What will humanity risk to keep our technology?
This book has been banned by numerous schools, condemned as it is as "blasphemous," "obscene," and "filthy."
Mark Twain's contentious literary masterpiece has faced numerous bans since its initial prohibition in Concord, MA in 1885. Concerns primarily revolve around the discriminatory elements within the book.
Bradbury's novel depicts a world where books are burned. Interestingly, a middle school in Irvine, CA, found a different approach by using a censored version of the novel that obscured certain "unacceptable" words.
Ginsberg's book, known for depicting homosexual acts, has faced a ban by authorities.
Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is frequently assigned in high schools, prompting parental concerns due to its explicit violence and sexual content.
In Dee Brown's book, the history of the United States is told from the perspective of American Indians. The book explores the nation's growth and westward expansion. In 1974, a school district official from Wisconsin decided to ban the book, fearing potential controversy.
The Mexican-American Studies program of the Tucson Unified School District was dissolved due to legal reasons, resulting in the banning of numerous books, including those written by Chavez.
Some parents of students in Advanced English classes at a high school in Virginia expressed disapproval over the sexual content and language in Hurston's popular novel, which was also adapted into a movie starring Halle Berry.
Mitchell's book, awarded the Pulitzer Prize and adapted into an Academy Award-winning film, has faced bans in several places due to the contentious portrayal of slavery and inclusion of racist language.
The "adult themes" in this book prompted disapproval from parents in Mercedes, TX, leading to increased parental control over their children's reading assignments.
Many parents and librarians have deemed this story unsettling and gloomy.
A Baptist college in South Carolina attempted to ban Fitzgerald's acclaimed novel due to its sexual references.
Certain educators view the Pulitzer Prize-winning book as degrading, indecent, and racially discriminatory.
Since its publication, this influential book on female sexuality and anatomy has faced objections for allegedly promoting homosexuality and for its use of the word "vagina." The challenges arose shortly after it was published.
This book has faced criticism and censorship throughout history. It was included in Nazi book-burnings and faced bans in Italy, Yugoslavia, and other places. Critics object to its violent and dark content.
In 1972, a high school in Ohio removed this book from its curriculum and library. However, in 1976, the ban was overturned by the District Court.
Kinsey's pioneering study faced international publication bans and intense criticism in the United States due to its inquiry into individuals' sexual experiences.
Wright's book has faced challenges or bans in several US states for its explicit sexual content and portrayal of violent scenes.
Malcolm X, the human rights activist also known as Malcolm Little, collaborated on this autobiography, which some critics view as a guide to criminal activities and others as "anti-white," leading them to advocate for its banning.
This book has faced censorship on the grounds of alleged impropriety and a divergence from societal norms.
This novel. which won the National Book Award, was prohibited in high schools in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Washington due to its discussions on black nationalism and Marxism.
The US Postal Service deemed Hemingway's book unsuitable for mailing shortly after its publication, resulting in limited distribution of the book. The novel was later adapted into a film, which was both a critical and commercial success, receiving an Academy Award.
When this well-received play was adapted into a widely-watched film, the director decided to remove certain scenes to reduce the explicit nature portrayed in the stage version.
The initial release of this book caused a stir among the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, which considered it excessively sensual. Certain bookstores in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York even cautioned their patrons against purchasing it.
Steinbeck's 1939 book faced a ban in Kern County, CA, the very place where its story unfolds, due to objections regarding its use of profanity and sexual content. Furthermore, this book has also been prohibited in various countries around the world, including Turkey. Steinbeck won a Pulitzer Prize for 'The Grapes of Wrath,' and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962.
When it was published this book was reportedly banned in countries such as Yugoslavia, East Germany, and South Korea, due to its supposed socialist views. It was also suppressed in Boston.
Concerns were raised by parents in the Bay School District, FL, regarding this book. Numerous individuals have expressed the opinion that the book contains an excessive amount of violence.
Capote's book faced complaints of profanity, sex, and violence, resulting in its banning. However, it was later placed back on bookshelves.
See also: Books that became public domain
Books often spark controversy due to their bold ideas, explicit content, or sensitive racial themes. Some debates persist for years.
Consider works like Art Spiegelman's 'Maus,' which recounts his parents' Holocaust survival with cats and mice as characters. It made history in 1992 as the first graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize and is commonly used in schools as a teaching aid about that period, similar to Anne Frank's diary. However, in January 2022, a decision by a Tennessee school board banned 'Maus' from classrooms, labeling it "vulgar and inappropriate" due to offensive language and illustrations. "God damn" is one of the offending phrases cited, and the illustration in question is of a female mouse.
Spiegelman expressed disbelief at the ban, criticizing the board's actions as Orwellian. "I’ve met so many young people who … have learned things from my book," Spiegelman commented. "I also understand that Tennessee is obviously demented. There’s something going on very, very haywire there."
The following books were all featured in the Library of Congress' exhibit 'Books that Shaped America,' and have all been banned, challenged, or censored.
Censored stories: popular page-turners that were banned
The award-winning authors whose novels were silenced
LIFESTYLE Literature
Books often spark controversy due to their bold ideas, explicit content, or sensitive racial themes. Some debates persist for years.
Consider works like Art Spiegelman's 'Maus,' which recounts his parents' Holocaust survival with cats and mice as characters. It made history in 1992 as the first graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize and is commonly used in schools as a teaching aid about that period, similar to Anne Frank's diary. However, in January 2022, a decision by a Tennessee school board banned 'Maus' from classrooms, labeling it "vulgar and inappropriate" due to offensive language and illustrations. "God damn" is one of the offending phrases cited, and the illustration in question is of a female mouse.
Spiegelman expressed disbelief at the ban, criticizing the board's actions as Orwellian. "I’ve met so many young people who … have learned things from my book," Spiegelman commented. "I also understand that Tennessee is obviously demented. There’s something going on very, very haywire there."
The following books were all featured in the Library of Congress' exhibit 'Books that Shaped America,' and have all been banned, challenged, or censored.