Banned Books Week is an annual celebration of the freedom to read that reminds Americans not to take that precious freedom for granted.

To recognize this event, the Rosenbach is hosting Authors of Mischief, featuring readings of banned and censored books in the Rosenbach collections. The program will include passages from Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak, and many more.

Scheduled readers include:

• Thomas Devaney, Visiting Assistant Professor, HaverfordCollege; reads Desiderius Erasmus, The Praise of Folly

• Marina Brownlee, Robert Shirmer Professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature, Princeton University; reads Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote

• Nathalie Anderson, Professor of English, Swarthmore College; Poet-in-Residence, Rosenbach Museum & Library; reads Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

• Karen Getz, Actor & Performance Artist, and Kelly Jennings, Actor & Performance Artist; read Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

• Mary Tasillo, Artist and Writer; reads Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

• Bill Adair, Director, Heritage Philadelphia Program, Pew Center for Arts & Heritage; reads Maurice Sendak, In the Night Kitchen

RSVP: (215) 732-1600 ext. 123 or rsvp [at] rosenbach [dot] org.

This event is free with general admission.

Also, on September 29th and October 1st at 3:00 p.m., the Rosenbach will offer Hands-On Tours featuring banned books in our collections.