Banning Adult Books and What it Means to You

Have you ever read The Color Purple, Gone with the Wind, The Lord of the Rings or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? Did they offend you? Do you believe they were/are a bad influence on you or those around you? Well someone thinks they were/are. The ALA has banned these books from our children's learning institutes. In this 4 part series you will hear from several individuals ranging from Parents, Teachers and Children on their opinions and views of book banning and certain books that have been banned. Please feel free to comment yourself. I would love to hear what you have to say.

Part 1 Book Banning and What it Means to You

Part 2 Banning Children's Books and What it Means to You

Part 3 Banning Adult Books and What it Means to You

Part 4 Banning Reference Books and What it Means to You

As I Lay Dying - This book was banned due to references to God and Christianity and foul language.

This is a great book! I love As I Lay Dying. I have read it at least twice for pleasure and twice for various classes. I have recommended it to my son, but he is just not interested. Most memorable chapter: "My mother is a fish." I would recommend to my son. - Trisha Bodine of Guntersville, AL (Parent and Teacher)

Catch 22

I have read this book, but it has been a long while since I have. I had to read it for a class. It was okay, and I may read it again now that I am older, but it just wasn't my type of book. I would recommend to my kid. - Trisha Bodine of Guntersville, AL (Parent and Teacher)

The Color Purple - This book was banned due to its' reference to violence, drugs, profanity and sexual content.

One has to wonder if the real objection is not the contents of the book but what it says about the mentality of Southern America at that time. - Rags of Scotland (Parent)

I agree that children should still be able to read this book. - Rebecca Barboza of Oklahoma City, OK (Student)

This book was required reading for me in my high school years and while I dreaded reading it at the time (too much homework LOL) I am very glad and grateful to my teachers for making it part of the curriculum. This was - and still is - considered a literary classic for a variety of reasons and I feel that the reading of such classics should be ENCOURAGED, not discouraged and I certainly do not recommend or condone the removal of such reading from required reading lists for students. - Michelle Campbell of Oklahoma City, OK (Parent)

Trilogy of Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty - These books were banned because they were considered pornographic.

Yep, read them, several times. I enjoyed reading them. I don't know that I would recommend to my son, but I would not stop him (other than to warn him that they are explicit) if he chose to read them. - Trisha Bodine of Guntersville, AL (Parent and Teacher)

I do not understand why it is listed as pornographic. [I] would recommend. - Brenda Ryan of Pleasant Grove, UT (Parent)

I LOVED this series and actually have all 3 in hardcover. I found these books to be quite exciting, and enticing as well as arousing, which is why erotica is written - to excite and awake the senses. Sex is NOT a bad thing and should stop being views as a taboo subject. Society should have a healthy understand, appreciation and view of different sexual subjects and stop being so repressed by the government and religious doctrines. The United States is considered one of the prudish countries in the world, and such a stance on what is otherwise seen as a beautiful, natural gift from the Divine, is a shame as well as an insult to whatever Creator you honor or worship. The naked body is not "unnatural". The act of sex between two consenting adults is not dirty or unnatural. What we have done - as a society - in the name of correctness is what is wrong. Is it any wonder, because of these views, that we have adults who are sexually repressed or have such difficulties in having a normal sexual, loving relationship with someone else. Is it any shock that the percentage of sexual crimes seems to keep going up? Removing books like these isn't going to make these situations "go away." Erotica, for those who enjoy it, is a terrific way to excite the senses and I would recommend these books for those who appreciate the reading of such material. - Michelle Campbell of Oklahoma City, OK (Parent)

Fahrenheit 451 - This book was banned due to its' foul language and censorship.

Another great book! I would love to teach this book in class, but I have middle school and it is on the high school recommended list. I don't usually double cover books. I think it says a lot about where society could be heading. I have recommended this to my son. - Trisha Bodine of Guntersville, AL (Parent and Teacher)

I agree that children should still be able to read this book. - Rebecca Barboza of Oklahoma City, OK (Student)

This book was required reading for me in my high school years and while I dreaded reading it at the time (too much homework LOL) I am very glad and grateful to my teachers for making it part of the curriculum. This was - and still is - considered a literary classic for a variety of reasons and I feel that the reading of such classics should be ENCOURAGED, not discouraged and I certainly do not recommend or condone the removal of such reading from required reading lists for students. - Michelle Campbell of Oklahoma City, OK (Parent)

Flowers in the Attic - This book was banned because it's considered pornographic.

While I can see that the implied incest in this book might bother some it is a tiny tiny part of the story and is hardly described in any great detail. This was one of my favorite books as a teenager and I would allow my children to read it. - Rags of Scotland (Parent)

Great book and well written. It is unfortunate that Andrews' ghost writers are not as eloquent as she was. I liked this book; it gave me shivers as I read it. I would recommend to my son, but this is too girly for him. - Trisha Bodine of Guntersville, AL (Parent and Teacher)

I LOVED this series - couldn't get enough of them. I am a big fan of this genre of books and have been since I was a pre-teen. In the context of the story line, I found NOTHING pornographic or questionable. I found it quite enjoyable and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys that style of book. - Michelle Campbell of Oklahoma City, OK (Parent)

From Here to Eternity

Actually saw the movie, and have heard that the book and movie are not that different from each other. Again, just because it does not appeal to some people, or that some might find the subject or words objectionable, does not mean that is acceptable to remove it entirely so that those who DO wish to read it and/or do NOT find the subject or words objectionable, should have the ability and freedom to do so. - Michelle Campbell of Oklahoma City, OK (Parent)

Lolita - This book has been banned because it is considered obscene.

I have read this one. Very interesting book. I actually read it because it is mentioned in one of the Police's songs, and I wanted to know the allusion. It was an interesting spin on the child-woman - grown man affair. It was well written. I don't know that I would recommend to my son, but if he picked it up, I would warn him before he read it. - Trisha Bodine of Guntersville, AL (Parent and Teacher)

Waco: The Davidian Massacre - This book has been banned because it challenges the governments opinions.

I agree that children should still be able to read this book. - Rebecca Barboza of Oklahoma City, OK (Student)

Felix Castillo, Banned and Controversial Books
American Library Association, Banned and/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century