His novel is also controversial, as usual. This novel uses the U.S. capital, Washington, as the location of the story. Like "Da Vinci Code", Langdon will uncover the secrets Freemanson through architectural traces in Washington. Of course, there are enemies with a strong character, almost like characters in a comic. In the "Da Vinci Code" is a scary albino monk. In "The Lost Symbol" look muscular tattooed man calling himself Mal'akh (in Hebrew means angel). Like Brown's earlier novel, Langdon will be accompanied by a beautiful woman as an adventure. In "The Lost Hollywood", the woman is the brother of Peter Solomon, Katherine Solomon.

Finally, my advice, before reading The Lost Symbol, you should read Brown's previous works. Start with the Angels & Demons or The Da Vinci Code. If you've read one of them (both of them), you will better understand and enjoy The Lost Symbol.

- The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Michael Jackson Books

ALL ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSON

The books below are books actually written by Michael Jackson. Read about him from his own words. Or in other cases they are a chance to read his poems, see hand written lyrics or previously unreleased photos and much more.

MOONWALK

This book was Michael Jackson's first autobiography published by Doubleday in 1988. The book was released in both hardcover and paperback.

In 'Moonwalk', Michael talks for the first time about his life, from his early Jackson 5 days, through the making of his albums , Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad. He touches on some of the most prominent rumours that have surrounded his career.

The book contains many never-before-seen photographs from the Jackson family archives, as well as photos taken of Michael throughout his lengthy career, and artwork drawn by Michael himself. The book was a USA best seller. 'Moonwalk' is no longer in print, so can not be found in regular book stores but may be found in our MJstore subject to availability.

MOONWALKER - THE STORYBOOK

This book was written by Michael Jackson and published by Doubleday in 1988.

This is a children's story based on the short film 'Smooth Criminal' (from the film Moonwalker) in which Michael's friend Katy is kidnapped by the evil 'Mr. Big' who is planning on getting the children of the world addicted to drugs. Michael and his friends Sean and Zeke must save Katy and stop Mr. Big before it's too late.

'Moonwalker - The Storybook' includes over 50 full color photos from the short film 'Smooth Criminal'.

DANCING THE DREAM

This book was published by Doubleday in 1992 and was written by Michael Jackson.

The book contains 28 essays and reflections, 17 poems, 84 color and black and white photographs, and 20 pieces of other artists artwork. Michael writes on topics such as creating his dance and music, children, religion, life, love, and autobiographical reflections.

'Dancing the Dream' is no longer in print, and so can not be found in regular book stores but may be found subject to current availability in our own MJStore.

MY WORLD: The Official Photobook

Released in 2006. An insight into the world of Michael Jackson through some of his private photos and thoughts. Also includes copies of his hand written lyrics to some of his biggest hits from the 1980's and 90's.

- Michael Jackson Books

Obama and Harry Potter

G20 Summit: Barack Obama is a Fan of Harry Potter

President Obama may be the world's most famous man but he became positively star struck in the presence of the Harry Potter author J K Rowling.

By Andrew Pierce
Last Updated: 10:24PM BST 02 Apr 2009

The President made a beeline for Miss Rowling, at the end of the Downing Street G20 dinner, and told her that he had read all her books himself and to his children Sasha and Malia. Miss Rowling then received a second presidential seal of approval for the boy wizard from Russia's President Medvedev and his wife Svetlana, who not only admitted to having read the Harry Potter books but also asked for her autograph.

Miss Rowling was one of an eclectic mix of notable women from the arts, business and sport who were being entertained at Downing Street by Gordon Brown's wife Sarah, with whom she is close friends. The guests at the dinner, created by television chef Jamie Oliver, had also included the internet entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox.

The US and Russian Presidents met up with them for coffee after enjoying their own dinner with Mr Brown and other fellow statesmen.

Ruth Jones, the actress from the television comedy Gavin & Stacey, was the life and soul of the party. She brought the house down when she announced loudly that she had thrown her crested invitation into the rubbish bin. She had assumed it was an April Fool's Day trick given the date of Wednesday's dinner.

The spouses' dinner guests were seated across four tables, with JK Rowling and Dame Kelly Holmes seated in prime position with Michelle Obama between them on table one. Dame Kelly and Mrs Obama had a long conversation about London's successful 2012 bid as the Obamas are backing as bid to stage the Olympics in Chicago, their home city, in 2016.

The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was seen deep in conversation with the model Naomi Campbell. Mrs Brown's mother, Pauline Macaulay, 71, was also present.

The menu was not only prepared by Jamie Oliver and a team from his Fifteen restaurant, but the celebrity chef waited on the women and afterwards joined them with his apprentices still dressed in their chef whites.

As talk of a $1 trillion bail-out dominated Thursday's G20 conference, Mrs Brown took the wives to the Royal Opera House for a morning of high culture. J K Rowling, who wore a pale pink shift dress, read extracts from her latest book, The Tales Of Beedle The Bard which was a best-seller last year. Mrs Obama dazzled in a bright blue Jason Wu dress and cardigan with pearls. Maggie Darling, the wife of the Chancellor, joined the gathering.


Highlights of the programme introduced by the TV presenter Mariella Frostrup included an extract from Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Firebird and a short show by dancers from Ballet Black, a troupe set up to give performing opportunities to black and Asian classical dancers.

After the entertainment, the women took to the stage for a photo with dancers who were rehearsing for a production of Giselle. Laureen, the wife of Stephen Harper the Canadian Prime Minister, declared to her counterparts: "I will never be on the stage, this is my one and only chance." (http://www.telegraph.co.uk)

- Obama and Harry Potter

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

The Tales of Harry Potter

The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a book of children's stories by British author J. K. Rowling. It purports to be the storybook of the same name mentioned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the last book of the Harry Potter series.

The book was originally produced in a limited edition of only seven copies, each handwritten and illustrated by J. K. Rowling. One of them was offered for auction in late 2007 and was expected to sell for £50,000 ($103,000); ultimately it was bought for £1.95 million ($3.98 million) by Amazon.com, making the selling price the highest achieved at auction for a modern literary manuscript.

The money earned at the auction of the book was donated to The Children's Voice charity campaign. The book was published for the general public on 4 December 2008, with the proceeds going to the Children's High Level Group.

In the Harry Potter series

The Tales of Beedle the Bard first appeared as a fictional book in J. K. Rowling's 2007 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final novel of the Harry Potter series. The book is bequeathed to Hermione Granger by Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is described as a popular collection of Wizarding children's fairy tales, so that while Ron Weasley is familiar with the stories, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had not previously heard of them due to their non-magical upbringing.

The book Hermione receives in Dumbledore's will is a copy of the original edition of the fictional book. It is described as an ancient-looking small book with its binding "stained and peeling in places". In the novel it is also said the book has a title on its cover, written in embossed runic symbols.

The book acts as the vehicle for introducing the Deathly Hallows. Above the story "The Tale of the Three Brothers", Hermione Granger finds a strange symbol which later is revealed by Xenophilius Lovegood to be the symbol of the Hallows. The triangle from the symbol represents the Invisibility Cloak, the circle inside the triangle symbolizes the Resurrection Stone, and the vertical line represents the Elder Wand.

These three objects are also mentioned in the story itself (see below), and are said to belong to the Peverell brothers, who are later revealed as being Harry Potter's ancestors. Towards the end of the novel, Albus Dumbledore also confirms Harry's connection to the Peverells, and states that the three brothers might in fact have been the creators of the Hallows.

The introduction (written by Rowling) to the publications released in December 2008 mention that the fictional character Beedle the Bard was born in Yorkshire, lived in the 15th century, and had "an exceptionally luxuriant beard."

Publication History

Rowling started writing the book soon after finishing work on the seventh Harry Potter novel. During an interview with her fandom she also stated that she used other books as a source of inspiration for the tales. More specifically, "The Tale of the Three Brothers", the only story included entirely in The Deathly Hallows, was inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Pardoner's Tale" from The Canterbury Tales.

Handmade Edition

Originally The Tales of Beedle the Bard had only been produced in a limited number of seven handmade copies, all handwritten and illustrated by the author herself. The books were bound in brown morocco leather, and decorated with hand-chased silver ornaments and mounted semiprecious stones by silversmith and jeweller Hamilton & Inches of Edinburgh. The silver pieces each represent one of the five stories within. Rowling also asked that each of the seven copies be embellished using a different semiprecious stone.

Six of these original handwritten copies were uniquely dedicated and given by Rowling to six people who were most involved with the Harry Potter series. The recipients of these copies were not initially identified. Since then, two of these people have been named. One is Barry Cunningham, Rowling's very first editor. Another is Arthur A. Levine, editor for Scholastic, the U.S. publisher of the Harry Potter books. Cunningham and Levine had lent their personal copies as part of Beedle the Bard exhibits in December 2008.
Rowling also decided to create a seventh handwritten copy (distinguished from the others by its moonstone jewelling) to sell at auction in order to raise funds for The Children's Voice charity campaign.

The idea came really because I wanted to thank six key people who have been very closely connected to the 'Harry Potter' series, and these were people for whom a piece of jewellery wasn't going to cut it. So I had the idea of writing them a book, a handwritten and illustrated book, just for these six people. And well, if I'm doing six I really have to do seven, and the seventh book will be for this cause, which is so close to my heart. —J. K. Rowling

Auction

The 157-page "Moonstone edition" of the book was first put on display prior to bidding on 26 November in New York and on 9 December in London. The book was auctioned 13 December 2007, at Sotheby's in London. The starting price was £30,000 ($62,000), and originally it was expected to sell for approximately £50,000 ($103,000). The closing bid far exceeded all prior projections, as ultimately the book was purchased by a representative from London fine art dealers Hazlitt Gooden and Fox on behalf of Amazon, for a total of £1.95 million ($3.98 million). This was the highest purchase price for a modern literary manuscript at that date. The money earned at auction later was donated by Rowling to The Children's Voice charity campaign.

Sotheby's printed a forty-eight page promotional catalogue for the auction. The catalogue featured illustrations from the book, as well as comments from J. K. Rowling on The Tales of Beedle the Bard. The catalogue was sold as a collector's item, and the money from the sales also has been donated to The Children's Voice.

Public Editions

On 31 July 2008, it was announced that The Tales of Beedle the Bard would also be made available for the public, in both standard and collector's editions. The book was published by Children's High Level Group and printed and distributed by Bloomsbury, Scholastic, and Amazon.com. The decision was taken due to disappointment among Harry Potter fans after it had initially been announced that a wide public release was not intended.

Similarly to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages (two other storybooks mentioned in the Harry Potter novels which have been printed as well) the standard and the collector's editions of The Tales of Beedle the Bard feature commentary and footnotes from Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts and one of the main characters of the series. The standard edition also includes illustrations reproduced from the handwritten edition auctioned in December 2007, and the introduction by the author. The limited collector's edition features ten illustrations by J. K. Rowling not included in the standard edition or the original handcrafted edition, as well as an exclusive reproduction of J. K. Rowling's handwritten introduction, and other miscellaneous objects such as replica gemstones and an emerald ribbon.

The book, released on 4 December 2008, was published in the United Kingdom, and Canada by Bloomsbury, while the US edition was published by Scholastic, and the special limited collector's edition of the book, which is available in all three countries, by Amazon.

The limited edition retails for £50 ($100), and around 100,000 copies have been printed. The book has been translated into 28 languages. Profits from the sale of the book will be given to the Children's High Level Group, and it is expected to raise an estimated £4 million ($7.6 million).

Synopsis

Overview

Rowling wrote five stories for the book. One, "The Warlock's Hairy Heart", is not mentioned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; three others, "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot", "The Fountain of Fair Fortune", and "Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump", receive cursory attention. "The Tale of the Three Brothers" is the only story also included entirely in The Deathly Hallows.

"The Wizard and the Hopping Pot"

This story is about the legacy of an old man who, in his generosity, uses his pot to brew magical potions and antidotes for other people when they needed his help. Upon his death, he leaves all his belongings to his only son, who has none of the qualities his father had. After his father's death, the son finds the pot and a single slipper inside it together with a note from his father that reads, "In the fond hope, my son, that you will never need it".

Bitter for having nothing left but a pot, the son closes the door on every person who asks for his help. Each time he does so, the pot takes on the symptoms of the ones who ask for help. This continues until the son finally gives up and provides aid to the town. While he does this, the pot empties and a mysterious slipper falls out — one that perfectly fits the foot of the pot, and together the two walk off into the sunset.

"The Fountain of Fair Fortune"

In this story, there is a fountain where once per year, one person may bathe to have his or her problems answered. This is how three witches meet. The first witch, Asha, suffers from a disease. The second, Altheda, endures poverty and powerlessness due to a robbery. The third, Amata, is distraught after being left by her beloved. The three witches decide to try to reach the fountain together but along the way, a knight also joins them.

On their path to the fountain, they face three challenges. The first involves a giant worm that demands "proof of [their] pain". The second, a steep slope where they have to bring the "fruit of their labours". The third challenge, crossing a river, requires them to pay with "the treasure of [their] past". Amata passes the challenge by using magic to withdraw the memories of her ex-lover and drop them into the water.

At the fountain, Asha collapses from exhaustion. To save her, Altheda brews an invigorating potion that also cures Asha of her disease and need of the fountain. Altheda realises that her skills are a means to earn money, so she also no longer needs the fountain. The third witch realises that washing away her regret for her lover removed her need as well. The knight bathes in the water, after which he flings himself at Amata's feet and asks for "her hand and her heart" which she happily gives. Everyone gets an answer to his or her problem, unaware that the fountain held no magical power at all.

"The Warlock's Hairy Heart"

The story is about a young and handsome warlock who decides to never fall in love, so he uses Dark Arts to prevent himself from doing so. His family, hoping he will change, does nothing. However, one day, he hears two servants whispering about him not having a wife, so he decides to find a talented, rich, and beautiful witch and marry her to gain everyone's envy.

He meets that girl the next day. Though the girl is both "fascinated and repelled", the warlock persuades her to come to a dinner feast at his castle. During the feast, she tells him that she needs to know he has a heart. The warlock shows her his beating hairy heart inside a crystal casket in his dungeon. The witch begs him to put it back inside himself. After the warlock does so, she embraces him.

However, being disconnected from its body for so long, his heart has developed savage tastes as it has degenerated into an animalistic state. And so he is driven to take by force a truly human heart. He tears out the witch's heart to replace his own, but finding that he cannot magic the hairy heart back out of his chest, he cuts it out with a dagger. Thus he and the maiden both die, with him holding both hearts in his hands.

"Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump"

This story is about a king who wants to keep all magic to himself. To do this he needs to solve two problems: he must capture and imprison all of the sorcerers in the kingdom and he has to learn magic. He creates a "Brigade of Witch Hunters" and calls for an instructor in magic. Only a "cunning charlatan" with no magical ability responds. The charlatan proves himself with a few simple tricks and begins to ask for jewelry and money to continue teaching.

However, Babbitty, the king's washerwoman, laughs at the king one day as he attempts to do magic with an ordinary twig. This causes the king to demand the charlatan join him in a public demonstration of magic and warns that the charlatan will be beheaded if anyone laughs. The charlatan later witnesses Babbitty performing magic in her house. He threatens to expose her if she does not assist him. She agrees to hide and help the demonstration.

During the performance, the brigade captain asks the king to bring his dead hound back to life. Because Babbitty's magic is unable to raise the dead, the crowd thinks the previous acts were tricks. The charlatan exposes Babbitty, accusing her of blocking the spells. Babbitty flees into a forest and disappears at the base of an old tree. In desperation, the charlatan states that she has turned "into a crab apple" and has the tree cut down.

As the crowd departs, the stump starts cackling and makes the charlatan confess. The stump cackles again, demanding the king never hurt a wizard again, and build a statue of Babbitty on the stump so that he is reminded of his foolishness. The king agrees and heads back to the palace. Afterwards, a "stout old rabbit" with a wand in its teeth hops out from a hole beneath the stump and leaves the kingdom.

"The Tale of the Three Brothers"

The story is about three brothers who, travelling together, reach an impassable river. They make a magical bridge over the river. Halfway across the bridge, they meet the personification of Death who is angry for losing three potential victims. He pretends to be impressed by them and grants each a wish as a reward.

The eldest brother asks for an unbeatable duelling wand. The middle brother asks for the ability to resurrect the dead. The youngest brother doesn't trust Death and asks for a way to stop Death from following him. Death gives him his cloak of invisibility. Afterwards, the brothers go their separate ways. The eldest brother, bragging about his powerful wand, is robbed of it while he is asleep and is killed.

The middle brother uses his ability to bring back the woman he loved, who died before he could marry her. However, she is not fully alive and is full of sorrow. He kills himself to join her. As for the youngest brother, Death never manages to find him, as he stays hidden under his cloak.

Many years later, the brother removes his cloak and gives it to his son. Pleased with his achievements, he greets Death as an old friend and chooses to leave with him "as an equal".

Reception

Sotheby's deputy director Dr. Philip W. Errington described the handmade edition as "one of the most exciting pieces of children's literature" to have passed through the auction house. After buying the book, Amazon also released a review, describing it as "an artifact pulled straight out of a novel".

The Times reviewed the published book favourably, calling the tales "funny, sinister, wise and captivating" and likening them to the Brothers Grimm, though The Telegraph noted that they "would be unremarkable were it not for the body of work that lies behind it" and that there was "an element of padding to make it a respectable length".

- The Tales of Beedle the Bard

JK Rowling writes new book

JK Rowling writes new book of fairy tales from Harry Potter universe
By Nigel Reynolds, Arts Correspondent
Last Updated: 5:40PM GMT 01 Nov 2007

It is a bibliophile's dream and ultimate literary prize - a brand new JK Rowling book, handwritten and hand-illustrated by the author herself, lavishly bound and issued in an edition of just seven personalised copies. In an extraordinary private publishing venture, the author of the record-breaking Harry Potter books has announced that she is to produce only seven copies of her next 160-page book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a Harry Potter spin-off of five short fairy tales.

Rowling has decided to give six copies, each the size of a paperback, as gifts to friends who helped or supported her through the 17 years that it took her to complete the Harry Potter marathon.

She will sell the seventh at Sotheby's on December 13 to raise money for The Children's Voice, a charity that she co-founded two years ago with Baroness Nicholson, the Tory MEP, to campaign for the rights of European children, particularly in Eastern Europe where more than one million young people are trapped in institutions in grim conditions.

Each copy, written on hand-made Italian paper, is bound in leather and decorated with hand-chased silver symbols such as a heart, a skull and a tree stump. Each copy will also be adorned with different semi-precious stones. Sotheby's has put a pre-sale estimate of £30,000-£50,000 on the charity copy, which will be decorated with moonstones, but Philip Errington of the auctioneers' books department, admitted that this was "cautious". Observers predicted that the copy might easily fetch 10 times the estimate.

Amy Maclaren, a spokeswoman for the author, declined to comment on whether Rowling's husband, children, agent, publisher or editor were among the friends who would receive copies. But she added: "At least two of the six don't actually know yet."

Private publishing is not unusual - the 19th century artist and campaigner William Morris published many of his books in tiny editions through his own printing press and the first edition of T E Lawrence's classic Seven Pillars of Wisdom comprised just eight copies. But Mr Errington called Rowling's new venture "unique" because each copy was hand produced.

The Tales Of Beedle The Bard played a central role in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final book in Rowling's bestselling series. As the last book reached its climax, Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, bequeathed a volume containing five wizard fairytales to Harry's friend Hermione Granger. It helped provide clues to help Harry defeat his great enemy, Lord Voldemort.

One of the fairytales, The Tale Of The Three Brothers, is recounted in Deathly Hallows. It is retold in Rowling's new book and she has added the four unknown stories, The Fountain Of Fair Fortune, The Warlock's Hairy Heart, The Wizard And The Hopping Pot, and Babbitty Rabbitty And Her Cackling Stump. Each is around 1,000 words long and the complete book contains around a dozen illustrations.

Rowling, who says that she has no intention of publishing the book more widely, said: "The Tales Of Beedle The Bard is really a distillation of the themes found in the Harry Potter books, and writing it has been the most wonderful way to say goodbye to a world I have loved and lived in for 17 years." Examples of Rowling's artwork are rare.

Mr Errington said: "When you hear that an author is going to illustrate their own book you sometimes have a few concerns. But I think that Jo is a very assured artist." A dedication in the copy to be sold reads: "Six of these books have been given to those most closely connected to the Harry Potter books during the last 17 years. "This seventh copy will be auctioned; the proceeds to help institutionalised children who are in desperate need of a voice. So to whoever now owns this book, thank you - and fair fortune be yours!"

Rowling told the BBC: "It's a huge silent scandal how many children within Europe are institutionalised. "A child with mental health issues was being taken from their family or given by their family to an institution and then placed in a cage and I really would like to do whatever I can to change it." She said writing something other than Potter had been "like coming up from a deep dive" and disclosed that she has a "half-finished book for children" that is likely to be her next published book.

- JK Rowling writes new book

Rare Superman Comic Book

Rare Superman Comic Book Sells for $317,200

POSTED: March 14, 2009
NEW YORK (AP) — A rare copy of the first comic book featuring Superman has sold for $317,200 in an Internet auction. The previous owner of Action Comics No. 1 bought it for less than a buck.
It’s one of the highest prices ever paid for a comic book, a likely testament to the volume’s rarity and its excellent condition, said Stephen Fishler, co-owner of the auction site ComicConnect.com and its sister dealership, Metropolis Collectibles.

The winning bid for the 1938 edition, which features Superman lifting a car on its cover, was submitted Friday evening by John Dolmayan, drummer for the rock band System of a Down, according to managers at ComicConnect.com.

In addition to being a musician, Dolmayan is a dealer of rare comic books. The auctioneers said he acquired the Superman comic on behalf of an unidentified client.

“I imagine it’s someone from the entertainment world,” said Vincent Zurzolo, chief operating officer at ComicConnect and Metropolis Collectibles.

Only about 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 are known to exist and they seldom come up for sale.

“Maybe in a booming economy, it would have done a hundred grand more, but in this economy, I think the price is great,” Fishler said.

The man who had previously owned the book purchased it in a secondhand store in the early 1950s when he was nine years old. He paid 35 cents.

- Rare Superman Comic Book

Rare Harry Potter Book

March 10, 2009 -- Updated 1206 GMT (2006 HKT)

Rare Harry Potter Book Fetches $19,000 at Auction

Story Highlights The soft-cover "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" is one of 200 copies. The 223-page book includes an autograph from author J.K. Rowling. The winning bid of $19,120 bypassed auctioneers' expectations

(CNN) -- A first-edition Harry Potter book was sold for about $19,000, according to an auction house in Dallas, Texas.
The soft-cover book was one of 200 copies printed and is a rarity compared with later editions of the popular series that were printed in the millions, the Heritage Auction Galleries said.

The book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," includes an autograph from author J.K. Rowling. It's the first book in the Harry Potter series and was published in the United States under the title "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."


The auction had estimated that the 223-page book would sell for as much as $12,000. The winning bid of $19,120 bypassed expectations, but it was not the most expensive sale of Harry Potter-related items in an auction. Last year, an 800-word prequel to the blockbuster Harry Potter novel series fetched nearly $50,000 for a writer's group and dyslexia charity. That prequel was handwritten and signed by Rowling.

- Rare Harry Potter Book

Keterampilan Menulis (Writing Skill) 3

Menulis untuk Menggali dan Membuang

James W. Pennebaker “Orang-orang yang menuliskan pikiran dan perasaan terdalam mereka tentang pengalaman traumatis menunjukkan peningkatan fungsi kekebalan tubuh dibandingkan dengan orang-orang yang menuliskan masalah-masalah remeh-temeh,” ungkap Dr. James W. Pennebaker, seorang psikolog, dalam bukunya yang menampung hasil risetnya, Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotions. Menurut Pennebaker lebih jauh, menuis dapat menjadi “alat” untuk menggali dan membuang hal-hal yang mengganggu pikiran dan perasaan.

Bagaimana caranya agar menulis dapat menjadi “alat” untuk menggali dan membuang? “Anda tidak usah terlalu mimikirkan masalah tata bahasa, ejaan, ataupun struktur kalimat ketika menulis,” tegas Pennebaker.

“Anda juga harus berusaha untuk membebaskan diri Anda. Terserah kepada Anda untuk menulis apa saja yang Anda inginkan. Yang penting, Anda merasa nyaman dan tekanan Anda hilang ketika menulis,” ujar penulis buku The Psychology of Physical Symptoms (Springer-Verlag, 1982) dan Writing to Heal: A Guided Journal for Recovering from Trauma and Emotional Upheaval (New Harbinger Press, 2004).

Dalam buku Opening Up, Pennebaker, secara menarik, menyajikan hasil-hasil penelitian psikologis yang terkait dengan kegiatan menulis. “Seperti melukis, menulis adalah aktivitas manusia yang alami,” tulis Pennebaker. ”Salah satu nilai yang diberikannya adalah membantu kita memadukan dan menata kehidupan kita yang kompleks.

Kegiatan menulis dapat mewujudkan sasaran yang tidak sederhana ini dalam berbagai cara.” Pennebaker kemudian menyebut, antara lain, menjernihkah pikiran, membantu dan mengingat informasi baru, membantu memecahkan masalah, merupakan sebagian dari cara menulis yang mampu membantu manusia menata kehidupannya yang kompleks.

Bayangkan jika Anda dapat berlatih menulis setiap hari dengan menggabungkan metode “freewriting”-nya Elbow dan “opening up”-nya Pennebaker, apa yang akan terjadi pada diri Anda? Tentulah yang paling pertama akan Anda peroleh adalah rasa nyaman dan lega ketika menjalani kegiatan menulis.

Anda tidak akan tertekan ketika menulis dan bahkan—inilah keajaibannya—Anda akan dapat membuang jauh-jauh pelbagai tekanan yang Anda alami. Betapa mengasyikkannya berlatih menulis seperti ini bukan?

Apabila latihan menulis bebas dan menulis untuk membuang ini Anda jalankan secara konsisten dan kontinu setiap hari—kapan pun dan di mana pun—secara perlahan-l;ahan, kemampuan atau keterampilan menulis itu akan mulai terkristal di dalam diri Anda.

Sekali lagi, menulis adalah sejenis keterampilan. Anda akan memiliki keterampilan menulis jika Anda mau membiasakan diri berlatih menulis. Dan pengkristalan kemampuan menulis itu dapat Anda lakukan secara sangat cepat apabila Anda menjalankan pembiasaan itu dengan rasa senang tiada terkira.

Inilah menulis yang memberdayakan.





Copyright © 2007 Mizan Publishing House
Edisi 1 Desember 2008

- Keterampilan Menulis (Writing Skill) 3

Keterampilan Menulis (Writing Skill) 2

Menulis Bebas, Menulis Tanpa Tekanan dan Ancaman

Peter Elbow adalah Profesor Bahasa dan Direktur Program Menulis di University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amerika Serikat. Demikian indentitas Elbow ini dapat kita baca di sampul belakang bukunya, Writing without Teachers, yang diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Indonesia pada tahun 2007 dan diterbitkan oleh iPublishing. Karya-karya Elbow lainnya adalah Embracing Contraries: Explorations in Learning and Teaching (Oxford UP, 1986), Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process (Oxford UP, 1981), dan Being A Writer (McGraw-Hill, 2002). Elbow dikenal di dunia akademis tulis-menulis sebagai penganjur menulis bebas.

Mengapa menulis bebas penting? Menulis bebas menjadi penting karena menulis—sebagaimana ditegaskan di tulisan sebelum ini—adalah sejenis keterampilan. Seseorang yang ingin berdaya menulis perlu membiasakan diri untuk berlatih menulis sesering mungkin. Dan menulis bebas adalah salah satu cara termudah untuk berlatih menulis setiap hari selama 10 hingga 15 menit. Menulis bebas merupakan cara membiasakan diri berlatih menulis yang memberdayakan diri.

“Menulis bebas adalah bentuk latihan yang dapat membantu orang membiasakan dirinya menulis,” tulis Bagus Takwin ketika mengulas buku karya Elbow (lihat http://bagustakwin.multiply.com/reviews/item/6). “Dalam latihan ini, orang disarankan untuk menuangkan dalam bentuk tulisan apa pun yang ia pikirkan, bahkan tentang ketidakmampuannya menulis. Ketika seseorang diminta menulis apa pun yang terpikirkan olehnya selama 10 menit dan merasa buntu, orang itu bisa saja hanya menuliskan kebuntuannya, menuliskan kebingungannya. Dalam menulis bebas, lupakan aturan, lupakan kesalahan. Menulis saja. Luapkan saja.”

Menulis bebas memang menulis yang tidak mengikuti aturan. Menulis bebas merupakan kegiatan menulis di mana ”tuan” dari kegiatan tersebut benar-benar si penulis itu sendiri. Apa yang ingin ditulis, bagaimana memulainya, dan cara yang ditempuh oleh si penulis adalah mutlak berada di dalam kendali si penulis bebas. Dapat dikatakan juga bahwa menulis bebas adalah menulis yang memungkinkan si penulis bebas membebaskan apa saja yang memenjara pikirannya. Lewat menulis bebas, dia dapat membuang terlebih dahulu segala hal yang mengancam dan menekannya.

”Hampir semua orang menyunting di antara saat kata-kata muncul dalam pikiran dan ketika kata-kata itu dituangkan ke atas kertas. Sekolah membuat kita terobsesi dengan ’kesalahan’ dalam menulis,” begitu urai Elbow dalam bukunya.

”Banyak orang terus memikirkan ejaan dan tata bahasa saat menulis.” Setelah menunjukkan hal penting itu, Elbow membandingkan menulis dengan ketika kita berbicara.

”Dalam berbicara, biasanya kita meng- ucapkan begitu saja kata-kata yang melintas dalam pikiran. Namun, dalam menulis, ada kesempatan untuk mendapatkan kata-kata yang tepat. Tetapi, kesempatan itu menjadi beban: Anda bisa berusaha selama dua jam untuk mendapatkan alinea yang tepat dan kemudian menyadari bahwa alinea itu sama sekali tidak tepat, lalu menyerah.”

Bebaskan diri Anda ketika menulis dari segala hal yang mengganggu pikiran dan perasaan Anda. Menulis bebaslah setiap hari. Luangkan waktu sekitar 10 hingga 15 menit. Biarkan kata-kata mengalir begitu saja tanpa Anda koreksi ....




Copyright © 2007 Mizan Publishing House
Edisi 1 Desember 2008

- Keterampilan Menulis (Writing Skill) 2

Keterampilan Menulis (Writing Skill)

Menulis yang Memberdayakan

Menulis bukan kegiatan enteng. Tentang hal ini, semua orang yang pernah mencicipi kegiatan menulis pastilah tahu. Namun, tidak semua orang tahu bahwa ada cara yang nyaman dan mengasyikkan sekaligus memberdayakan dalam membangkitkan potensi menulis. Cara-cara menulis tersebut dapat menjadikan seseorang—yang ingin mencicipi kegiatan menulis—tiba-tiba “kaget” dengan apa yang terjadi dengan dirinya.

Sebelum menginjak ke cara-cara menulis yang memberdayakan tersebut, alangkah baiknya jika kita memahami lebih dahulu apa sesungguhnya yang dimaksud dengan kata “memberdayakan”. Kata ini berasal dari kata dasar “daya” yang berarti “kemampuan melakukan sesuatu atau kemampuan bertindak”. “Berdaya” adalah “berkemampuan atau memiliki cara untuk mengatasi sesuatu”.

Menulis yang memberdayakan adalah menulis yang membuat seseorang yang menjalankan kegiatan menulis dapat mengatasi setiap persoalan yang muncul ketika dirinya sedang menulis. “Tidak ada seorang pun dapat diberdayakan oleh orang lain; individu-individu harus memberdayakan diri mereka sendiri,” tulis David Clutterbuck dalam The Power of Empowerment. Menulis yang memberdayakan akan membekali setiap individu untuk mengatasi persoalan menulis yang dialaminya.

Pertama, setiap individu yang berkeinginan menulis, pastilah akan menjadi berdaya menulis jika dia memahami bahwa menulis itu sebuah keterampilan (skill). Menulis dapat dikatakan hampir setara dengan menari, memasak, berenang, dan semacamnya. Untuk menjadi berdaya menulis, seseorang harus membiasakan diri berlatih menulis. Tanpa berlatih menulis, mustahil seseorang dapat nyaman dan asyik menulis.

Pesan Elizabeth Winthrop berikut ini layak kita jadikan acuan, “Kalau Anda ingin menjadi penari profesional, tentu Anda harus berlatih setiap hari. Kalau Anda ingin bermain sepakbola di divisi utama, Anda pun harus latihan menendang dan menggiring bola ratusan kali. Menulis memerlukan hal yang sama. Anda perlu berlatih, artinya Anda harus terus menulis dan membaca.”

Kedua, menulis adalah ”bermain” dengan kata-kata. Kata-kata itu digunakan seorang penulis untuk menjadi sarana mengungkapkan pikiran dan gagasannya. Pikiran dan gagasan adalah sesuatu yang abstrak yang kadang sangat rumit untuk dapat dipahami oleh orang lain. Bahkan si pemilik pikiran dan gagasan sendiri kadang belum memahami benar apa yang dipikirkan dan digagasnya. Hanya, setelah pikiran dan gagasan itu dituliskan, barulah jelas benar hal-hal yang semula abstrak itu.

Jadi, betapa pentingnya seorang penulis memiliki stok kata-kata yang sangat banyak dan sangat bervariasi. Untuk dapat memiliki banyak sekali kata, seorang penulis hanya punya satu cara, yaitu membaca. Jadi, jika ingin menjalani kegiatan menulis yang memberdayakan, seseorang perlu menyukai kegiatan membaca. Semakin banyak buku yang dibaca, semakin mudah menjalankan kegiatan menulis. Dan semakin bervariasi buku yang dibaca, semakin kaya tulisan yang akan dihasilkannya.




Copyright © 2007 Mizan Publishing House
Edisi 1 Desember 2008

- Keterampilan Menulis (Writing Skill)