Whether they are deemed to contain problematic themes or even incite violence with their content, many iconic books have been historically banned around the world. The Onion highlights some of the most commonly restricted titles:
In Cold Blood
Truman Capote’s vivid portrayal of an actual murder was banned in the 1960s for its graphic depictions of violence, sex, and Kansas
The Grapes Of Wrath
Few historians deny that the greatest threat faced by America in 1939 was indecency in a John Steinbeck novel
The Satanic Verses
This controversial book led to a fatwa being placed on author Salman Rushdie by the ayatollah for not releasing it under Iran’s official publishing arm
Catch-22
It is the policy of most school boards to make copies of this book available only to those students who can persuasively argue why they should not be allowed to read it
The Great Gatsby
Have you read this thing? There’s sex everywhere. Not right on the page, exactly. But it’s there, lurking.
The Harry Potter Series
Religious organizations across the country have banned these young adult fantasy books, thereby ensuring that no child will ever read them
Tropic Of Cancer
Rebecca got caught running her mouth about its vivid sexuality in front of Mom and ruined it for everyone
120 Days Of Sodom
Mild profanity
The Dirt
Mötley Crüe’s 2001 collaborative autobiography has been barred from countless schools for encouraging students to pursue the arts and chase their dreams