08-13-2003, 05:50 AM | #1 (permalink) |
will always be an Alyson Hanniganite
Location: In the dust of the archives
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Let's all read a book...before it's banned
Banned Books Week is September 20 - 27, 2003.
Following is a list of the 100 most challenged books, as put forth by the American Library Association. I'm sure that as you read through the list, you will find numerous books that you have read before. You may even find yourself asking "Now why, in the world, would anyone want to ban [fill in the blank]?" The simple answer is that certain people want to control the way that you think by controlling the information that is accessible to you. What I propose is simple. Read through the list. Pick at least one, preferably more, but at least one book on the list that you have not read before and read it. Read it before September 20th. What better way to protest banning books than to actually read a book simply <b>because</b> the book was challenged? Hopefully, between all of us, we will be able to have read every book on the list. Remember, it has to be a book that you <b>haven't</b> read before. Any takers? 1. Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz 2. Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite 3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou 4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier 5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling 8. Forever by Judy Blume 9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson 10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor 11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman 12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier 13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 14. The Giver by Lois Lowry 15. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris 16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine 17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck 18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker 19. Sex by Madonna 20. Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel 21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson 22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle 23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous 24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers 25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak 26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard 27. The Witches by Roald Dahl 28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein 29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry 30. The Goats by Brock Cole 31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane 32. Blubber by Judy Blume 33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan 34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam 35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier 36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry 37. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood 38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George 39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison 40. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras 41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 42. Beloved by Toni Morrison 43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton 2 44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel 45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard 46. Deenie by Judy Blume 47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes 48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden 49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar 50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz 51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein 52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice) 54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole 55. Cujo by Stephen King 56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl 57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell 58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy 59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest 60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis 61. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras 62. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume 63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly 64. Athletic Sho rts by Chris Crutcher 65. Fade by Robert Cormier 66. Guess What? by Mem Fox 67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende 68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney 69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding 71. Native Son by Richard Wright 72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday 73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen 74. Jack by A.M. Homes 75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya 76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle 77. Carrie by Stephen King 78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume 79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer 80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge 81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein 82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole 83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King 84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain 85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison 86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez 87. Private Parts by Howard Stern 88. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford 89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene 90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman 91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett 92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher 93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis 94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene 95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy 96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell 97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts 98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder 99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney 100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
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"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony "Hedonism with rules isn't hedonism at all, it's the Republican party." - JumpinJesus It is indisputable that true beauty lies within...but a nice rack sure doesn't hurt. |
08-13-2003, 06:03 AM | #2 (permalink) | |
paranoid
Location: The Netherlands
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Re: Let's all read a book...before it's banned
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Yeah they should ban it... With all the mass hysteria it's creating. Makes the economy suffer! Everybody is going nuts over it But seriously: I'll take you up on the offer (not that those books will be banned for me, but still) I'll take: 13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
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"Do not kill. Do not rape. Do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace. " - Murphy MacManus (Boondock Saints) |
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08-13-2003, 06:05 AM | #3 (permalink) |
I aim to misbehave!
Location: SW Oklahoma
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Ban ignorant people, not books!
There are countries available for people who think that they have some right to decide what is best for everyone else. I say we buy em tickets to upper slobbovia and see how they like it!
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Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American G. I. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom |
08-13-2003, 06:05 AM | #4 (permalink) |
Junkie
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What the fuck? Some of those books are really good. I was required to read some of those books in high school, and I really enjoyed them. What's really amusing me is that I thought this association was against restricting internet access in areas of libraries where kids would use the computers. What is wrong with some people?
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"Fuck these chains No goddamn slave I will be different" ~ Machine Head |
08-13-2003, 06:06 AM | #5 (permalink) |
Banned
Location: Massachusetts, USA
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Let's see...
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou Sounds interesting. 4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier Sounds vaguely familiar. 5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Read part of it. 7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling Already read 'em. 13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Need to read this. 18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker 19. Sex by Madonna These two make me wonder if I should read them. 22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Read this LONG ago. Don't remember much about it. It's SF. 37. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood It's already on my "to read" pile. 40. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras Probably should be required reading for everyone, but I haven't read it yet. 41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Read it in 6th grade for class, IIRC. 47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes This is wonderful and I strongly recommend it. Has nothing to do with sex, and I can't imagine why they'd have a problem with it. 51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein They have a problem with Shel Silverstein??? 52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Of course they have a problem with this book. They don't want people knowing what they're doing. 54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole God-forbid anyone should understand that, I guess. 56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl They're insane. A kid shouldn't have a problem with being abused?? 61. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras See #40. 62. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume I see a pattern here. 69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Read it long ago. Great stuff. 72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday Sounds like fun. Can't say anything since this is the first I've heard of it. 76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle Again, God-forbid anything about human biology should actually be taught. 82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole Ibid. 84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain These people are totally insane. 87. Private Parts by Howard Stern Why stop there? Just ban the man himself. 93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis 95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy Whatta shock that this is here. There are a bunch of books there I'm interested in, but I think I'll read the ones I've already got which I keep putting off: The Handmaid's Tale, and maybe Huck Finn. Last edited by denim; 08-13-2003 at 06:16 AM.. |
08-13-2003, 06:22 AM | #7 (permalink) |
My future is coming on
Moderator Emeritus
Location: east of the sun and west of the moon
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I've never read The Bridge to Terabithia, so perhaps I'll start with that one. Thanks for spearheading the effort, Bill-O.
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"If ten million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France |
08-13-2003, 06:32 AM | #9 (permalink) |
paranoid
Location: The Netherlands
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I guess I'm showing my un-educated nature here:
But everybody has heard of the quote that says something like: You can kill me, but my ideas will live on. You can ban the books, but the ideas in them will spread. (not that I can find anything wrong with that)
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"Do not kill. Do not rape. Do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace. " - Murphy MacManus (Boondock Saints) |
08-13-2003, 06:40 AM | #10 (permalink) | |
Banned
Location: Massachusetts, USA
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08-13-2003, 07:00 AM | #12 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: RI
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Bridge to Terabithia...I loved that book when I was a little kid, what else...Anarachists Cookbook, that's another good read =p Where’s Waldo? Ya, that ones a real killer...Scary stories I suppose I can see that one. Harry Potter I agree to. Lord of the Flies was kinda sketchy. I read at least 10 of those books while I was in school. Although some of them were boring, they were still good books.
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08-13-2003, 07:53 AM | #17 (permalink) |
Once upon a time...
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"There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them." - Joseph Brodsky
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-- Man Alone ======= Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure. Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary. |
08-13-2003, 07:58 AM | #18 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
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I'll take TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. I've been meaning to read that book for a while anyway.
I'm a librarian and a member of the American Library Association, and I had the opportunity to see Judith Krug, head of their Office for Intellectual Freedom, speak at a Harry Potter symposium I attended this summer. She had a lot of great insights to book banning and what we can do about it. Know that when a book is banned, the library is not behind it. If anyone wants recommendations on books, I've read about 75% of what's on that list, and I'd be happy to rec you one based on your reading preferences.
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Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, I am large. I contain multitudes. -Walt Whitman, Song of Myself |
08-13-2003, 07:58 AM | #19 (permalink) |
Insane
Location: Parts Unknown
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No "Naked Lunch"? These people are setting their sights too low!
sk
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"If I could have one wish, as in the fairy tales, I would unmake my past, and rise like Lazarus and stand in sunlight and banish all the dark." D. Tibet |
08-13-2003, 08:40 AM | #22 (permalink) | |
I demand a better future
Location: Great White North
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I have Madonna's Sex book... its quite... disturbing. My girlfriend at the time gave it to me for my birthday one year... just one problem... I think Madonna is ugly.
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08-13-2003, 08:50 AM | #24 (permalink) |
Sexy eh?
Location: Sweden
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This is really scary that the nation who are supposed to be the ideal when it comes to freedom of speech bans books siply because somone took offence to what was written in it.
Why don't somone sign a challenge against the Bible? It's full of war, gore, human and animal sacrifices, Racism (Jesus'es statements on the Farisees is agitation against an ethnic group just ot mention one example) so forth and so on. Let's see what they say now ehh..
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Life is shit, Death is even worse, So what's the point of killing yourself? /Ignatius Camryn Paladine |
08-13-2003, 09:00 AM | #25 (permalink) |
will always be an Alyson Hanniganite
Location: In the dust of the archives
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23 posts and only 6 commitals.
9. Bridge to Terabithia.................lurkette 13. The Catcher in the Rye .........Silvy 24. Fallen Angels ........................shalafi 37. The Handmaid’s Tale.............denim 41. To Kill a Mockingbird..............Cedar 69. Slaughterhouse-Five ............Macheath C'mon guys, there are 94 more books on that list. All I ask is that you read just one of 'em.
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"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony "Hedonism with rules isn't hedonism at all, it's the Republican party." - JumpinJesus It is indisputable that true beauty lies within...but a nice rack sure doesn't hurt. |
08-13-2003, 09:01 AM | #26 (permalink) |
Metal and Rock 4 Life
Location: Phoenix
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What the fuck is going on here,
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine 41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 55. Cujo by Stephen King 56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl 57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell I just skimmed this list and found there, not one of these should be banned. Hell, a few of them I was FORCED to read in SCHOOL. I see somthing wrong with what was once used to teach me to now be banned. Corperates and Politics can kiss my ass. And as for what I'll read, I'm almost done with The Bourne Identity; so once thats done I'll go for: 83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
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You bore me.... next. |
08-13-2003, 09:31 AM | #27 (permalink) |
Crazy
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Count me in for 3:
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett And even though someone else has picked it, I'll read it too. 69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut I can understand why some of those are on the list (Stephen King's stuff, Lord of the Flies, etc...) I don't agee with it, but I see where some people may have a problem with them. I hope parents don't look at lists like this and say "Little Johnny can't read any book on this list", but instead use it as a catlyst to research what the book is about and decide for yourself if Little Johnny is mature enough to handle the content. I would never deny anybody the chance to read Lord of the Flies as it is one of my favorite books, but it does present images and situations that some kids may not be ready to face.
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If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate. |
08-13-2003, 09:36 AM | #28 (permalink) |
A Real American
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61. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by
Lynda Madaras No fucking way...I read that as a kid and I learned a lot from it. It didn't pervert me in any way that I remember...society did a good enough job of that. remember folks, Bookburning is Censorship in the 451st degree.
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I happen to like the words "fuck", "cock", "pussy", "tits", "cunt", "twat", "shit" and even "bitch". As long as I am not using them to describe you, don't go telling me whether or not I can/should use them...that is, if you want me to continue refraining from using them to describe you. ~Prince |
08-13-2003, 09:59 AM | #30 (permalink) |
Registered User
Location: Oklahoma
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Book banning is absolutely ridiculous. It is akin to prohibition when the do-gooders thought they would correct the moral compass of the nation. What happened was increased illegal trafficing of alcohol and many people killed for a piece of it. I have read many of the books on that list, and I can't recall anything in anyone of them that corrupted me more than I am already
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08-13-2003, 10:09 AM | #31 (permalink) |
And we'll all float on ok...
Location: Iowa City
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The first book on that list I read in fourth grade. It's a popular ELEMENTARY school book. That's ridiculous. Anyway, I'll read 60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.
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For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command or faith a dictum. I am my own God. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us. --Charles Bukowski |
08-13-2003, 10:10 AM | #32 (permalink) |
Insane
Location: NJ
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well, if I haven't read everything on that list already, put me down for the whole damn thing. Hell, I'll read 'em twice. And then vomit on the people that want to ban them. We start banning books, then what next? Ideas, people, hell maybe free will while we're at it. Gd forbid we let people think for themselves. What would happen if we did THAT? Why, we might pull ourselves out of this intellectual black hole this country is turning into.
I think I should go lie down.
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Embrace the flame |
08-13-2003, 11:13 AM | #35 (permalink) |
Insane
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it's things like this that do nothing but annoy me. i'll try to get out to the library tommorrow and get The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Number 18
and for the record, i think some of these books should be made mandatory readings. i'd sign a form for that any day. rockogre has it right with " Ban ignorant people, not books!" absolutely. so put me down for that one, and i'll see if i can get any more in after. this is more of a "To-Read" list than anything else. |
08-13-2003, 12:28 PM | #37 (permalink) |
will always be an Alyson Hanniganite
Location: In the dust of the archives
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36 posts, 183 views and 14 commitments
Not bad...but still 86 to go. 5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn...JSD 9. Bridge to Terabithia............................lurkette 13. The Catcher in the Rye.....................Silvy 18. The Color Purple...............................sandeep 24. Fallen Angels ...................................shalafi 37. The Handmaid’s Tale........................denim 41. To Kill a Mockingbird.........................Cedar 52. Brave New World..............................TwistedFate 60. American Psycho...............................Jeff 69. Slaughterhouse-Five .......................Macheath 83. The Dead Zone.................................Destrox 84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer........JSD 91. Pillars of the Earth............................TwistedFate 100. Jump Ship to Freedom....................Darkblack
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"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony "Hedonism with rules isn't hedonism at all, it's the Republican party." - JumpinJesus It is indisputable that true beauty lies within...but a nice rack sure doesn't hurt. |
08-13-2003, 12:52 PM | #40 (permalink) | |||||
Practical Anarchist
Location: Yesterday i woke up stuck in hollywood
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Re: Let's all read a book...before it's banned
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Honestly, this list is stupid and unjust, thinking about this make me wonder what books i might have read and might have changed my life but have been banned becuase people thought that i shouldn't be influenced by them. Makes so so mad i could, well i could do something to deminstrate my anger!
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The Above post is a direct quote from Shakespeare |
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