The Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Books in America

Battle Royale? Loved the book (graphic novel) and movie. Guess it can't be challenged anymore after Hunger Games. :P

Lysergius wrote: "I can see that these books might be unsuitable for a 12 year old, but surely not for adults?"

I wonder if they mean that these books are banned in schools? A lot of the "reasons for banning" seemed to be from a public school viewpoint (e.g., not teaching religion, or explicit sexual content, etc.)

The only one I have read in the whole list is Looking for Alaska and I think that's just plain STUPID. In my opinion (and most of my friend's opinion) is that Looking for Alaska is Green's best book. I mean WHY IN THE WORLD ARE PEOPLE FANGIRLING ABOUT TFIOS WHEN THERES THIS PERFECTION????!!!! Like this book is amazing. Seeing this book as the #1 challenged the most physically and emotionally hurts me. This book is perfection. Nobody's banning this book while I'm still breathing.

Charles wrote: "50 Shades is hardly explicit.. it's just really boring. and one-note. and bad. and boring. did I already say that?"
Ha ha, yes you said boring twice but that's okay. I hated it too. For some reason though I got sucked into it and a lot of it made me cringe, but I kept reading. Not sure why because at the end of it, I had a bad feeling in my stomach like I'd eaten some bad food.

Laura wrote: "Ok, I'm sorry, but this is the stupidest thing ever. I think it's hilarious that our country prides itself on "equal rights" and "freedom" and other stuff like that, yet it completely goes against ..."

These books are challenged by some citizens and may be removed by different schools or libraries. They are not banned by the U.S. government. Book challenges and banning are slightly different though of course, banning is caused by a challenge, often one person who starts it. You can read more about book censorship on ala.org's page :)

Halah wrote: "Abby wrote: "50 Shades "unsuited to age group"? What age group? It's definitely written for adults and last I checked, adults could read whatever the hell they want."

I found it in a major booksto..."

Then the bookstore manager should be told probably. It is not and never was YA. They often consider it "New Adult" but that is not really a category in stores. I don't think all bookstore workers pay attention to all books frankly :)

I guess it could sort of be romance or women's fiction?

It is misleading to advertised these books as BANNED when they are not, being challenged is another thing and that is also part of a healthy democracy.

This book is illegal in at least 52 countries. restricted nations: 38 hostile areas: 14

In the Netherlands we only got one banned book and that is 'Mein kampf', I can't imagine Goodreads is gonna promote that one.

Mark wrote: "Freedom of speech would dictate that both the Bible and Mein Kampf should be available to the public. I have no issue with that and yet I think they are as bad as each other."

I wouldn't say 'as bad as each other', because Hitler was a terrible writer, and just in terms of style it is horrible to read. But on the freedom of speech point i agree, and besides that it should be accesseable for every hitoric research.

Elanna wrote: "Is it for real? The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime is CHALLENGED in America?
In Italy it was a major hit with educators, and nobody has ever found anything strange in reading it to childr..."

True, I'm Italian and I read it in school, don't remember anything about it tho so want to read it again soon. :)

Amorphous wrote: "His Dark Materials! The Amber Spyglass. Part of it is censored in the US version."

For real?

Ashley wrote: "I like that "poorly written" is a reason to ban a book."

That should be the only valid reason to ban a book!

Charles wrote: "Lysergius wrote: "I can see that these books might be unsuitable for a 12 year old, but surely not for adults?"

Yes.. because 50 Shades is certainly nothing explicit compared to.. Lolita."

maybe 50 shades is on here and lolita isn't because 50 shades was boring and terribly written

I don't really have anything to add, these comments are just hilarious.

I wish people would realize that these books have been challenged not banned. A book being challenged is when people complain about it. No one is making laws against selling these books, and to be honest people who complain about books have the right to free speech just as much as the people who write them. When you debate about any topic make your argument intelligent and easy to understand and do not insult and complain about the people on the other side.

Charles wrote: "50 Shades is hardly explicit.. it's just really boring. and one-note. and bad. and boring. did I already say that?"

agreed 50 Shades is an oversexualized twilight and it's not even that explicit

Holli wrote: "Can we get something other than mostly homosexual\transvestite books? Everyone is turning this into a diverseathon when it is really meant to be about reading books that challenge our minds.
This ..."

Wouldn't that be an oxymoron in a way? To get books that challenge our minds. And yet for some of us we can't even open our minds to the challenges of homsexual and Transgender people in the first place?

Elanna wrote: "Is it for real? The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime is CHALLENGED in America?
In Italy it was a major hit with educators, and nobody has ever found anything strange in reading it to childr..."

I'm curious, too. I'm from Germany and we didn't read the whole book, but in pieces it was in our english schoolbook and it seemed just fine. Seems like it's used everywhere else for educational purposes and in the US it's challenged?!

Amy "the book-bat" wrote: "A lot of these books show up on the list year after year. A lot of the ones mentioned throughout the comments because they didn't make the list are also on it year after year. The country has not b..."

I think that sometimes so called bans and controversy are initiated by those marketing the books (50 shades springs to mind). I guess that it backfires from time to time but usually it just leads to threads and lists like these. No such thing as bad publicity and all that. Lets face it, we can all think of ones that really should be on the list but strangely enough, never seem to make the cut.

Either that, or I'm just really cynical (quite likely)

;)

Amy "the book-bat" wrote: "A lot of these books show up on the list year after year. A lot of the ones mentioned throughout the comments because they didn't make the list are also on it year after year. The country has not b..."

What was the STUPIDITY behind banning a DICTIONARY?

Camila: That was the POINT. It was originally designed to be an X rated TWATLIGHT fan fic.

I looked at the list of banned books and there were lot on the list that were required reading when I went to school (graduated in '77) and a few that were required reading for my daughter(graduated 2016). Just shows you how idiotic our world has become.

If 'challenged' means that people openly protest against it then I can see why 50 Shades is on here.

Dystopias are ALSO a disgrace to literature, regardless of whether they were written in English or some other language.

Amber wrote: "Dystopias are ALSO a disgrace to literature, regardless of whether they were written in English or some other language."

I disagree. 1984 is great

Aly wrote: "I'm really bothered that in 2016 homosexuality stills being a valide reason for banning a book"

It's sad, but these books were published and challenged years ago, so things have changed a bit.

I wouldn't suggest that these be banned from a public library, however, some of these books are not appropriate for school libraries - especially elementary school libraries.

Fifty Shades of Grey is on the ALA list, because it is or was not allowed to be at any of the public libraries in Orlando, FL. (Or maybe it was Tallahassee or Tampa, or another large Florida city public library system.)

I don't want to read it, but I don't believe that what I want or don't want to read should make it so others cannot read it.

Amorphous wrote: "His Dark Materials! The Amber Spyglass. Part of it is censored in the US version."

Really? What part?

China, I think Two Boys Kissing is an amazing book. I've read it, and enjoyed it a lot.

Since when is "transgender" the same as "homosexuality"?

Kyle wrote: "Since when is "transgender" the same as "homosexuality"?"

Since some people still believe regardless of what the transgender person feels about who they were meant to be. They were still born a man turned into a woman or vice versa. Likely why there are still such issues with bills for them to either be allowed to use the restroom of their own choosing or making of a transgender one in general. Rather unfortunate.

edited to add: That do to those ideals that folks have about others. Leads them to feel that regardless if how the outside changes. The person is still a man at the core and likely just being a man being in a relationship with a man, if they are dating at man at the time of their transitition.

Abby wrote: "50 Shades "unsuited to age group"? What age group? It's definitely written for adults and last I checked, adults could read whatever the hell they want."

I think "unsuitable for age group" means it was banned in schools..

Ummmm, lamest banned book list I've ever seen.

This is the list for 2015, not all time.

Why is 50 shades on the banned list? I consider it vanilla compared to the other erotica books that I've read.

I am still amazed that in this day and age that people still think that they have the right to think for everyone. If you got children it is up to you to make sure that you control what your children see and read but as an adult I sincerely wouldn't want someone to tell me what I may or may not read or see!!!!!

No puedo entender como un libro tan tierno como El curioso incidente del perro a medianoche pueda estar prohibido, cuando resulta una lectura educativa al reflejar de un modo tan sencillo algo tan complicado como el mundo a través de una persona autista.

Es cierto que es una lectura dura en lo que se refiere al retrato familiar del protagonista, pero en ese punto el autor resulta muy realista al mostrar los conflictos que puede provocar tener un/a hijo/a con algún tipo de discapacidad.

Pero en realidad estamos ante una historia de crecimiento personal, en la que Christopher consigue superar una serie de limitaciones que hasta ese momento lo mantenían atado a sus miedos y manías.

Habibi was an interesting read! I loved the detailed artwork that went along the plot. The story ends on a happy note. It's all you'd ask for in a graphic novel.

A Wrinkle in Time was another banned book i had read.

The list misses "Mein Kampf" and Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses".

Aly wrote: "I'm really bothered that in 2016 homosexuality stills being a valide reason for banning a book"

Pfff... Of course it is. In 72 countries of the world homosexuality is illegal.

List of a d'oh. Where's good old "The 120 Days of Sodom"?

Seriously? The Holy Bible made this list? The world is in a sad state of affairs.

Angela wrote: "Seriously? The Holy Bible made this list? The world is in a sad state of affairs."

It's a normal state of affairs in Saudi Arabia...

Charles wrote: "50 Shades is hardly explicit.. it's just really boring. and one-note. and bad. and boring. did I already say that?"

Yes, its boring as fuck, and so badly written, that is why it should be challenged :D

What a ridiculously bad list of "banned" books ...

S.L.J. wrote: "Amber wrote: "Dystopias are ALSO a disgrace to literature, regardless of whether they were written in English or some other language."

I disagree. 1984 is great"

The exception that PROVES the rule.

Kyle: Since idiots who think they're "Christian" get upset when other people who feel like they were born the wrong gender take steps to correct the situation and fall in love with someone the same gender they were originally born as once the gender reassignment surgry's physical recovery period is over.

Chechu: Translation, please? Not all of us read enough Spanish to understand what you were trying to say.

^LOL..

Amber wrote: "Dystopias are ALSO a disgrace to literature, regardless of whether they were written in English or some other language."

I disagree I loved the Divergent series. I understand everyone might not like Dystopians, but I wouldn't call them a disgrace to literature just because you don't like them. I don't like Commentary books but I won't call them a disgrace to literature just because I don't like them.

Travelin wrote: "Amber wrote: "S.L.J. wrote: "Amber wrote: "Dystopias are ALSO a disgrace to literature, regardless of whether they were written in English or some other language."

I disagree. 1984 is great"

The ..."

Read Robert MacElvaine's book Grand Theft Jesus, before you say things like that about the so-called Christians. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Serenity: Dystopias are a disgrace to literature because REALITY is dystopian enough already. Want proof? Watch Donald Trump encourage the Russian security service to hack Hillary. The more dystopian reality is, the more popular dystopian "literature" becomes which fuels a FURTHER spate of reality becoming dystopian which in turn further fuels the popularity of dystopian "literature," thus becoming an ourbouros serpent devouring it's own tail.

To put it more succinctly: As reality comes closer and closer to what goes on in dystopian "literature," the more popular that genre becomes in a feedback loop until something blows up and we watch the dust settle in the aftermath if the immediate explosion hasn't killed us already.