First they came for drag storytime… Then they came for James Patterson?
A Florida school board (run!) has banned James Patterson’s YA fantasy series, Maximum Ride, from its school shelves—and the mega-bestselling author isn’t happy about it. In a sort-of open letter (a Tweet), Patterson writes
If you find this kind of mindless book banning troubling or confusing, send a polite note to Florida’s @GovRonDeSantis here: https://t.co/E1LdWt3Fga pic.twitter.com/8YNWIaDqH4
— James Patterson (@JP_Books) March 13, 2023
The Martin County school board just LOVES to ban books, and has removed 80 or so recently, including work by Jodi Picoult and Toni Morrison. This is authoritarianism on low simmer, and it’s working: just yesterday the DeSantis administration revoked a Miami Hyatt Regency’s liquor license for hosting a “Drag Queen Christmas” with minors present.
So, Mr. Patterson, welcome to the fight?
Jonny Diamond
Jonny Diamond is the Editor in Chief of Literary Hub. He lives in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains with his wife and two sons, and is currently writing a cultural history of the axe for W.W. Norton. @JonnyDiamond, JonnyDiamond.me
