Freedom to Read WeekLike this list

15 items

• Go Ask Alice

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  Banned due to its frequent and strong references to sex, heavy drug usage, and teen pregnancy.

• The Handmaid's Tale

  Atwood, Margaret, 1939-

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  Banned and challenged for profanity and for “vulgarity and sexual overtones."

• A Clockwork Orange

  Burgess, Anthony, 1917-1993

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  Banned for violence and objectionable language.

• The Three Musketeers

  Dumas, Alexandre

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  The Catholic Church had deemed this novel subversive long ago; however, it eventually lifted its ban in 1966. In Canada, this novel was challenged again, as recently as 2015 for being sexually explicit.

• Pillars of the Earth

  Follett, Ken, 1949-

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  Banned for violence, explicit language, and sexual content.

• The Kite Runner

  Hosseini, Khaled

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  Banned for sexual violence.

• The Outsiders

  Hinton, S. E.

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  Banned because of the portrayal of gang violence, underage smoking and drinking, strong language/slang, and family dysfunction.

• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

  Kesey, Ken

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  Banned because it was too counter-culture. Too edgy. Too “Ken Kesey psychedelic.” It has also been banned for being racist and misogynistic.

• The Call of the Wild

  London, Jack, 1876-1916

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  Burned by the Nazis in the 1930s because of the author's socialist leanings, this book was also banned for being "too radical".

• Gone With the Wind

  Mitchell, Margaret, 1900-1949

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  Banned in North America for historical revisionism, offensive language and glorification of slavery, this book was also banned by the Nazis in the 1930s for promoting individualism.

• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

  Haddon, Mark

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  Banned for offensive language, profanity, and atheism.

• My Sister's Keeper

  Picoult, Jodi, 1966-

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  Banned for homosexuality, offensive language, religious view point, sexism, sexually explicit, and violence.

• The Hate U Give

  Thomas, Angie

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  Banned for unsettling depictions of police brutality, violence and racism.

• Milk and Honey

  Kaur, Rupi,

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  Banned for exploring issues of sexual assault and violence.

• The Sandman

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  Banned for anti-family themes, offensive language, and for being unsuitable for younger age groups.