Helllllllo readers, I have for you today, a really interesting guest post. A year or so back I posted that I really wanted to get more guest posts and show off other bloggers on MLBB but it never quite worked out. I posted a number of fantastic posts but they seem to have all dried up a little. However, when Hilda emailed me with a number of really interesting topics and a compliment or two for the blog I decided to see what she could come up with and here it is. Eight banned books that I think you will enjoy reading a little more about. Thank you to Hilda for writing to me, and for this post.
A Guest Post: Eight Banned Book we think you should really read!
The banned books existed from the time of their occurrence and if you look at your book shelf, you will surely find some that for one reason or another, were censored. This article tells about the books that have been banned but that are definitely worth reading.
Ernest Hemingway “A Farewell to Arms”
This is a partially autobiographical novel about the events of the First World War in Italy. It was published in 1929 and immediately aroused controversy: in Boston it was seized from kiosks for sexual, “vulgar” content, and in Italy – for the army retreat description at the Battle of Caporetto.
Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland”
This may sound surprising, but “Alice in Wonderland” was banned in China in 1931, as the governor of Hunan province has established the rule that the animals cannot use human language and threatened death to anyone who dares to equate humans and animals.
Erich Maria Remarque, “All Quiet on the Western Front”
Exciting and bleak picture of life on the German front during the First World War in his novel was seen by many critics as a major anti-war thought. It was banned, and in 1933 – 1945 years in Nazi Germany it was burned.
Bret Easton Ellis “American Psycho”
Because of the scenes of sophisticated violence the novel “American Psycho” was the obvious target for censorship. It is still prohibited in the Australian state of Queensland. It is packed and sealed with the stamp «R18» (category restrictions applied by the Australian Film Classification and literature) in the rest of Australia and New Zealand and the sale was strictly limited in Germany in 1990.
Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, “And Tango Makes Three”
Based on a true story of gay penguins from the New York Zoo, this innocent children’s book angered a multitude of organizations, libraries and individuals in all the United States. It often appears in the list of banned books for different reasons being described as “anti-family” and “unsuitable for the given age”.
George Orwell, “Animal Farm”
The allegorical story by George Orwell about corruption in Soviet Russia was banned in the Soviet Union until 1980. The story in it is carried out on behalf of the animal farm farmstead. Due to talking pigs as contradiction to Islamic values it is also banned in schools of United Arab Emirates in 2002.
Anne Frank, “The diary of a young girl”
A “Diary of a young girl” is a real diary of Anne Frank, a Jewish teenager, who hid from the Nazis with her family during World War II. She died in a concentration camp, but her diary was published posthumously. Various organizations argued about it in the United States, including members of the commission on textbooks Alabama who claimed it to be “a real downer”.
Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
Ironically, this novel about banning books in a fantastic community leading consumer lifestyle, published in 1953, was banned itself on several occasions: in 1990 it was banned in one of the school districts in the United States for use of the word “damn” and previously it is also argued about because of “problematic issues’ (censorship, repression and religion are only some of them).
By Hilda Simpson
freelance writer for globalessays.org
mylittlebookblog 
Fascinating post. So many different reasons for banning books! It just proves why censorship of books is such a bad idea altogether.
It’s wonderful isn’t it! I live that Alice in wonderland was banned it’s such a thought provoking book!! Yes very true, let’s stop it shall we haha 🙂 thank you for commenting! Xxx
You will love Hemingway. That’s one of my favorite books. It’s all ripped and torn at all the right places.
I found American Psycho unreadable because of its violence – not sure how other people feel but it’s fairly disgusting with little aesthetic value (in my opinion!)
Ive wanted to read it for a while but I’ve heard bad things about how violent it is, one that is I think understandable why it was once banned xx
My sister, who is in high school, told me recently they were thinking of banning Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. They feel like it is too violent and has inappropriate language. However, this books is a classic novella that everyone enjoyed when I was in high school.
Reaaaaaaly? I recently read Of Mice and Men and thought it was brilliant! It has so many layers of meaning and so much spirit to it I think it would be a real shame! xx
Occasionally I find myself looking for something to read. Banned Books lists is one of my favorite places to get ideas. These are all great books.
Ah that’s a clever idea! They are really great books, need to get round to ready alllllll of them 🙂 thank you for commenting ❤
I was blown away when I read about why Animal Farm by George Orwell is banned in the UAE. And it’s funny to know about it just now when I’m actually living in Dubai. But I really don’t see the point of having banned it in schools when it’s still being sold in bookstores, Kinokuniya for example. I’ve had 1984 by George Orwell for months now but I still haven’t read it, should read it sometime and then Animal Farm (got to be convinced that they’ve banned it for the right reasons! Everyone knows that Muslims can’t eat pork. Aside from that, I just can’t see what does a fictional story (talking pigs) have anything to do with Islam, unless it insults the religion in some way then that would be understandable.)
I know it’s fascinating isn’t it! I’ve literally today finished reading Animal Farm and thought it was a brilliant read. 🙂 I have no idea either why it’s banned, but I actually enjoyed animal farm more than I enjoyed 1984 🙂 xx
Also, great post! Thanks for sharing. [:
So glad you enjoyed it 🙂 xx
Banning books is the best way to get people to want to read them, I would think.
My previous local library used to take books off the shelves if people complained about them. You could still request them but they would be kept in stock. One of them was The Satanic Verses… very controversial book of course. Or rather, a book that caused some controversy, whether itself is controversial I don’t know as I found it too boring to even get past the first two pages.
It really annoyed me. If someone is offended by a book on the shelves, then don’t bloody read it. It really irritated me that the library pandered to these people. I guess had it been a different book and during different times they wouldn’t have removed it.
I do believe there were other books though that they had removed because of certain complainers. I don’t know if they do this any more. Some years later I did see The Satanic Verses back on the shelf so I guess they sneaked it back in.
…
Funny about Alice and Wonderland though… what a weird reason to ban a book! All Quiet on the Western Front by Remarque is one of my favourite books and I can see why the Nazis banned it at the time!
What a brilliant comment! I can’t believe the library would take books out that people had complained about, that’s not good! Ours some of the books have age restrictions on them so you just have to go to the desk and prove who you are but that’s a much better way of doing it in my eyes 🙂
Definitely agree, if there’s something you don’t like don’t read it. I’ve had a couple of books that have really not sat well with me but I chose to stop reading and reviewed it based on it not being quite my cup of tea.
I know, I couldn’t believe that one but yes all quiet on the western front I can understand why at the time!
Brilliant comment, glad you liked the post!
xxx