Eight Banned Books That Might Surprise You
The banning of books by dissident authors in repressive regimes such as Stalinist Russia is well-documented, but here are some titles you might not have realised were also banned – in some cases, much closer to home.
The banning of books by dissident authors in repressive regimes such as Stalinist Russia is well-documented, but here are some titles you might not have realised were also banned – in some cases, much closer to home.
1. James JOYCE. Ulysses.
‘Think you're escaping and run into yourself. Longest way round is the shortest way home.’
This account of a day in the life of Leopold Bloom is loved and hated in equal measure, though more for its rambling, experimental prose style than any particularly offensive subject matter. It was, however, found to be obscene by several authorities: click here to read the 1922 letter by the British Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Archibald Bodkin, declaring Ulysses a ‘filthy’ book and suggesting that it ‘not be allowed to be imported into the country.’ The book remained banned in the UK until the 1930s, and in 1933 was the subject of the most famous obscenity trial in US history.
2. D.H. LAWRENCE. Lady Chatterley’s Lover.
Initially published privately, Lady Chatterley’s Lover was later banned in the United Kingdom and subsequently in Canada, Australia, India, and Japan. Although it tackled several taboo subjects, including the use of language deemed inappropriate in intellectual circles and the portrayal of a relationship between a woman of the upper class and a working-class man, its most significant disruption was its frank representation of female sexual pleasure. This portrayal was considered wholly inappropriate for the societal norms of the time.
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3. Bertrand RUSSELL. Marriage and Morals.
Marriage and Morals , one of the most significant works by renowned writer Bertrand Russell, faced suppression in Ireland due to its provocative content. Russell challenged prevailing notions of morality, and held up Victorian social norms, whilst condemning the injustices faced by women within the institution of marriage. The controversy surrounding the book cost him his professorship at the City College of New York where he was considered ‘morally unfit’ to teach, yet the book ultimately earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature.
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4. Anne SEWELL. Black Beauty.
‘We shall all have to be judged according to our works…’
Anna Sewell’s novel, which charmingly claims on its title page to have been ‘translated from the equine,’ is one of the best-selling books of all time. However, the story goes that in South Africa during apartheid (1948-1994), the book was banned on the grounds that the censor had not read it and assumed from its title that it promoted the rights of black people. Several textbooks on the history of South Africa state this as fact, though there is a great deal of scepticism from scholars, who believe the story must be an urban myth – perhaps simply because such ignorance beggars belief.
5. George ORWELL. Animal Farm.
Animal Farm is now regarded as one of the most significant works by one of the United Kingdom's most important authors. Deeply political, the book explores the ramifications of a dictatorial regime and was interpreted as a commentary on Soviet Russia. It was initially rejected by publishers, who feared that, during the tense times of the Second World War, it might be seen negatively and create friction between allied nations. The novel was censored in the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991.
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6. Geoffrey CHAUCER. The Canterbury Tales.
‘People can die of mere imagination.’
No one will be surprised to learn that Chaucer’s 14th-century work, featuring the saucy Wife of Bath and a rather creepy Friar, was considered extremely risqué in its day; more surprising is the fact that the work was banned in the US as well as several other countries until well into the late 20th century. Even today, abridged versions are commonplace.
7. John STEINBECK. The Grapes of Wrath.
Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize winner John Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath following a drought that prompted a mass migration to California. The novel portrays the struggles of a fictional migrant family forced to relocate after losing their farm. It faced censorship, bans, and even book burnings for containing profane language deemed ‘too mature for young audiences’, but particularly for its depiction of workers’ struggles and criticism of companies exploiting cheap labour.
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8. William BURROUGHS. The Naked Lunch.
The Naked Lunch is a controversial novel that explores themes of violence, drug addiction, and homosexuality. Its provocative language challenged obscenity laws in both the United States and Australia. While it faced censorship in various countries for years, once the ban was lifted, many experts concluded that Burroughs's works, despite their contentious nature (or perhaps because of it), remain foundational to American literary history.
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