56 pages 1 hour read

James Patterson

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading

Nonfiction | Essay Collection | Adult | Published in 2024

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Part 2

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 2: “I Could Talk About Books Forever.”

Part 2, Chapter 1 Summary: “Carolyn Foote”

Foote worked as a high school and district librarian in Austin, Texas, for over 30 years until 2021. She then noticed that there was a marked and concerning increase in the number of calls for certain books—usually featuring LGBTQ+ characters and themes or discussing race—to be removed from libraries. These censorship attempts were made by a small, vocal, and well-organized conservative minority with support from the complicit school administration and posturing politicians. Foote believes that all good libraries are apolitical and that it is the responsibility of parents to supervise their own children’s reading habits without imposing their beliefs on other families.

Foote created a guerilla social media campaign #Freadom to support librarians standing against censorship, which elicited massive and immediate engagement. It subsequently evolved into the hashtag #FReadomFighters with an associated website and page containing constantly updating information and resources. Foote now works as a consultant for public libraries across the US and has received several prestigious national awards for her work fighting censorship. More and more people are becoming aware of the battle against censorship and making a stand, but Foote declares that librarians need support now more than ever.

Related Titles

By James Patterson

Study Guide
logo

1st to Die

James Patterson

1st to Die

James Patterson

Plot Summary
logo

Alex Cross

James Patterson

Alex Cross

James Patterson

Study Guide
logo

Ali Cross

James Patterson

Ali Cross

James Patterson

Study Guide
logo

Along Came a Spider

James Patterson

Along Came a Spider

James Patterson

Plot Summary
logo

Ambush

James O. Born, James Patterson

Ambush

James O. Born, James Patterson

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

Becoming Muhammad Ali

James Patterson, Kwame Alexander

Becoming Muhammad Ali

James Patterson, Kwame Alexander

Study Guide
logo

Cross Down

James Patterson

Cross Down

James Patterson

Study Guide
logo

Eruption

Michael Crichton, James Patterson

Eruption

Michael Crichton, James Patterson

Plot Summary
logo

Four Blind Mice

James Patterson

Four Blind Mice

James Patterson

Study Guide
logo

Holmes, Marple & Poe

James Patterson, Brian Sitts

Holmes, Marple & Poe: The Greatest Crime-Solving Team of the Twenty-First Century

James Patterson, Brian Sitts

Study Guide
logo

I Funny

James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein

I Funny: A Middle School Story

James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein

Plot Summary
logo

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

James Patterson

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

James Patterson

Plot Summary
logo

Med Head

James Patterson

Med Head

James Patterson

Study Guide
logo

Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life

Chris Tebbetts, James Patterson, Illustr. Laura Park

Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life

Chris Tebbetts, James Patterson, Illustr. Laura Park

Plot Summary
logo

Nevermore

James Patterson

Nevermore

James Patterson

Plot Summary
logo

Roses Are Red

James Patterson

Roses Are Red

James Patterson

Plot Summary
logo

Sam's Letters to Jennifer

James Patterson

Sam's Letters to Jennifer

James Patterson

Plot Summary
logo

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas

James Patterson

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas

James Patterson

Plot Summary
logo

The Big Bad Wolf

James Patterson

The Big Bad Wolf

James Patterson

Study Guide
logo

The House of Wolves

James Patterson, Mike Lupica

The House of Wolves

James Patterson, Mike Lupica