Censored Books: Critical Viewpoints

by Lee Burress

New in Paperback! This collection of sixty-three essays provides assistance to the growing number of students, teachers, librarians, and parents who find themselves confronting a censorship situation. The contributors are both authors―of fiction, drama, and poetry for adults, children, and adolescents―and teachers of literature, writing about the books that are most frequently challenged in schools and libraries.

Part I provides six authors' perspectives on censorship by omission and commission. Part II provides responses and defenses of individual books. Paperback edition available May 2001.

528 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Reba · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, this was lurking about in the library, looking all boring and official, when I picked it up and started flipping through the pages. And be still my heart, I read the first few entries and it was great; proving that the old adage about books and covers is more than just a pretty phrase. So, I parceled it out and I have been reading one entry a day. Some of the passages have inspired me to read the original censored work, others have given me invaluable insight into popular and oft-debated works of literature. I am not quite done with it yet, but I am really enjoying it.

I loved this book. It should be read by every librarian or ELA teacher serving youth.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of essays about specific censored books. Interesting scholarly reading for those wanting to know more about censorship.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of essays on various books banned in schools, from Huck Finn to the Outsiders, from Maurice Sendak to Kurt Vonnegutt. Many are classics in the western canon, adnd most are tame in comparison to contemporary culture. As one writer noted - given Viet Nam, Watergate, MTV, etc, why are books still a target?

My view is that these books should be presented in classrooms, as many people don't read outside of school and thus a large percentage of the population will lose connection to our cultural heritage.
Reading about the classics - most of them