Back in Time Today
Books have sparked debates, outrage, and passionate defense throughout American history. When certain books challenge social norms or present uncomfortable truths, they often face removal from schools and libraries. These banned books reveal our evolving cultural boundaries and the ongoing struggle between free expression and community standards. From classics to contemporary works, the following books have all faced significant opposition that reflects deeper tensions in American society.
1. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Holden Caulfield’s rebellious voice shocked 1950s America when this novel debuted. Parents and educators couldn’t handle the teenager’s raw language, references to prostitution, and contempt for adult “phoniness.”
The book faced bans in over 70 communities between 1961 and 1982. One Oklahoma teacher even lost his job for assigning it to students in 1960, though he was later reinstated.
Despite (or perhaps because of) attempts to suppress it, Salinger’s portrait of adolescent alienation became required reading for generations of teenagers who found their own frustrations mirrored in Holden’s journey.
2. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
“So it goes” – the famous refrain from this groundbreaking anti-war novel that blends science fiction with stark reality. Vonnegut’s masterpiece about bombing survivor Billy Pilgrim becoming “unstuck in time” outraged conservative communities with its profanity and sexual references.
School boards in Michigan and North Dakota yanked it from libraries. The book even played a central role in a landmark Supreme Court case about school censorship (Island Trees School District v. Pico).
Vonnegut’s darkly comic exploration of war’s absurdity continues to unsettle those who prefer patriotic narratives over his messy, traumatized truth.
3. Beloved by Toni Morrison
Sethe’s haunting story of escaping slavery only to be pursued by both human captors and supernatural forces remains one of literature’s most powerful examinations of historical trauma. Morrison’s unflinching portrayal of slavery’s brutality makes many readers uncomfortable.
Since 2021 alone, at least eleven school districts have removed this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The book became a political flashpoint in Virginia’s 2021 gubernatorial race when a candidate featured a mother upset about her son reading it.
Morrison’s ghost story forces America to confront the violence of its past, which explains both its literary importance and why some fight to keep it off shelves.
4. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
George and Lennie’s tragic friendship during the Great Depression explores dreams, loyalty, and mercy killing. This slim novel packs emotional wallop that’s touched generations of readers.
Censors target Steinbeck’s authentic Depression-era dialogue containing racial slurs and profanity. The book’s climactic mercy killing also troubles many parents who believe it promotes euthanasia.
Despite being a cornerstone of American literature, Of Mice and Men ranked among the most frequently challenged books in both the 2000s and 2010s. School districts nationwide continue removing it from curricula, depriving students of this powerful exploration of human connection amid desperate circumstances.
5. Forever… by Judy Blume
Katherine and Michael’s teenage love story broke new ground in 1975 by acknowledging that teenagers have sexual feelings. Blume’s revolutionary young adult novel depicts first love, contraception, and sexual awakening with refreshing honesty.
Parents across America panicked at the frank discussions of birth control and premarital sex. The book ranked among the top ten most challenged books throughout the 1990s and again in 2005.
Recently, Forever… reportedly faced a statewide ban in Utah in 2024, showing that even decades later, Blume’s candid approach to teenage sexuality still makes adults uncomfortable. Meanwhile, generations of young readers have found comfort in knowing their feelings are normal.
6. Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
A young boy’s matter-of-fact acceptance of his father’s gay relationship challenged American children’s literature in 1990. This groundbreaking picture book depicts everyday life with dad and his partner Frank through a child’s innocent eyes.
Conservative parents and religious groups erupted in protest. Library records show it was the most challenged children’s book in America during 1993-1994.
Written during the AIDS crisis, Willhoite created this gentle story to help children with gay parents see their families represented positively. Though revolutionary at publication, this simple story of a boy, his father, and his father’s partner sharing meals, doing chores, and reading bedtime stories continues facing removal from children’s sections.
7. Ulysses by James Joyce
Joyce’s modernist masterpiece tracking Leopold Bloom through Dublin on June 16, 1904, shocked early 20th century readers with its stream-of-consciousness style and explicit content. The experimental novel contains sexual fantasies, bathroom scenes, and profanity that outraged censors.
U.S. Customs officials seized and burned copies until 1933. The landmark legal battle culminated in Judge John M. Woolsey’s famous ruling that the book wasn’t obscene because it didn’t promote lust.
This revolutionary decision helped establish that literary merit could protect controversial works. Now celebrated as one of the greatest novels ever written, Ulysses reminds us how quickly yesterday’s obscenity becomes today’s classic literature.
8. Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller
Miller’s semi-autobiographical account of his bohemian life in 1930s Paris broke every rule of American publishing with its explicit sexual descriptions and raw language. The novel’s unflinching portrayal of his experiences among artists, prostitutes, and outcasts shocked conventional readers.
Originally published in France, the book remained banned in America for decades. Copies were smuggled into the country until Grove Press finally published it domestically in 1961, triggering obscenity trials across multiple states.
The Supreme Court ultimately reversed the ban in 1964, ruling it had literary merit despite its explicit content. This landmark decision expanded free speech protections for literature that mixed artistic expression with sexual content.
9. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Morrison’s debut novel shattered literary conventions by centering on Pecola Breedlove, a young Black girl praying for blue eyes in 1940s Ohio. The heartbreaking story explores racism’s psychological damage through unflinching depictions of incest, child abuse, and internalized self-hatred.
School boards nationwide continue removing it from curricula due to its graphic sexual abuse scenes. The American Library Association consistently ranks it among the most challenged books of the past decade.
While critics claim they’re protecting children from disturbing content, defenders argue Morrison’s powerful narrative helps readers understand racism’s devastating psychological effects. The ongoing controversy reflects America’s discomfort confronting both racial trauma and sexual violence.
10. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Arnold Spirit Jr. navigates two worlds as he leaves his Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white high school. Alexie’s semi-autobiographical novel tackles poverty, racism, and cultural identity with unforgettable humor and heartbreak.
Despite winning the National Book Award, it ranked as the American Library Association’s most challenged book between 2010-2019. Parents object to its frank discussions of masturbation, profanity, and alcoholism.
School boards across America continue removing this authentic voice of Native American experience from classrooms. The irony? Alexie’s protagonist faces rejection from both his reservation community and white society—mirroring how his book remains unwelcome in many American communities despite its critical acclaim.
11. Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey
Two mischievous fourth-graders hypnotize their principal into becoming an underwear-clad superhero in this wildly popular children’s series. Pilkey’s deliberately misspelled words, bathroom humor, and anti-authority themes delight young readers while giving some adults fits.
The books regularly appeared on banned lists throughout the 2010s. Complaints typically focus on potty humor, disrespect for authority figures, and encouraging children to disobey adults.
Critics miss how these silly adventures actually inspire reluctant readers to pick up books. Pilkey himself struggled with ADHD and dyslexia as a child, creating these comics-inspired novels specifically for kids who find traditional books challenging. The censorship attempts only reinforce the series’ message about adults trying to control children’s imagination.
12. Looking for Alaska by John Green
Miles “Pudge” Halter’s search for “the Great Perhaps” leads him to boarding school where he falls for the enigmatic Alaska Young. Green’s debut novel captures teenage experiences with remarkable authenticity, including awkward sexual encounters, pranks, and devastating grief.
Parents frequently challenge the book’s sexual content, particularly an awkward oral sex scene that actually portrays teenage intimacy as confusing rather than glamorous. The novel’s exploration of smoking, drinking, and swearing also triggers censorship attempts.
Green consistently defends his work, explaining that sanitized portrayals of adolescence don’t help teenagers navigate real-life challenges. Despite ranking among the most challenged books of the 2010s, this coming-of-age story continues resonating with young readers seeking honest reflections of their experiences.
13. George (now Melissa) by Alex Gino
A fourth-grade transgender girl named Melissa (published as “George”) longs for others to see her true self in this groundbreaking middle-grade novel. When her class performs Charlotte’s Web, she desperately wants to play Charlotte, though everyone expects her to take a boy’s role.
The American Library Association ranked it the #1 most challenged book in both 2018 and 2019. Objections focus on its LGBTQ+ content, claiming the book conflicts with religious viewpoints or is inappropriate for its age group.
Gino’s gentle story provides crucial representation for transgender children while helping cisgender readers develop empathy. The author later expressed regret about the original title, as deadnaming transgender people is hurtful, and newer editions bear the title “Melissa.”
14. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Amir’s journey from 1970s Kabul to California and back again explores friendship, betrayal, and redemption against Afghanistan’s turbulent history. Hosseini’s international bestseller offers powerful insights into Afghan culture through an unforgettable story of childhood friends separated by class and ethnicity.
School districts regularly remove it from reading lists due to a brutal rape scene, religious content, and political themes. Parents object to its unflinching portrayal of violence and sexual assault.
The novel’s honest examination of Afghanistan’s political upheaval, ethnic tensions, and religious extremism provides crucial context for understanding a region often misrepresented in American media. Despite ranking among the American Library Association’s most challenged books of the 2010s, it remains a vital window into Afghan experiences.
15. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey’s explicit romance catapulted from Twilight fan fiction to global publishing phenomenon, selling over 150 million copies worldwide. The trilogy’s explicit BDSM content sparked both fascination and outrage.
Public libraries faced unprecedented challenges deciding whether to stock this erotic bestseller. Many ultimately removed it despite overwhelming patron requests. Some communities held public book burnings.
Unlike most banned books that face censorship for educational or political content, this adult romance series faced bans purely for its sexual content. The controversy highlights America’s contradictory attitudes toward sexuality—while the books sold millions of copies, many communities simultaneously deemed them too inappropriate for adult library patrons to access.