Blog Post 4

Other ‘Book Burning’ Ceremonies

As previously discussed there can be many reasons behind book burning, majority being a reaction to social conflict and to destroy the views or materials valued by another person. Throughout history there have been many events of book burning, and book burning has often been conducted or planned to be conducted in a ceremonial way, some others events of interest I have found include:

The Ration Book

In 1939 Britain introduced the Ration Book, it was introduced because of the difficulties importing food into Britain during the war. The Ration Book (rationing) remained until 1954, where at midnight on 4 July, restrictions relating to the Ration book was dissolved.

Out of celebration, to no longer being restricted on what they could have a public book burning of the Ration Book was planned. One of the biggest bonfires was expected to be held at Sterling Place, the Essex seat of Lord and Lady Rayleigh, on July 17 with an expectation of over 10,000 book burners. Book burnings were scheduled in a variety of public places throughout the country including a bonfire by the housewives at Maldon, Essex.  A large replica of the Ration Book was also burned by the Minister of Fuel and Power, Geoffrey Lloyd at an open meeting in his area.

National Library of Baghdad

On April 10, 2003 after rumours were in circulation that Saddam was gone, a crowd gathered at the unprotected library. The library was initially looted at this time, but a week later the looters returned in buses, they piled books to burn them, and burnt the library. The heat was so intense from chemicals used it destroyed almost everything. On the second floor of the library, another attack on the Iraqi National Archive. Overall 10 million documents were either looted, or burned. It was an attack of varying proportion, rebels protesting alongside regime loyalists who were intent on destroying evidence of Sadaams atrocities.

Koran Burning

  

More recently Terry Jones a Pastor from Gainesville, Florida planned to burn copies of the Koran in protest to an Islamic Centre being built in lower Manhattan near the September 11 memorial site. After media reports, protests and anger surrounding the planned burning, the pastor’s son Luke Jones announced at a press conference that there would be no Koran burning.

Reflection of research:

It was very interesting to investigate some other book burning or planned booked burning events, and to find out the reasons behind some of them. It still amazes me how many events have occurred throughout  history, it can be hard to narrow it down. I tried the Trove database to find some general information and articles relating to book burning events, and further explored the topics I discovered. I found this a really interesting way to discover things I would not have otherwise known. I also then used reputable news websites to further confirm information. In my next post I will look at the Book Burning and Censorship in Australia, and will see what information I can find about our own countries history on this topic.

References:

Baez F C2008, A universal history of the destruction of books : from Ancient Sumer to Modern Iraq, Atlas & Co, New York. 

BBC News 2012, 1954 : Housewives celebrate end of rationing, BBC On this day 1950-2005, viewed 21 April 2012, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/4/newsid_3818000/3818563.stm>.

Levitz, J 2010, Terry Jones’s Koran Fire protest plan burns out, The Australian, viewed 21 April 2012, <http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/terry-joness-koran-fire-protest-plan-burns-out/story-e6frg6so-1225918479142>.

1954, ‘Britons Plan Mass Book Burning’, Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1885 - 1954), p. 2, Trove, viewed 21 April 2012, <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article62507934>.

1954 'Bonfire for ration books', The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1954), 11 March, p. 2, Trove, viewed 21 April, 2012, <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2911502>.

Knuth, R 2006, Burning books and levelling libraries : extremist violence and cultural destruction, Praeger Publishers, Westport.