most books are banned because the central message conflicts with some religious, moral or societal norm. Shocking and overly graphic books are banned to protect the children. No matter the reason, here are 25 of the most controversial books of all time.
25) Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland
This sexually explicit book is often called the first erotic novel written in English. First printed in 1748, this book has been banned on and off for over a quarter of a century in various countries around the world. In fact, it was illegal to publish it in the United States until 1966.
24) Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
First published in 1958, this book caused a stir for its subtext (both subtle and not) and criticism about colonialism – particularly British Colonialism and Christian influence in Africa. Malaysia still bans the book.
23) Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Captured during the Battle of the Bulge, Billy Pilgrim is brought to Slaughterhouse number five by his captors and must attempt to survive the end of the war. It has been removed from countless libraries over the years as well and it often makes the list of most challenged books in America because of its themes.
22) The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Egles
A critical look at capitalism, the
Communist Manifesto , is partly responsible for the rise of communism throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The book claims that capitalism is only a theoretical success.
21) Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Often required reading for adolescents, this book’s continued use of the ‘n-word’ and an overabundance of vulgarity make it controversial. Others claim the oversimplification of blacks is problematic. At the time it was published the anti-slavery message was also a major mark against it.
20) The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
It contains some terribly dangerous designs for creating bombs that probably won’t work and instructions on how to make some potentially illegal substances. Powell’s work was written during his youth and at the height of the Vietnam War, and its very anti-government nature and terroristic themes are controversial, to say the least.
19) Origins of the Species by Charles Darwin
Darwin’s greatest work has become something of an inadvertent attack on Christianity and a rallying cry for pro-evolutionists. Origins of the Species has been blamed by many for causing the chasm between Christians and science and it shall likely remain ever so.
18) A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
Not so controversial because of the content, A Million Little Pieces is the memoir of James Frey. Also, most of it is a lie. Frey’s book was applauded at first, then subsequently ripped by Oprah Winfrey after details surfaced that Frey altered the truth.
17) The Color Purple by Alice Walker
It features sex, spousal rape, incestuous rape, spousal abuse and homosexuality. Its underlying themes focus on the struggle of a black woman making her way in the world. In addition to the graphic content, it has been criticized as being unfair to black men.
16) Ulysses by James Joyce
Banned in Ireland, the United States and Britain, parts of Ulysses were printed in serial format in the US at first and considered too obscene to warrant a book deal, so Joyce had to first publish it in France. Its stream of consciousness-style content is considered vulgar and overly graphic as it depicts several vivid descriptions of bodily functions including: sex, masturbation, menstruation and defecation.
15) Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
This novel about soldiers during the Vietnam War has angered numerous people since its publication in 1998. It’s been challenged because of its language and graphic, violent war scenes. It’s been called racist and removed from the shelves of schools and libraries throughout the US.
14) The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
When it was published in 1951 it was considered vulgar and profane – even though by modern standards it’s not worse than some of the things you hear every day on television today. Teenage angst and the end of innocence are still important themes today and attitudes about the book have changed greatly in the last 50 years.
13) The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
One of the world’s most beloved modern series, many consider the Harry Potter series to advocate the notions of witchcraft. These books have been on the most challenged books lists since 2000. They’ve been banned and burned in various places throughout the world.
12) A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
It’s been challenged repeatedly over the years largely because of the graphic scenes of animals being butchered. The story itself is an autobiographical coming of age tale and it’s widely regarded as one of the better books of the 1970s.
11) Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Its themes on child-birth and a utopian society led to Ireland banning the book. Some in the US believed the book was so negative it was removed from schools and libraries.
10) The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
A book about a man turning into a bug seems like an odd choice for this list on the surface, but the themes in The Metamorphosis focus on isolation and estrangement. Kafka was banned in his home country of Czechoslovakia because he wrote it in German. It was also banned by the Nazis and Soviets.
9) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky
The Perks of Being a Wallflower involves a teenager sending letters to an anonymous friend where he vividly describes his experiences with sex, abuse and drugs. Because of the homosexual experiences of the narrator, this book is often removed from libraries and banned in some places in the United States.
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
The tale of an Indian expat living in England is so controversial that you can be imprisoned if you’re caught reading this book in Venezuela or fined if you’re caught selling it in Japan. Some booksellers in the US refuse to sell this book because they received death threats. What makes it so controversial? Rushdie’s opinions on the Islamic faith is widely considered to be heretical.
7) Topic of Cancer by Henry Miller
Miller’s book is largely autobiographical and focuses on the lives of expats living abroad in France. It features several sexual encounters and focuses on the lives of a struggling writer and his relationships with his friends and colleagues. It was banned in America almost immediately upon publication in 1934.
6) Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Written at the height of slavery in America, Uncle Tom’s Cabin helped shed light on the cruelty and tragic suffering imposed on African-American slaves. The book was widely panned by pro-slavery supporters and several attempts were made to deride the themes written, but none were successful.
5) And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
It’s a children’s book that features two male penguins hatching and raising a child together. It’s one of the most challenged books in America for its depiction of homosexual lifestyle. Christian and non-gay groups have vehemently protested against this book since it was published in 2005.
4) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Many Americans weren’t ready to read about the graphic struggles of the poor and downtrodden in 1939, when this book was first published. Steinbeck’s novel was said to be even more graphic before edits. It has been banned, burned and condemned by the public – despite going on to be considered a literary masterpiece.
3) American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis
Extremely violent, Brett Easton Ellis’s tale of an American yuppie and serial killer was deemed too graphic for minors. First banned in Germany before Australia and Canada both banned or restricted the sales of this book. Queensland still bans the book and the rest of Australia restricts its sale to those over the age of 18.
2) I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou’s autobiography is one of the most banned books in US history. It features racism, rape, drug abuse, profanity and numerous adult themes. The book has been used in universities since its publication and remains a steadfast reminder of the strength of the individual. Some schools have removed it as required reading and it’s one of the most challenged books ever.
1) Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
A book about a man who marries a woman so he can embark upon a relationship with her 12-year-old daughter is bound to be controversial. It was banned in various countries and has been called pornography by various authority figures over the years, enshrining it as one of the most controversial books of all time.
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The 25 Most Controversial Books of All Time
Jerimy Grafenstein • 05.02.14 •
Most Shocking
Via cryndex.com
Via litflick.

Wowwww... thank you for this. Off to Google

Rapsowdee01:
0.) THE BIBLE


WAS BANNED, BURNT, DROWNED, TORN, TRIED TO BE RE-WRITTEN........ YET, IT IS THE MOST READ BOOK IN HUMAN HISTORY !!!.... YET SOME PEOPLE CALLED ATHEIST WILL STILL SAY GOD DOESN'T EXIST ! OH WHAT A PITY !!


HOW MANY LIKES FOR MY GOD !!

Sharap dia..... The 25 books mentioned. Non was forced on anyone to read.

Rapsowdee01:




WHO FORCED YOU TO READ THE BIBLE ? GOD ? IF YOUR ANSWER IS NO.... PLEASE DON'T BRING YOUR ATHEISTIC BELIEFS HERE... GOD BLESS YOU

Sharap dia again.... Who asked you to bring your god in a secular discussion. This is "Education section not religion.

Lovely books eh

Rapsowdee01:




FYI, MY GOD IS NOT A ''SMALL LETTER G'' GOD..... PUT SOME RESPECT ON THAT NAME.... HE'S NOT YOUR DAD'S MATE

Your little god wrote a book.. Lolz

Nice write up

GooseBaba:


Your little god wrote a book.. Lolz

I choose to believe there's a God. You on the other hand choose to believe other humans that said there's no God. In this world where everything is based on belief, you put your belief on a very error prone specie. Goodluck with that.

P.S whether you write it as God or god, you're basically only doing yourself.

To Most Atheist, They Cover Their Ignorance With Arrogance. Educated Illiterate Receive Sense

A nice tread to dive into............I'm a fan of books!

MrOra:

I choose to believe there's a God. You on the other hand choose to believe other humans that said there's no God. In this world where everything is based on belief, you put your belief on a very error prone specie. Goodluck with that.

P.S whether you write it as God or god, you're basically only doing yourself.

Hahahahahaha.... See desperation. Anyhow, you're also doing yourself when you use god" for other people's supreme diety.

Read a few like the color purple, perks of being a wallflower,Harry Potter but the rest off to google.

need them

These books should be online now. I never check sha.
The ones I have read: Things fall apart, memoirs of a woman of pleasure, catcher in the rye, american psycho and lolita.

Things fall apart and lolita were my favourites.

Can I find any of these books? I'd like to read them.

Pamelayoung:
Can I find any of these books? I'd like to read them.

just look for s good library or you can order them from a gud online store

fellis:
These books should be online now. I never check sha.
The ones I have read: Things fall apart, memoirs of a woman of pleasure, catcher in the rye, american psycho and lolita.

Things fall apart and lolita were my favourites.

The ferret fancies herself a reader. Hahaha.

@post, I have read all but The Harry Potter books. I am the sum of all the books that I have read. Not many, but I internalize them so well that sometimes I feel grand like Ozymandias but it all turns to shît

Harry Potter is a nice series... The end of the Deathly hallows would mess up your mind alot.. except you'd been reading without real interest

Rapsowdee01:
0.) THE BIBLE


WAS BANNED, BURNT, DROWNED, TORN, TRIED TO BE RE-WRITTEN........ YET, IT IS THE MOST READ BOOK IN HUMAN HISTORY !!!.... YET SOME PEOPLE CALLED ATHEIST WILL STILL SAY GOD DOESN'T EXIST ! OH WHAT A PITY !!


HOW MANY LIKES FOR MY GOD !!

In what sense has the bible been banned??

And does your gOd really need likes to prove his dominance

Receive sense in 2017 my brother.

BoboYekini:

The ferret fancies herself a reader. Hahaha.

@post, I have read all but The Harry Potter books. I am the sum of all the books that I have read. Not many, but I internalize them so well that sometimes I feel grand like Ozymandias but it all turns to shît

How
Harry potter is like; one of the most famed book in contemporary fantasy; second only to Tolkien

Ayodeleseyi65:
To Most Atheist, They Cover Their Ignorance With Arrogance. Educated Illiterate Receive Sense

Nice Rhymes.

SirWere:

How
Harry potter is like; one of the most famed book in contemporary fantasy; second only to Tolkien

Harry Potter is for women and children. I'd say the same for Tolkien but I read The Hobbit when I was much younger so still fits.

Intresting writeup, though mainly based from US observations. I've read about 20 of the books here.

---

Huckleberry Finn was..... Offensive, very offensive.

Satanic verses is overhyped, at least to me.

Ulysses is a tad boring.

The communist manifesto is good only for academic intrest. Otherwise, it's as boring as feck

Anarchist Cookbook has some intresting recipes....certainly opened my eyes to how EASY it is to make a bomb.

Slaughterhouse Five is somehow reminscent of Animal farm.

On the perks of being a Wallflower is some weird erotica.

Origin of species.....absolutely brilliant. Keep i mind it was written when mankind had no idea about genetics even.

Lolita, like most Russian literature; is long, twisting, over detailed but well worth it.

Anything from Chinua Achebe is a masterpiece.

Catcher in the Rye is....a bit intresting I guess

Brave new world has some ideas I believe humanity should explore. Some people shouldn't be allowed to breed

Uncle Tom's Cabin : also offensive but after Huckleberry finn, you should be inured

Metamorphosis is...... Khafakesque

And why the fuc.k will you ban HP for Christ sake??

BoboYekini:
Harry Potter is for women and children. I'd say the same for Tolkien but I read The Hobbit when I was much younger so still fits.

"Women and children". The femnists are coming for you .
It's true that Harry Potter was written for children but it has some decent plotlines and twists.
Also, the protagonist matured as the book progressed, something you don't see often in series and trilogies.
It's worth a try, in my opinion.

hmm why

SirWere:

"Women and children". The femnists are coming for you .
It's true that Harry Potter was written for children but it has some decent plotlines and twists.
Also, the protagonist matured as the book progressed, something you don't see often in series and trilogies.
It's worth a try, in my opinion.

I wish they would. I'm in the mood to slay me some dragons.

leave go out of this one oooh must you involve religion in everything you do