While a significant amount of reading content is now absorbed through the internet, any lover of the written word has likely buried their nose in a book at least once in their life. Over 300,000 different books are published in the United States every year and over 2 million books across the planet. Most of these books are absolutely wonderful creative works of genius. There is a wide variety of genres for books, both fictional and non-fictional, from self-help books to kid’s books with inspirational messages. However, there’s one type of book you will likely never get to see in your life. These are the books that have made it to the official banned list and have been prohibited by law from being published, due to their content. Here are 15 books that made it to this banned book list.
(By Giovanni Boccaccio, Wikipedia)
Banned for inappropriate content under the US Federal Anti-Obscenity Act (Comstock Law) of 1873.
(By Geoffrey Chaucer, Wikipedia)
Banned for inappropriate content under the US Federal Anti-Obscenity Act (Comstock Law) of 1873.
(By William Pynchon, Wikipedia)
Banned for heresy, this was the first book banned in Boston and set aflame at the New World's first book burning.
Written by the author of Robinson Crusoe (1719), this book was banned for inappropriate content under the US Federal Anti-Obscenity Act (Comstock Law) of 1873.
(By John Cleland, Wikipedia)
Banned twice, in the 19th and the 20th century for obscene content.
(By James Gwin, Wikipedia)
Written under a pen name, this book was banned for obscenity across the US and confiscated by US customs in the 20th century.
(By Hammatt Billings, Wikipedia)
Banned in the Confederate States of the US during the Civil War for promoting anti-slavery ideals.
(By Harcourt, Wikipedia)
Banned in certain eastern states of the US for religious fanaticism and obscene content.
Temporarily banned in the US for obscenity until the ban was lifted in 1959.
(By New York: Viking, Wikipedia)
Banned in the same year it was published, but the ban was lifted shortly thereafter and is considered a Great American Novel today. It also earned John Steinbeck a Nobel Prize for Literature.
Banned for obscenity and lewd content in 14 states in the United States.
Banned shortly after being published, the ban on this book was lifted in 1959 after revisions were made.
(By Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Wikipedia)
Banned and seized by US Customs in 1957, lifted after trial, in which obscenity charges were dismissed.
First published in Spanish, this book was banned in Arizona and other foreign countries for political reasons.
Banned by President Nixon to suspend claimed publication of classified information. The ban was lifted by the US Supreme Court in 1971.
