Free People Read Freely

In observance of the American Library Association‘s Banned Books Week, I am today featuring ten of my favorites from a list of the 100 most frequently challenged books in the decade 1990-2000. My selections are arbitrary and reflect only my own tastes.

Observed since 1982, this annual event serves to remind Americans not to take for granted their precious freedom to express one’s opinions, even or perhaps especially when those opinions are unorthodox or unpopular. Libraries are deeply committed to the concept of Intellectual Freedom which includes both the right to believe what you choose and to express those beliefs and to have unrestricted access to information and ideas, regardless of the viewpoints expressed or the medium through which they are communicated.

Censorship is as old as expression itself and continues to this day. Last year the ALA received 546 reports of attempts to "challenge" or demand the removal of books and other materials at libraries and schools. If none of my selections appeal to your tastes, please visit Wikipedia’s extensive, though by no means complete list of books that have been banned throughout history and read a banned book this week to show your support for your right to read freely.

Alan’s Top Ten Banned Books:

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou — the first volume of autobiography by the celebrated poet, dancer, and civil rights activist has often been targeted by censors due to its graphic depiction of a rape.

Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck— a 1937 novel depicting a tragic friendship between two men working as migrant laborers in California during the Great Depression and considered a classic of American literature, it has been targeted for censorship on the grounds that it promotes euthanasia and contains graphic language.

Final Exit by Derek Humphry is the highly controversial 1991 guide for terminally ill people who chose to commit suicide. Criticized for providing specific information on the best ways to end one’s life
which may be used by people who are not terminally ill, this book is banned by law in France.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a dystopian novel set in the Republic of Gillead, a theocratic totalitarian state which has replaced the former USA , where women are highly subjugated and sumptuary laws keep them in their place. This book has been frequently targeted for censorship on the basis of its anti-religious theme and sexual references.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee— a Southern Gothic novel in the bildungsroman genre. (Sorry, I came across that word in the newspaper yesterday and could not resist throwing it in.) A beautifully written story of growing up in
the rural South, this book has been targeted by censors for its frank treatment of race relations and rape.

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton— published in 1967, this Young Adult novel explores themes of brotherly love and class conflict. It has been targeted for censorship due to its portrayal of violence, explicit language and alcohol and drug use.


Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes is the story of a mentally retarded man who undergoes an operation that makes him into a genius. In his new life as a genius he studies the science behind the operation he’d undergone and recognizes a flaw in the theory that will cause him to lose his newfound intelligence as quickly as he had gained it. This book has been banned by two school systems in Canada after a parent called the book "filthy and immoral".

Ordinary People by Judith Guest is a psychological novel about a family struggling to come to terms with the death of its older son in a sailing accident and his brother’s subsequent suicide attempt. Banned in some school systems due to the subject matter and for sexual content.


Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume is a Young Adult novel dealing with a girl’s conflicted religious identity growing up with one Jewish and one Christian parent. It has been targeted for censorship due to its frank treatment of religion and sexuality.

The Dead Zone by Stephen King is the story of a man named John Smith who awakens from a coma after being unconscious for five years to find he now has psychic abilities. Made into a television series on the USA Network, the book appears on the list of those targeted for censorship, although I was unable to locate a specific citation.


And finally, all of J. K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter books have been targeted for censorship by critics who equate the magic depicted in these books with Satanism and the occult.

Much of the information contained in this piece was obtained from Wikipedia and from the American Library Association. Please leave a comment and let me know what your favorite banned books are and what you are reading to celebrate your right to Read Freely.


Category : Banned Books Week, Book Reviews, Books