Books Banned at One Time or Another in the USA

[BruceH]

Only fourteen, but then I don't care for Stephen King...

"Flowers for Algernon"???? For crying out loud, why?

Because it shows the mentally handicapped in a good light?

No, it must be because of that middle section where he got all smart and "uppity."

Because, good as it is, it's not as good as the short story?

Wait, I know: Because people who ban books are ignorant, clueless, idiots. (That's the answer to them all, but it works for me.)

[paul secor]

There would no doubt be a lot more books banned if the people doing the banning read books.

[BruceH]

I think I've read 24 of the books on the list at the beginning of this thread (I keep meaning to get to My Friend Flicka) but as many have pointed out, there are a lot of famous banned books left off the list. Miller, Joyce, etc....there's probably not any author from the literary cannon who hasn't been banned, temporarily, SOMEwhere. And kids books get banned a lot. Some dumb parent is always scared to death that their helpless child is going to have their teeny defenseless mind polluted by some vile book. They don't realize that their children's minds are REALLY being polluted by computer games.

[Jazzmoose]

When we say "banned," more often then not it's simply some silly conservative politician in some small town (or maybe Boston ) who objects to a book for some reason

I don't agree; silly liberals come out for banning books quite often. But at least we can agree on the silly part...

[Jazzmoose]

There would no doubt be a lot more books banned if the people doing the banning read books.

I think you're right.

[king ubu]

Carl Van Vechten's "Nigger Heaven"?

[king ubu]

Also what about William Carlos Williams? Allen Ginsberg's "Howl"?

[king ubu]

Allen Lowe's forthcoming film's book?

[king ubu]

interesting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banned_books

[king ubu]

Sade?

Bataille's "Histoire de l'oeil"?

[king ubu]

some info about Bataille (not even the wiki is for the faint-hearted... take this as a warning):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Story_of_the_Eye

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I could swear that I read somewhere that Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials Trilogy" ("The Golden Compass"; "The Subtle Knife" & "The Amber Spyglass") were all banned in a few bible-thumping areas. After all, the main character kills a God-like archangel in the end. Can't have kids reading that!

[Jazzmoose]

I remember the movie causing an uproar in some parts, so it wouldn't surprise me.

[RDK]

When we say "banned," more often then not it's simply some silly conservative politician in some small town (or maybe Boston ) who objects to a book for some reason

I don't agree; silly liberals come out for banning books quite often. But at least we can agree on the silly part...

You are correct. I should have said "closed-minded" rather than "conservative." But I think you can understand why I may have been confused. -_-

[BruceH]

I could swear that I read somewhere that Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials Trilogy" ("The Golden Compass"; "The Subtle Knife" & "The Amber Spyglass") were all banned in a few bible-thumping areas. After all, the main character kills a God-like archangel in the end. Can't have kids reading that!

Wouldn't surprise me at all, as I heard the whole trilogy has a subtle atheistic message. Probably will never read it to find out, though.

[Jazzmoose]

I should have said "closed-minded" rather than "conservative." But I think you can understand why I may have been confused. -_-

[PHILLYQ]

In high school(a Catholic school) I read Joyce's 'Ulysses', ans my copy had a copy of the court order overturning the banning. The judge found that it was not obscene.

[RDK]

In high school(a Catholic school) I read Joyce's 'Ulysses', ans my copy had a copy of the court order overturning the banning. The judge found that it was not obscene.

Ah, the judge probably just said that so he didn't have to read the damn thing!

[PHILLYQ]

In high school(a Catholic school) I read Joyce's 'Ulysses', ans my copy had a copy of the court order overturning the banning. The judge found that it was not obscene.

Ah, the judge probably just said that so he didn't have to read the damn thing!

Could be, that was the most difficult book I've ever read, bits of Latin, French(good thing I studied both in high school), a play in the middle of the book, etc. I spent about 2-3 hours a day on it for over a month.