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This article contains bans that don't have time information. The list may not carry the current status of the book. The list is about an event or subject that may not be current but does not specify the time period. Please help improve it to include this information. The talk page may contain suggestions. (November 2009)
Banned books are books to which free access is not permitted. The practice of banning books is a form of censorship, and often has political, religious or moral motivations.
Bans on books can be enacted at the national or subnational level, and can carry legal penalties for their infraction. Books may also be challenged at a local, community level. As a result, books can be removed from schools or libraries, although these bans do not extend outside of that area. Similarly, religions may issue lists of banned books – a historical example being the Roman Catholic Church's Index Librorum Prohibitorum – which do not always carry legal force.
Background
"Almost every country places some restrictions on what may be published, although the emphasis and the degree of control differ from country to country and at different periods (1966)."[1]
There are a variety of reasons for which books may be banned. Materials are often suppressed due to the perceived notion of obscenity. This obscenity can apply to materials that are about sexuality, race, drugs, or social standing.
Governments have also sought to ban certain books it perceives to contain material that could threaten, embarrass, or criticize it.[2]
Other leaders outside of the government have banned books, including religious authorities.[3] Church leaders who prohibit members of their faith from reading the banned books may want to shelter them from perceived obscene, immoral, or profane ideas or situations.
But even religious materials have been subject to censorship. For example, various scriptures have been banned (and sometimes burned at several points in history). The Bible, and other religious scriptures have all been subjected to censorship and have been banned by various governments. Similarly, books based on the scriptures have also been banned, such as Leo Tolstoy's The Kingdom of God Is Within You, which was banned in the Russian Empire for being anti-establishment.
This is a short list of some books banned by various levels of government in Canada. Follow the link on the right to view the main list for more information on each title.
Banned in Egypt and several other Arab states, and even resulted in a belated angry reaction from the clerics of Al-Azhar University upon reprinting in Egypt in the year 2000. The clerics issued a Fatwa banning the novel, and accused Haidar of heresy and offending Islam. Al-Azhar University students staged huge protests against the novel, that eventually led to its confiscation.[6][7][8]
Used to be banned in the province of Hunan, China, beginning in 1931 for its portrayal of anthropomorphized animals acting on the same level of complexity as human beings. The censor General Ho Chien believed that attributing human language to animals was an insult to humans. He feared that the book would teach children to regard humans and animals on the same level, which would be "disastrous."[9]
Sale and purchase was banned in the AustralianState of Queensland. Now available in public libraries and for sale to people 18 years and older. Sale restricted to persons at least 18 years old in the other Australian states.[11]
During 1940 - 45, Allied forces found this entire book to be critical of the U.S.S.R., and therefore the text was considered to be too controversial to print during wartime. Publishers were reluctant to print the novel then, and copies of it were withdrawn from circulation at libraries, etc.[13] A play of Animal Farm was banned in Kenya in 1991, because it criticizes corrupt leaders.[14] In 2002, the novel was banned in the schools of the United Arab Emirates, because it contained text or images that goes against Islamic values, most notably the occurrence of an anthropomorphic, talking pig.[14]
It sold over 100,000 copies in Taiwan and 10,000 in Hong Kong in its first month of release, but discussion of her work was banned in mainland China following the book launch.[17]
Banned in Ireland in 1958. The Irish Censorship of Publications Board was not obliged to reveal its reason but it is believed that it was rejected for its critique of Irish republicanism and the Catholic Church, and its depiction of adolescent sexuality. It was banned in Australia and New Zealand shortly after. It was allowed to be published in New Zealand in 1963.[19]
Banned from the U.S. mail under the Federal Anti-Obscenity Act (Comstock Law) of 1873, which banned the sending or receiving of works containing "obscene," "filthy," or "inappropriate" material. [22]
Banned in several states: in 1972, it was banned in Srongsville, Ohio (overturned in 1976); in 1974, it was banned in Dallas, Texas, and in 1979 it was banned in Snoqualmie, Washington.[23]
Banned from the U.S. mail under the Federal Anti-Obscenity Act (Comstock Law) of 1873, which banned the sending or receiving of works containing "obscene," "filthy," or "inappropriate" material.[29]
Banned in the U.S.A. in 1821 for obscenity, then again in 1963. This was the last book ever banned in the U.S.A.[10] See also Memoirs v. Massachusetts.
An injunction was issued by a U.S. District Court in Nevada under 26 U.S.C.§ 7408 against Irwin Schiff and associates Cynthia Neun and Lawrence Cohen, against the sale of this book by those persons as the court found that the information it contains is fraudulent.[35]
Banned in Indonesia in 1950, for containing "subversive" material, including an attempt to promote Marxist-Leninist thought and other Communist theories. As of 2006, the ban is still in effect.[14]
Was temporarily banned in many places in the US. In the region of California in which it was partially set, it was banned for its alleged unflattering portrayal of area residents.[37]
Banned in the Soviet Union because it went against the image the Soviet Government tried to project of itself and its policies.[38] However available to public in the Soviet Union since at least the 1980s. In 2009, the Education Ministry of Russia added The Gulag Archipelago to the curriculum for high-school students.[39]
H
Title
Author
Type of Literature
Reason
How to make disposable silencers (1984)
Desert and Eliezer Flores
How to
An example of a class of books banned in Australia that "promote, incite or instruct in matters of crime or violence".[40][41]
The Danish military tried to ban the book September 2009 for national security reasons; a court rejected the ban as the book was already leaked in the press and on the Internet.[50]
Temporarily banned in the United States and the United Kingdom for violation of obscenity laws; both bans were lifted in 1959 and 1960, respectively.[32]
Written by a newspaper reporter this book allegedly contains inaccuracies, additionally, complaints were received by the St._Catherines library board from the mother of a victim that led to the book being removed from all public library branches in the city.[4] As recently as 1999 this book was still unavailable to public library patrons in St. Catherines.[4]
Banned in Japan (1988–2005) to quell "political threats to boycott Japanese cultural exports", although the pictures were not those of the original version.[56]
Banned in Ireland in 1962 after Archbishop John Charles McQuaid complained personally to Justice Minister Charles Haughey that it "was particularly bad".[25]
In Germany, the copyright of the book is claimed by the Free State of Bavaria and Bavarian authorities to prevent any re-printing. It is legal to own or distribute existing copies.
In Austria, the Verbotsgesetz 1947 prohibits the printing of the book. It is illegal to own or distribute existing copies.[62] The law (§ 3 d.) states that, "Whoever publicly or before several people, through the printing of disseminated writings or illustrations to one of under § 1 or § 3 prohibited acts requests, strives or seeks to induce others, especially for the purpose of glorifying or advertising the aims of the Nazi Party, its institutions or measures, provided that it does not constitute a serious criminal offense, will be punished with imprisonment from five to ten years, or up to twenty years for offenders who themselves or their actions are deemed especially dangerous."
The first book banned in the New World (1650.) Pynchon, a prominent leader of the Massachusetts Bay Colony who, in 1636, founded the City of Springfield, Massachusetts beside the great Connecticut River, wrote this explicit criticism of Puritanism, published in London in 1650. That year, several copies made their way back to the New World. Pynchon, who resided in Springfield, was unaware that his book suffered the New World's first book burning on the Boston Common. Accused of heresy by the Massachusetts General Court, Pynchon quietly transferred ownership of the Connecticut River Valley's largest land-holdings to his son, and then suffered indignities as he left the New World for England. Trivia: firsts work banned in Boston. [63]
Banned from the U.S. mail under the Federal Anti-Obscenity Act (Comstock Law) of 1873, which banned the sending or receiving of works containing "obscene," "filthy," or "inappropriate" material.[65]
Banned by the Soviet Union in 1950, as Stalin understood that it was a satire based on his leadership. It was nearly banned by U.S.A. and UK in the early 1960s during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was not until 1990 that the U.S.S.R. legalised the book and it was re-released after editing.[68]
Banned in Morocco. This book is a biography of King Hassan and examines cases of torture, killing and political imprisonment said to have been carried out by the Moroccan Government.[69]
Banned in Iran. It is a real life story of an American citizen's escape along with her daughter from the clutches of her husband in Iran. It created furor in Iran for showing the general conditions there in bad light as well as for being critical of Iranian customs.[citation needed]
In September 2010 the U.S. Department of Defense overrode the Army's January approval for publication. The DoD then purchased and destroyed all 9,500 first edition copies citing concerns that it contained classified information which could damage the integrity of U.S. National Security. The publisher, St. Martin's Press,[73] in conjunction with the DoD created a censored second edition; which contains blackened out words, lines, paragraphs, and even portions of the index.[74]
Initially banned in New Zealand by Office of Film & Literature Classification since it was deemed to be objectionable.[75] In May 2008 an edited version of the book was allowed for sale if sealed and an indication of the censorship classification was displayed. The book was initially restricted in Australia:[76] after review the 2007 edition was banned outright.[41][77][78]
Banned in the following countries for alleged blasphemy against Islam: Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iran, Kenya, Kuwait, Liberia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, Senegal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Thailand.[83][84]
Banned in India by government-sponsored legal harassment and unavailable for sale anywhere in the world. Describes the process of the annexation of the independent Buddhist kingdom of Sikkim by the Indian government of Indira Gandhi in 1975.[citation needed]
Banned in the U.K 1985-1988 for revealing secrets. Wright was a former MI5 intelligence officer and his book was banned before it was even published in 1987.[87][88]
Storytellers II
Boško Novaković
Story collection
Withdrawn from print in Yugoslavia in 1964 because it contained stories by Dragiša Vasić.[26]
Suicide mode d'emploi (1982)
Claude Guillon
Essay
This book, reviewing recipes for committing suicide, was the cause of a scandal in France in the 1980s, resulting in the enactment of a law prohibiting provocation to commit suicide and propaganda or advertisement of products, objects or methods for committing suicide.[89] Subsequent reprints were thus illegal. The book was cited by name in the debates of the French National Assembly when examining the bill.[90]
Banned in the Roman Empire in the 330s+ for contradicting Trinitarianism. All of Arius writings were ordered burned and Arius exiled, and presumably assassinated for his writings.[91] Banned by the Catholic Church for the next thousand plus years.[citation needed]
Banned in the U.S.A in the 1930s until the early 1960s, seized by US Customs for sexually explicit content and vulgarity. The rest of Miller's work was also banned by the United States.[93] Also banned in South Africa until the late 1980s.[citation needed]
Banned in Germany for its Nazi ideology theme and Pierce leadership in the National Alliance. Blamed for a number of crimes allegedly inspired by the novel.[94] Also effectively banned in Canada as recently as 1996 with Canada Customs turning back shipments at the border.[4] Presumably this is because Canada bans the importation of material meeting their definition of "hate propaganda."[95]
Banned in UK during the 1930s and in Australia during the 1930s and 1940s.[citation needed] Challenged and temporarily banned in the U.S.A for its sexual content. In 1933 the ban was overturned in United States v. One Book Called Ulysses.[96]
Banned in the Southern United States during the Civil War due to its anti-slavery content. In 1852, Uncle Tom's Cabin was banned in Russia under the reign of Nicholas I due to the idea of equality it presented, and for its "undermining religious ideals."[14]
Also known as the Pentagon Papers. US President Nixon attempted to suspend publication of classified information. The restraint was lifted by the US Supreme Court in a 6–3 decision.[98] See also New York Times Co. v. United States.
"Denounced by the Communists and Nationalists alike, Mr. Shen saw his writings banned in Taiwan, while mainland [China] publishing houses burned his books and destroyed printing plates for his novels. .... So successful was the effort to erase Mr. Shen's name from the modern literary record that few younger Chinese today recognize his name, much less the breadth of his work. Only since 1978 has the Chinese Government reissued selections of his writings, although in editions of only a few thousand copies. .... In China, his passing was unreported."[99]
Written about Quebec politics and society, was written while the author was in jail. An edition published in France was not allowed into Canada; an edition was published in the U.S. in 1971 [101]
^"Index Librorum Prohibitorum". Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
^ abcdef"Challenged Books and Magazines List". Freedom to Read. (Current as of 2011-02). Retrieved October 21, 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)Cite error: The named reference "Freedom to Read" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
^ abGrannis, Chandler B.; Haight, Anne (Lyon) (1978). Banned books, 387 B. C. to 1978 A. D. New York: R. R. Bowker. p. 80. ISBN0-8352-1078-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Rodden, John (Winter2003). "Appreciating Animal Farm in the New Millennium". Modern Age. 45 (1): 18. ISSN0026-7457. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ abcdefKarolides, Nicholas J. (c2006). Banned Books : Literature Suppressed on Political Grounds. New York, NY: Facts on File, Inc. ISBN0816062706. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^Sova, Dawn B. (c2006). Banned Books : Literature Suppressed on Social Grounds. New York, NY: Facts on File. ISBN0816062714. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ abSova, Dawn B. (c2006). Banned Books : Literature Suppressed on Sexual Grounds. New York, NY: Facts on File. ISBN0816062722. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^See also footnote 1, United States v. Schiff, 2008-1 U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH) paragr. 50,111 (9th Cir. 2007), citing United States v. Schiff, 379 F.3d 621, 630 (9th Cir. 2004), regarding the Court's finding that the book The Federal Mafia: How the Government Illegally Imposes and Unlawfully Collects Income Taxes constituted "fraudulent commercial speech."
^Cleland, John; Rembar, Charles; Miller, Henry (1986). The End of Obscenity: The Trials of Lady Chatterley, Tropic of Cancer and Fanny Hill. San Francisco: Harper & Row. p. 528. ISBN0-06-097061-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Ringelblum, Emanuel. Polish-Jewish Relations During the Second World War. Northwestern University Press. p. 190. ISBN0810109638. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^Bald, Margaret (c2006). Banned Books : Literature Suppressed on Religious Grounds. New York, NY: Facts on File. pp. 291–300. ISBN0816062692. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^Freedom of expression - Secular Theocracy Versus Liberal Democracy (1998, edited by Sita Ram Goel) ISBN 81-85990-55-7.
^Prados, John; Meadows, Eddie; Burr, William; Evans, Michael (5 June 2001). "The Pentagon Papers: Secrets, Lies, and Audiotapes". The National Security Archive. The George Washington University. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
^Bald, Margaret (c2006). Banned Books : Literature Suppressed on cultural grounds. New York, NY: Facts on File. pp. 354–358. ISBN0816062692. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)