Ogemaw County Banned Book Club

08/20/2026

Welcome, we have changed a few things to try to get more participation. We are continuing with having the meeting at China Inn at 5:30pm but have changed it to Thursdays. Still every other month.

We will meet on October 15th at 5:30pm at China Inn and we are reading Water for Elephants. I will bring some discussion questions to try to jump start a more focused discussion as requested by a few.

See you there!

06/23/2026

Join us as we read Viola Davis' acclaimed 2022 memoir, "Finding Me." Among other unflinching topics, Davis writes about her experiences with racism and colorism at every stage of her acting career.
We'll meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at China Inn. New members are always welcome!

06/17/2026

PLEASE VOTE ON OUR AUGUST BOOK SELECTION!
We're trying something new! Please vote by Tuesday, June 23, on which of these three books you would like to read with us for our August meeting:
* "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
* "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
* "Finding Me" by Viola Davis
Thanks!!

05/16/2026

Join us at 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, as we read Philip K. Dick's 1962 alternative history novel, "The Man in the High Castle." Imagining a world in which the Axis powers won World War II, this book's plot includes a novel-within-the-novel that's banned in a partitioned United States. It's a classic choice for banned book clubs -- come find out why!
We meet at the China Inn Restaurant, 601 W. Houghton Ave., West Branch.

04/02/2026

"Amid a nationwide rise in book bans and broader attacks targeting LGBTQ+ communities, including more than 500 hostile legislative bills, librarians from at least half a dozen states have joined forces with civil rights groups to push back. That has included working to protect LGBTQ+ rights and challenging what those librarians and their allies call a 'manufactured crisis.'"

Luanne James said as a librarian she had an obligation to protect the public’s right to access information

03/15/2026

As part of its legal work challenging bans, PEN America recently spoke to authors about the impact book bans have on their creative processes. While many said they refuse to self-censor — it would constitute “a kind of death,” remarked author Kyle Lukoff — bans are still impeding their writing processes by stifling their creativity and causing them to doubt choices they otherwise wouldn’t. One author, overwhelmed by the censorship they’ve faced, felt as though they had no choice but to stop writing children’s books altogether.

For the past few years, author Charlotte Sullivan Wild has been working on a picture book about an LGBTQ+ family who learns to cope with one member’s deployment to the military. The story is inspired by Sullivan Wild’s own life, and she’s certain it could help families like hers. But finding a...

03/15/2026

Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush have joined the ranks of banned authors, thanks to a sweeping review that has led to the banning of some 1,500 books from a suburban school district nestled in the Texas Hill Country. “This overly aggressive removal of books – based on a vague law that should never have passed in the first place – is undermining education and the freedom to read in Texas,” said Jonathan Friedman, PEN America Sy Syms managing director of U.S. free expression programs.

Barack and Michelle Obama have joined the ranks of banned authors thanks to a sweeping ban of 1,500 books from Texas Hill Country.

02/16/2026

Come join us as we read the sometimes-banned and always excellent "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" by Fannie Flagg. We'll meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, at the China Inn in West Branch. Secret's in the sauce! 🤫 All are welcome!

12/18/2025

The Ogemaw County Banned Book Club's next selection will be Garrard Conley's "Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family." Come join us at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10 at the China Inn Restaurant in West Branch!

11/03/2025

Little did we know how relevant our June selection of "The Great Gatsby" would be.

President Donald Trump has come under fire after he hosted a "Great Gatsby" themed Halloween party just hours before millions of Americans lost their SNAP benefits.