Controversial books and why

Brow-raising tales that have triggered outcries, book-burning sessions, and demands that the literature be taken from store shelves, libraries—wherever—and locked away for good. Some of the arguments have merit, of course.

Customs banned the book from landing in America, leaving tempted readers to find smuggled-in versions or bootleg copies—both led to jail time for several of the offenders. The book finally made it to print in America in , and little opinion about the graphic content and misogynistic tones had changed: over 60 obscenity lawsuits in over 21 states.

And that carried on into later years as well, which included a pro-communism label in the early s. National Book Award for Fiction back in The full novel would be published in and face similar fates, both in the U. There are isolated cases of challenges to library materials made available in or by prisons, special libraries, community groups, and students.

The vast majority of challenges were initiated by parents 2, , with patrons and administrators to follow and respectively. This number reflects all the challenges we received since July 31, for the time period. OIF has only been collecting data about banned books since , so we do not have any lists of frequently challenged books or authors before that date. Skip to main content. Use precise geolocation data.

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Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Esther Lombardi. Literature Expert. Esther Lombardi, M. Updated November 23, Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Lombardi, Esther. Controversial and Banned Books.

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Beloved , by Toni Morrison Challenged at the St. The Pulitzer Prize winning novel has been required reading for the advanced placement English class for six years. Challenged in the Sarasota County, FL schools because of sexual material.

Some parents say the book, along with five others, should require parental permission for students to read them. Pulled from the senior Advanced Placement AP English class at Eastern High School in Louisville, KY because two parents complained that the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about antebellum slavery depicted the inappropriate topics of bestiality, racism, and sex.

Challenged at the Owen, NC High School because the book is "demoralizing inasmuch as it implies that man is little more than an animal. Challenged in the Waterloo, IA schools because of profanity, lurid passages about sex, and statements defamatory to minorities, God, women and the disabled.

Challenged, but retained on the ninth-grade accelerated English reading list in Bloomfield, NY The South African Directorate of Publications announced on November 27, , that Lolita has been taken off the banned list, eight years after a request for permission to market the novel in paperback had been refused.

Challenged as appropriate for high school reading lists in the Shelby County, TN school system because the novel contains "offensive language. Challenged in the Rivera, TX schools because it contains profanity. Challenged as curriculum material at the Ringgold High School in Carroll Township, PA because the novel contains terminology offensive to blacks.

Removed and later returned to the Suwannee, FL High School library because the book is "indecent" Challenged at the Jacksboro, TN High School because the novel contains "blasphemous" language, excessive cursing, and sexual overtones. Challenged as required reading in the Buckingham County, VA schools because of profanity.

In a coalition of community members and clergy in Mobile, AL requested that local school officials form a special textbook screening committee to "weed out objectionable things. Challenged in the Waterloo, IA schools and the Duval County, FL public school libraries because of profanity, lurid passages about sex, and statements defamatory to minorities, God, women, and the disabled.

Challenged at the Modesto, CA High School as recommended reading because of "offensive and racist language. Challenged as an appropriate English curriculum assignment at the Mingus, AZ Union High School because of "profane language, moral statement, treatment of the retarded, and the violent ending.

The book was challenged in the Loganville, GA High School because of its "vulgar language throughout. Retained in the Bemidji, MN schools after challenges to the book's "objectionable" language. A citizen group, the Black United, Inc. Cloud, MN A parent complained that the book's use of racist language led to racist behavior and racial harassment.

Challenged, but retained, in the Bryant, AR school library because of a parent's complaint that the book "takes God's name in vain 15 times and uses Jesus's name lightly. Challenged, but retained in the sophomore curriculum at West Middlesex, PA High School despite objections to the novel's profanity. Challenged in the Tomah, WI School District because the novel is violent and contains obscenities.

Challenged as required reading at the high school in Grandville, MI because the book "is full of racism, profanity, and foul language. Challenged in the Normal, IL Community High Schools because the books contains "racial slurs, profanity, violence, and does not represent traditional values. The book has been used in the high school for more than thirty years, and those who object to its content have the option of reading an alternative reading. Newton High School has required students to read the book since at least the early s.

In neighboring Des Moines, it is on the recommended reading list for ninth-grade English, and it is used for some special education students in the eleventh and twelfth grades. District Court in Minarcini v. Strongsville City School District. Removed from classrooms in Miller, MO , because it makes promiscuous sex "look like fun. Challenged as required reading at the Yukon, OK High School because of "the book's language and moral content. The book was retained, and teachers selected alternatives if students object to Huxley's novel.

Removed from the Foley, AL High School Library pending review, because a parent complained that its characters showed contempt for religion, marriage, and family. The parent complained to the school and to Alabama Governor Don Siegelman. Parents objected to the adult themes—sexuality, drugs, suicide—that appeared in the novel. Huxley's book was part of the summer Science Academy curriculum.

The board voted to give parents more control over their children's choices by requiring principals to automatically offer an alternative to a challenged book. Animal Farm , by George Orwell A Wisconsin survey revealed in that the John Birch Society had challenged the novel's use; it objected to the words "masses will revolt. Its findings identified the novel on its list of "problem books"; the reason cited was that "Orwell was a communist.

A survey of censorship challenges in the schools, conducted in DeKalb County for the period of to , revealed that the novel had been objected to for its political theories.