Our Favorite Banned Books
- List of the Month
- September 2024 (see all)
- Talk
- September 2024 List of the Month: Our Favorite Banned Books
- Description
- Banned Books Week is coming up, from September 22-28, and in honor of that occasion our list this month is devoted to Our Favorite Banned Books. The books can have been banned in any jurisdiction worldwide, and in any specific institution (a school, a library, etc). Each participant may vote on ten titles (and add other, non-weighted titles). Please feel free to add notes, explaining any history of controversy, challenges and banning, especially if the case is not well known. For some other lists which provide ideas and examples, please see our Talk thread!
1
by Harper Lee
80,932 members
1,449 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 135.23
Added 2024-09-12, 03:01 PM
- 39 Members
- tardis, ablachly, TeresaInTexas, ReshiBec, knerd.knitter, kleo, lizzy50usa, saskia17, sallylou61, DonQuijote, cbl_tn, PaperbackPirate, YavorD, janflora, sturlington, eronn, perennialreader, TKnapp, BonnieJune54, katemcangus, gypsysmom, AbigailAdams26, msjudy, Kyler_Marie, OurLittleLibrary, DonnaGriffin, Momgoth, Onilyn, Thelamon1, rdpellerin, RickyOnsman, MaureenONeill, GirlBlogZone, 2665Lover, Lakshita_Dokku, cre8tivemaxx, BlueFoolSkyes, jayMoKc, NesiLeon
- Explanations
- jayMoKc: What book ever locked down an entire school?
2
- 34 Members
- timspalding, kaixo, ReshiBec, knerd.knitter, charl08, kleo, DonQuijote, konallis, atozgrl, YavorD, sturlington, RhondaReed, vwinsloe, Brian.Gunderson, thalassa_thalassa, al.vick, BookHavenAZ, SF_fan_mae, Kyler_Marie, Andrew_Orange, Onilyn, jnsp13, Charon07, skid0612, Gabi_Oliveira, Thelamon1, rdpellerin, RickyOnsman, 2665Lover, pstrombo, cre8tivemaxx, jayMoKc, littleknicky, NesiLeon
- Explanations
- BookHavenAZ: I've always had a keen ear for language and a deep respect for the power of words. Orwell's chilling dystopia emphasizes how language can be "defanged" and turned against its users. Big Brother isn't only watching you - he's taken away the words you should be able to scream.jayMoKc: What book ever locked down an entire school?
3
- 33 Members
- TeresaInTexas, kaixo, kleo, saskia17, DonQuijote, cbl_tn, atozgrl, YavorD, sturlington, eronn, perennialreader, RhondaReed, vwinsloe, al.vick, Michael.Rimmer, BookHavenAZ, SF_fan_mae, msemmag, Momgoth, Onilyn, steller0707, jnsp13, skid0612, slimikin, Thelamon1, rdpellerin, RickyOnsman, 2665Lover, plymouthpalibrary, Lakshita_Dokku, BigPappy, jayMoKc, NesiLeon
- Explanations
- vwinsloe: The banned book about book burning.BookHavenAZ: As a bookseller, I find "Fahrenheit 451" is the definitive work on the future we do not want. It terrifies me that some people find it objectionable.jayMoKc: What book ever locked down an entire school?
4
43,798 members
1,166 reviews
4.1
Score 87.89
Added 2024-09-12, 04:51 PM
- 28 Members
- karenb, kaixo, charl08, kleo, konallis, YavorD, janflora, sturlington, perennialreader, RhondaReed, vwinsloe, gypsysmom, PriscillaKing, al.vick, BookHavenAZ, msjudy, Momgoth, pnppl, Onilyn, steller0707, jnsp13, Charon07, Thelamon1, SealedArchive, 2665Lover, plymouthpalibrary, cre8tivemaxx, natalie.young
- Explanations
- RhondaReed: If someone tell me a book is banned and not to read it that's the first book I'll read. Most books are banned for stupid or petty reasons. I'm not reading them I'm re-reading them. Had to read them back in high school!PriscillaKing: Definitely not for children--but a must-read for adults.BookHavenAZ: This incredible work issues a powerful warning about the dangers of concentrated power, propaganda and fanaticism - while emphasizing the boundless value of books and reading.
5
51,517 members
463 reviews
½ 4.5
Score 83.17
Added 2024-09-12, 03:47 PM
- 26 Members
- tardis, lizzy50usa, DonQuijote, atozgrl, eronn, EMS_24, perennialreader, TKnapp, RhondaReed, gypsysmom, al.vick, Michael.Rimmer, SF_fan_mae, DonnaGriffin, Momgoth, Andrew_Orange, Onilyn, Charon07, slimikin, Gabi_Oliveira, SealedArchive, RickyOnsman, marjact, plymouthpalibrary, jayMoKc, littleknicky
- Explanations
- jayMoKc: What book ever locked down an entire school?
6
by Mark Twain
44,347 members
529 reviews
3.9
Score 70.81
Added 2024-09-12, 03:00 PM
- 24 Members
- timspalding, tardis, hipdeep, cbl_tn, atozgrl, YavorD, eronn, TKnapp, rhbouchard, BonnieJune54, AbigailAdams26, Kyler_Marie, DonnaGriffin, Momgoth, Onilyn, Charon07, Thelamon1, RickyOnsman, marjact, GirlBlogZone, 2665Lover, pstrombo, jayMoKc, littleknicky
- Explanations
- jayMoKc: What book ever locked down an entire school?
7
41,015 members
972 reviews
4
Score 65.48
Added 2024-09-12, 03:48 PM
- 22 Members
- tardis, TeresaInTexas, knerd.knitter, terran, lizzy50usa, DonQuijote, sturlington, perennialreader, katemcangus, al.vick, elorin, OurLittleLibrary, DonnaGriffin, Momgoth, Andrew_Orange, Onilyn, skid0612, slimikin, SealedArchive, marjact, natalie.young, littleknicky
- Explanations
- marjact: I met Madeleine twice. It was a privilege to tell her how much A Wrinkle Time Meant to Me. Meg is so brave. I love stories about brave women and girls.
8
- 22 Members
- kaixo, ReshiBec, sallylou61, DonQuijote, cbl_tn, eronn, Michael.Rimmer, BookHavenAZ, SF_fan_mae, msemmag, Andrew_Orange, Onilyn, Charon07, skid0612, Gabi_Oliveira, Thelamon1, rdpellerin, RickyOnsman, pstrombo, cre8tivemaxx, jayMoKc, littleknicky
- Explanations
- BookHavenAZ: Orwell's focus on the power of words and language again packs a punch in this wonderful but horrific "fable." As we lurch into a future where "All animals are created equal... but some are more equal than others" and the power of misinformation and propaganda grows exponentially, the fact that some banners mistake this work for a support of socialism is appalling.jayMoKc: What book ever locked down an entire school?
9
138,158 members
2,067 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 60.23
Added 2024-09-12, 03:01 PM
- 21 Members
- timspalding, tardis, ReshiBec, lizzy50usa, PaperbackPirate, janflora, eronn, RhondaReed, al.vick, AbigailAdams26, SF_fan_mae, msjudy, jnsp13, Tosta, Gabi_Oliveira, marjact, MaureenONeill, KatrinaGrote71, Lakshita_Dokku, jayMoKc, littleknicky
- Explanations
10
10,993 members
258 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 56.74
Added 2024-09-12, 03:14 PM
- 19 Members
- timspalding, karenb, baaic, terran, konallis, janflora, perennialreader, Brian.Gunderson, thalassa_thalassa, Michael.Rimmer, beehappy, msemmag, Momgoth, pnppl, Onilyn, SealedArchive, GirlBlogZone, pstrombo, cre8tivemaxx
11
53,870 members
1,311 reviews
4.2
Score 56.04
Added 2024-09-12, 08:46 PM
- 19 Members
- dara85, charl08, kleo, sallylou61, perennialreader, RhondaReed, gypsysmom, stephanieann1983, msjudy, OurLittleLibrary, jnsp13, Gabi_Oliveira, Thelamon1, AndreaLP, marjact, 2665Lover, pstrombo, jayMoKc, NesiLeon
- Explanations
- jayMoKc: What book ever locked down an entire school?
13
- 16 Members
- hipdeep, EMS_24, RhondaReed, BonnieJune54, Brian.Gunderson, beehappy, msjudy, msemmag, Momgoth, Onilyn, steller0707, Charon07, GirlBlogZone, 2665Lover, ZephCraven, natalie.young
14
19,771 members
351 reviews
4
Score 46.34
Added 2024-09-12, 03:21 PM
- 16 Members
- timspalding, hipdeep, saskia17, sallylou61, sturlington, RhondaReed, BonnieJune54, katemcangus, stephanieann1983, beehappy, Momgoth, steller0707, MaureenONeill, 2665Lover, ZephCraven, littleknicky
- Explanations
- RhondaReed: Already read it. Fabulous book.
15
45,164 members
712 reviews
4.1
Score 45.24
Added 2024-09-12, 05:00 PM
- 16 Members
- hipdeep, baaic, eronn, RhondaReed, vwinsloe, msemmag, pnppl, Tosta, Charon07, skid0612, Thelamon1, rdpellerin, RickyOnsman, pstrombo, jayMoKc, natalie.young
- Explanations
- jayMoKc: What book ever locked down an entire school?
16
by Judy Blume
7,966 members
243 reviews
3.8
Score 41.78
Added 2024-09-13, 12:13 AM
- 15 Members
- dara85, charl08, lizzy50usa, cbl_tn, janflora, sturlington, katemcangus, beehappy, elorin, OurLittleLibrary, Tosta, marjact, MadelineLikeTheBook, KatrinaGrote71, cre8tivemaxx
17
71,096 members
1,096 reviews
3.8
Score 36.33
Added 2024-09-12, 03:10 PM
- 14 Members
- kaixo, knerd.knitter, DonQuijote, YavorD, eronn, vwinsloe, beehappy, msemmag, Kyler_Marie, DonnaGriffin, cre8tivemaxx, natalie.young, littleknicky, NesiLeon
18
- 13 Members
- ReshiBec, knerd.knitter, DonQuijote, EMS_24, TKnapp, rhbouchard, BonnieJune54, gypsysmom, beehappy, DonnaGriffin, RickyOnsman, MaureenONeill, jayMoKc
- Explanations
- jayMoKc: What book ever locked down an entire school?
19
by Tim O'Brien
14,762 members
394 reviews
4.2
Score 32.91
Added 2024-09-12, 03:16 PM
- 12 Members
- knerd.knitter, charl08, eronn, stephanieann1983, msjudy, msemmag, steller0707, slimikin, KatrinaGrote71, 2665Lover, pstrombo, natalie.young
20
by Maia Kobabe
1,523 members
95 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 28.83
Added 2024-09-12, 03:20 PM
- 9 Members
- ablachly, Ennas, EerierIdyllMeme, eclbates, Michael.Rimmer, OurLittleLibrary, pnppl, plymouthpalibrary, cre8tivemaxx
21
- 11 Members
- paradoxosalpha, kleo, DonQuijote, konallis, Michael.Rimmer, Kyler_Marie, jnsp13, skid0612, rdpellerin, littleknicky, NesiLeon
- Explanations
- paradoxosalpha: Not my favorite book by Huxley, but a good one. Despite opponents' frequent charges of "sexually explicit" and even "pornographic" content, I don't consider it especially sexy.
22
35,253 members
479 reviews
4.1
Score 26.22
Added 2024-09-14, 10:01 PM
- 10 Members
- sallylou61, DonQuijote, PaperbackPirate, YavorD, BonnieJune54, Brian.Gunderson, jeanie0510, DonnaGriffin, jnsp13, 2665Lover
- Explanations
- PaperbackPirate: "Obscene to the extreme."
23
2,644 members
315 reviews
½ 4.5
Score 25.73
Added 2024-09-12, 03:21 PM
- 8 Members
- karenb, ablachly, dara85, EerierIdyllMeme, al.vick, OurLittleLibrary, pnppl, MadelineLikeTheBook
24
by Munro Leaf
9,682 members
173 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 24.73
Added 2024-09-12, 03:24 PM
- 10 Members
- hipdeep, TeresaInTexas, saskia17, sallylou61, sturlington, SF_fan_mae, OurLittleLibrary, DonnaGriffin, KatrinaGrote71, cre8tivemaxx
- Explanations
- hipdeep: Banned in Francoist Spain and Nazi Germany for alleged anti-Franco sentiments and pacifism.
25
by C. S. Lewis
36,937 members
313 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 20.71
Added 2024-09-16, 07:18 PM
- 8 Members
- TeresaInTexas, atozgrl, YavorD, janflora, Andrew_Orange, Gabi_Oliveira, marjact, natalie.young
- Explanations
- marjact: I have read and reread The Chronicles of Narnia.
26
21,102 members
466 reviews
4.2
Score 20.69
Added 2024-09-13, 05:35 PM
- 7 Members
- baaic, kaixo, EerierIdyllMeme, kleo, Michael.Rimmer, msemmag, skid0612
27
- 7 Members
- dara85, knerd.knitter, Brian.Gunderson, jeanie0510, Andrew_Orange, SealedArchive, marjact
28
22,876 members
611 reviews
4
Score 20.5
Added 2024-09-12, 03:15 PM
- 8 Members
- timspalding, sallylou61, stephanieann1983, elorin, DonnaGriffin, marjact, KatrinaGrote71, ZephCraven
29
30
11,109 members
216 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 18.26
Added 2024-09-12, 04:54 PM
- 7 Members
- baaic, LolaWalser, OurLittleLibrary, Tosta, Charon07, SealedArchive, plymouthpalibrary
31
by Mark Haddon
45,095 members
1,340 reviews
3.9
Score 18.07
Added 2024-09-16, 08:52 PM
- 7 Members
- dara85, terran, BonnieJune54, jeanie0510, jnsp13, Tosta, MaureenONeill
32
by Oscar Wilde
40,939 members
639 reviews
4
Score 17.35
Added 2024-09-16, 08:54 PM
- 7 Members
- kleo, saskia17, BonnieJune54, SF_fan_mae, Gabi_Oliveira, MaureenONeill, littleknicky
34
by Jill Twiss
1,276 members
52 reviews
½ 4.6
Score 16.71
Added 2024-09-12, 03:16 PM
- 6 Members
- knerd.knitter, al.vick, stephanieann1983, Kyler_Marie, Tosta, MadelineLikeTheBook
35
8,447 members
369 reviews
4.2
Score 15.93
Added 2024-09-13, 08:44 AM
36
37
by Dr. Seuss
4,941 members
85 reviews
4
Score 15.1
Added 2024-09-12, 03:17 PM
- 5 Members
- timspalding, sallylou61, AbigailAdams26, msjudy, elorin
39
554 members
5 reviews
4
Score 13.18
Added 2024-09-13, 06:48 AM
- 5 Members
- lizzy50usa, perennialreader, vwinsloe, gypsysmom, plymouthpalibrary
- Explanations
- vwinsloe: A groundbreaking book that honestly discussed taboo subjects concerning women's health.
41
by Ken Kesey
24,671 members
300 reviews
4.1
Score 12.28
Added 2024-09-13, 09:38 AM
- 5 Members
- hipdeep, terran, sturlington, vwinsloe, RickyOnsman
44
by Maya Angelou
15,252 members
226 reviews
4
Score 11.9
Added 2024-09-15, 08:53 PM
- 5 Members
- lizzy50usa, gypsysmom, msjudy, steller0707, KatrinaGrote71
45
- 4 Members
- paradoxosalpha, konallis, YavorD, thalassa_thalassa
- Explanations
- paradoxosalpha: This Renaissance Humanist romp was banned in the US under the Comstock Act in 1873. It could be again!
48
4,457 members
101 reviews
4.2
Score 11
Added 2024-09-13, 01:57 AM
- 4 Members
- karenb, charl08, Kyler_Marie, natalie.young
49
66,752 members
3,503 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 10.53
Added 2024-09-23, 08:21 AM
- 4 Members
- cbl_tn, KatrinaGrote71, sfbibliofile95, plymouthpalibrary
50
26,509 members
387 reviews
4
Score 10.52
Added 2024-09-12, 03:17 PM
- 4 Members
- knerd.knitter, Michael.Rimmer, slimikin, RickyOnsman
52
2,913 members
118 reviews
3.9
Score 9.7
Added 2024-09-15, 08:54 PM
- 4 Members
- baaic, lizzy50usa, sallylou61, msjudy
55
14,296 members
251 reviews
4.1
Score 7.69
Added 2024-09-12, 03:22 PM
- 3 Members
- hipdeep, stephanieann1983, steller0707
- Explanations
- hipdeep: Banned in Pinochet's Chile. Challenged multiple times in the US for depictions of sexuality and violence.
56
9,814 members
78 reviews
4.1
Score 7.6
Added 2024-09-23, 01:47 PM
- 3 Members
- TeresaInTexas, PriscillaKing, stephanieann1983
- Explanations
- PriscillaKing: The classic series is being banned from schools, ostensibly because it's realistic about race relations at the time, more likely because of its intention to promote self-reliance and self-discipline.
57
by Karl Marx
15,696 members
139 reviews
½ 3.5
Score 7.36
Added 2024-09-14, 04:11 PM
- 2 Members
- LolaWalser, Brian.Gunderson
- Explanations
- LolaWalser: "Richest 1% bag nearly twice as much wealth as the rest of the world put together over the past two years"-Oxfam "Workers lost $3.7 trillion in earnings during the pandemic. Women and Gen Z saw the biggest losses." -- Business Insider India "Working Women Have Cumulatively Lost $61 Trillion in Wages Since 1967, New CAP Analysis Finds" --Center for American Progress
58
13,099 members
190 reviews
3.8
Score 7.18
Added 2024-09-16, 08:55 PM
- 3 Members
- baaic, BonnieJune54, steller0707
59
by C. S. Lewis
11,374 members
164 reviews
3.8
Score 7.12
Added 2024-09-16, 07:26 PM
- 3 Members
- SF_fan_mae, Andrew_Orange, plymouthpalibrary
60
51,068 members
749 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 6.68
Added 2024-10-01, 10:00 PM
- 2 Members
- rhbouchard, TomasDariusDavainis
61
16 members
1 review
4
Score 6.68
Added 2024-09-12, 07:32 PM
- 2 Members
- jeanh12, themulhern
- Explanations
- themulhern: Mayor in British Columbia attacked because his wife read this book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWFrOtyVAc4. Yeah, this story was amazing but it also didn't fit into the "Cancelled People" list because nobody involved is an author.
62
- 2 Members
- slimikin, SealedArchive
- Explanations
- slimikin: Book bans prompted by Missouri's Senate Bill 775
64
11,961 members
803 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 6.04
Added 2024-09-13, 01:59 AM
65
- 2 Members
- paradoxosalpha, GirlBlogZone
- Explanations
- paradoxosalpha: This cautionary novel was banned for decades in Germany because of an injunction obtained by the family of Nazi stage actor Gustaf Gründgens, who was the too-obvious basis for the central character.
67
12,298 members
385 reviews
4
Score 5.5
Added 2024-09-12, 08:47 PM
68
- 2 Members
- thalassa_thalassa, MaureenONeill
- Explanations
- thalassa_thalassa: Banned in the UK from 1915 until 1926 (Wikipedia).
70
by Malcolm X
10,064 members
124 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 5.23
Added 2024-09-12, 03:30 PM
- 2 Members
- hipdeep, Brian.Gunderson
- Explanations
- hipdeep: Banned in apartheid South Africa for its critique of white supremacy.
71
72
21,411 members
760 reviews
4
Score 5.14
Added 2024-09-23, 07:55 PM
- 2 Members
- MaureenONeill, sfbibliofile95
73
20,988 members
799 reviews
4.2
Score 5.14
Added 2024-09-23, 05:25 PM
74
13,964 members
225 reviews
½ 3.5
Score 5.08
Added 2024-09-12, 08:02 PM
- 2 Members
- thalassa_thalassa, MaureenONeill
- Explanations
- thalassa_thalassa: Banned in the US until 1959 (Wikipedia).
76
77
11,010 members
205 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 4.76
Added 2024-09-22, 11:25 PM
78
79
- 2 Members
- kleo, perennialreader
- Explanations
- perennialreader: Banned in the Soviet Union until 1988 for criticizing life in Russia after the Russian Revolution. When Boris Pasternak won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958, he was forced to reject it under government pressure.
82
- Member
- aspirit
- Explanations
- aspirit: A charming children's book; one of my favorites that's by Eric Carle, the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (1969). I was at a loss as to why this would be banned when I saw it on a list. Reportedly, Texas schools in the 1990s considered the abstract nudity illustrated a fantastical origin-of-life story obscene. It was also believed to have LGBT themes, possibly for Carle's use of colors that hint at rainbows made of paper and paint.
83
84
1,032 members
23 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 4
Added 2024-09-12, 03:37 PM
- Member
- paradoxosalpha
- Explanations
- paradoxosalpha: The New York Society for the Suppression of Vice brought an obscenity case against this satirical fantasy. After two years of highly-publicized trial, the court found in favor of the author and publisher.
86
395 members
19 reviews
4
Score 4
Added 2024-10-07, 08:28 AM
88
31 members
3 reviews
5
Score 4
Added 2024-09-13, 12:24 PM
89
- Member
- themulhern
- Explanations
- themulhern: Unavailable on Amazon, entirely. One expensive copy on Abebooks. No regular publisher would pick it up, so it was eventually published by transgendertrend, a UK organization. https://unherd.com/2021/12/inside-the-trans-publishing-purge/.
92
- Member
- paradoxosalpha
- Explanations
- paradoxosalpha: Paine's Deist critique of Christianity was suppressed in Britain with prosecutions for seditious libel and blasphemous libel for decades, even after the author had died.
93
by Ann Coulter
173 members
4 reviews
3.9
Score 3.36
Added 2024-10-01, 09:53 PM
- Member
- rhbouchard
- Explanations
- rhbouchard: Tennessee librarian took Coulter books off the shelf and burned them.
95
by Linda Blade
15 members
4.2
Score 3.36
Added 2024-09-12, 07:23 PM
- Member
- themulhern
- Explanations
- themulhern: The book couldn't find a publisher until Epoch Times agreed to pick it up. It has a website, though: https://www.unsporting.com
98
by Ann Coulter
915 members
18 reviews
½ 3.4
Score 3.04
Added 2024-10-01, 09:55 PM
- Member
- rhbouchard
- Explanations
- rhbouchard: Tennessee librarian took Coulter books off the shelf and burned them.
99
689 members
5 reviews
3.8
Score 3.04
Added 2024-09-12, 04:22 PM
- Member
- paradoxosalpha
- Explanations
- paradoxosalpha: This study of the psychological basis of fascism was banned and burned by the Nazis, of course--but also swept up in a later fatwa against the author by the US Food & Drug Administration.
100
3 members
Score 3.04
Added 2024-09-12, 07:26 PM
- Member
- themulhern
- Explanations
- themulhern: Chapter removed because publisher insisted: https://robertwjensen.org/books/its-debatable/