Review by DB44 -- The Banned Book about Love
-
DB44
- Posts: 47
- Joined: 05 Aug 2013, 04:13
- Currently Reading: Breaths in Winter
- Bookshelf Size: 20
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-db44.html
- Latest Review: "The Banned Book about Love" by Scott Hughes
- Reading Device: B00REQKWGA
Review by DB44 -- The Banned Book about Love
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Banned Book about Love" by Scott Hughes.]
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The Banned Book about Love by Scott Hughes is described by the author as a booklet. This is accurate, as it contains less than four thousand words. I will nevertheless refer to it as a book in this review. The title page, which appears before the beginning of the first chapter, reveals some unusual facts about this book. Firstly, it is published by OnlineBookClub.org. Secondly, it was originally released exclusively through Amazon. Thirdly, not only was the book free on Amazon, but the author pledged to donate 10 cents for every copy downloaded to a charity to help victims of sexual assault. Lastly, and most remarkably, we are informed that “Amazon banned the book after only a few days and 1,181 free downloads”. Further information is provided towards the end of the book in a section headed “Donation Note”, where the author writes that the banning was “due to misinformed complaints from outraged people who did not read the book”. We are also informed that the book was originally published under the title “I Love Brock Turner”. After some consideration I believe that it would be misleading and inappropriate to review this book without a discussion of its banning, with which it is now inextricably entwined.
Brock Turner was a student and a star swimmer at Stanford University. On 30 March 2016 he was convicted on three charges relating to his sexual assault of an unconscious intoxicated woman. The charges carried a maximum sentence of fourteen years in prison. The prosecution argued for a six year sentence. He was ultimately sentenced to six months in prison to be followed by three years probation. He was also required to register as a sex offender and participate in a rehabilitation program. He was released after three months. This was considered by many to be extremely lenient and lead to public outrage. It is unlikely to come as a surprise to many that this outrage found its most virulent expression via the internet and in particular social media.
In this climate imagine the outrage produced by this book with its original title of “I Love Brock Turner”. This alone was sufficient for some to condemn the author as an apologist for Brock and his crimes. Of course, to reach a more logical and reasoned conclusion on this point involves one actually reading the book. What did the author mean in saying that he loves Brock Turner? Essentially the author argues that we should all love Brock Turner despite his crimes. That we should love everyone. Including even those who murder and rape children. It is beyond the scope of this review to reproduce in full the author’s arguments in support of this philosophy. The book itself does this very clearly and capably. Further, the author seems to have been very well aware that some would leap to the conclusion that he condoned Brock’s crimes and worse. He specifically denies this and goes to great pains to discuss what loving Brock Turner does and does not necessitate.
I am of the view that Amazon should not have banned the book. I agree with the author that those who complained and advocated the banning of the book could not have actually read and understood it. As he says, the book is about love. About loving when it is not easy to love. But the conclusion that the author is some sort of apologist for rapists is simply not open to a rational person who has read the book completely and followed the author's arguments.
I particularly liked this book as a response to the virulent mob hatred of Brock Turner expressed on social media. The lynch mob mentality is alive and well today. And has discovered in social media an environment in which it can thrive and grow. To oppose the mob in this situation does take courage, and I commend the author on this. I also found the book was well written and the author argued convincingly.
However, the arguments presented are well known. The philosophy of love and forgiveness is of course nothing new to any Christian. This is after all the philosophy of Jesus as presented in the New Testament, though the author argues that such love follows naturally from simple empathy alone. The book basically applies this very well known philosophy to a particular and difficult case. What makes the book stand out is its banning by Amazon at the behest of people who had clearly not read it, and its genesis as a response to the virulent hatred of Brock expressed in social media.
I did not like the author's praise of the reader as being someone special because they actually read most of this short book. To me the underlying assumption is that those who read so far must agree with the author’s views. Personally I remain unconvinced. Whilst I don’t passionately hate Brock Turner, I do not love him.
Who will like this book? Anyone like me who believes that an adult should be able to read anything. Who bristles at seeing the word “banned” and usually reacts by obtaining a copy and reading it. All of those who believe that we should be able to judge such things for ourselves. It will also appeal to people who are somewhat mystified by the attitude of the author but sufficiently open-minded to be genuinely curious about his reasoning. Those amateur philosophers and theologians amongst us will find nothing remarkable or even unfamiliar in either the philosophy or its application, but may still enjoy the book because of the issues raised by social media and the ultimate banning of the book. Many professed Christians will not enjoy the book as it may bring some of them face to face with their own hypocrisy. Given his actions it is not easy to love Brock Turner, but this is exactly what the teachings of Christ seem to require. Likewise those strongly committed to things like revenge and severe punishments for crimes will likely not regard this book favourably.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I do recommend it as a worthwhile read. Its banning at the behest of some people in support of their own agenda but who obviously did not read the book provides much food for thought. As does the role of social media including the hatred and lynch mentality. On the other hand the philosophy expressed and its application is in my view quite unremarkable, and I don’t consider this book to be amongst the very few that justify a 4 star rating.
******
The Banned Book about Love
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like DB44's review? Post a comment saying so!
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The Banned Book about Love by Scott Hughes is described by the author as a booklet. This is accurate, as it contains less than four thousand words. I will nevertheless refer to it as a book in this review. The title page, which appears before the beginning of the first chapter, reveals some unusual facts about this book. Firstly, it is published by OnlineBookClub.org. Secondly, it was originally released exclusively through Amazon. Thirdly, not only was the book free on Amazon, but the author pledged to donate 10 cents for every copy downloaded to a charity to help victims of sexual assault. Lastly, and most remarkably, we are informed that “Amazon banned the book after only a few days and 1,181 free downloads”. Further information is provided towards the end of the book in a section headed “Donation Note”, where the author writes that the banning was “due to misinformed complaints from outraged people who did not read the book”. We are also informed that the book was originally published under the title “I Love Brock Turner”. After some consideration I believe that it would be misleading and inappropriate to review this book without a discussion of its banning, with which it is now inextricably entwined.
Brock Turner was a student and a star swimmer at Stanford University. On 30 March 2016 he was convicted on three charges relating to his sexual assault of an unconscious intoxicated woman. The charges carried a maximum sentence of fourteen years in prison. The prosecution argued for a six year sentence. He was ultimately sentenced to six months in prison to be followed by three years probation. He was also required to register as a sex offender and participate in a rehabilitation program. He was released after three months. This was considered by many to be extremely lenient and lead to public outrage. It is unlikely to come as a surprise to many that this outrage found its most virulent expression via the internet and in particular social media.
In this climate imagine the outrage produced by this book with its original title of “I Love Brock Turner”. This alone was sufficient for some to condemn the author as an apologist for Brock and his crimes. Of course, to reach a more logical and reasoned conclusion on this point involves one actually reading the book. What did the author mean in saying that he loves Brock Turner? Essentially the author argues that we should all love Brock Turner despite his crimes. That we should love everyone. Including even those who murder and rape children. It is beyond the scope of this review to reproduce in full the author’s arguments in support of this philosophy. The book itself does this very clearly and capably. Further, the author seems to have been very well aware that some would leap to the conclusion that he condoned Brock’s crimes and worse. He specifically denies this and goes to great pains to discuss what loving Brock Turner does and does not necessitate.
I am of the view that Amazon should not have banned the book. I agree with the author that those who complained and advocated the banning of the book could not have actually read and understood it. As he says, the book is about love. About loving when it is not easy to love. But the conclusion that the author is some sort of apologist for rapists is simply not open to a rational person who has read the book completely and followed the author's arguments.
I particularly liked this book as a response to the virulent mob hatred of Brock Turner expressed on social media. The lynch mob mentality is alive and well today. And has discovered in social media an environment in which it can thrive and grow. To oppose the mob in this situation does take courage, and I commend the author on this. I also found the book was well written and the author argued convincingly.
However, the arguments presented are well known. The philosophy of love and forgiveness is of course nothing new to any Christian. This is after all the philosophy of Jesus as presented in the New Testament, though the author argues that such love follows naturally from simple empathy alone. The book basically applies this very well known philosophy to a particular and difficult case. What makes the book stand out is its banning by Amazon at the behest of people who had clearly not read it, and its genesis as a response to the virulent hatred of Brock expressed in social media.
I did not like the author's praise of the reader as being someone special because they actually read most of this short book. To me the underlying assumption is that those who read so far must agree with the author’s views. Personally I remain unconvinced. Whilst I don’t passionately hate Brock Turner, I do not love him.
Who will like this book? Anyone like me who believes that an adult should be able to read anything. Who bristles at seeing the word “banned” and usually reacts by obtaining a copy and reading it. All of those who believe that we should be able to judge such things for ourselves. It will also appeal to people who are somewhat mystified by the attitude of the author but sufficiently open-minded to be genuinely curious about his reasoning. Those amateur philosophers and theologians amongst us will find nothing remarkable or even unfamiliar in either the philosophy or its application, but may still enjoy the book because of the issues raised by social media and the ultimate banning of the book. Many professed Christians will not enjoy the book as it may bring some of them face to face with their own hypocrisy. Given his actions it is not easy to love Brock Turner, but this is exactly what the teachings of Christ seem to require. Likewise those strongly committed to things like revenge and severe punishments for crimes will likely not regard this book favourably.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I do recommend it as a worthwhile read. Its banning at the behest of some people in support of their own agenda but who obviously did not read the book provides much food for thought. As does the role of social media including the hatred and lynch mentality. On the other hand the philosophy expressed and its application is in my view quite unremarkable, and I don’t consider this book to be amongst the very few that justify a 4 star rating.
******
The Banned Book about Love
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like DB44's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "The Banned Book about Love" by Scott Hughes
