These books may be banned, but they can teach you important things (Stock Image) (Image: Getty)
‘Banned books’ is a term that gets batted around fairly frequently, but what does it actually mean?
A banned book is often a novel that has been challenged because of its contents, and maybe it’s been questioned and censored for various reasons.
However, these reasons are vital for reading the books, as they teach important lessons about challenging authority and forming your own opinions about the world around you.
Book club organiser Ali Radford shared eight banned books that he reckons “everyone should read”. So, how many have you read?
He captioned his TikTok video: “FYI ‘Banned’ is kinda tossed around as a term but here it just refers to books that have had restrictions/censorship, removals, or formal challenges in schools, libraries, etc, at some point in time due mainly to their themes/subject matter NOT that the books are ‘illegal’ Per Se”.
1. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
The iconic Ann Frank’s diary has faced uproar and been challenged due to passages discussing puberty, sexuality, and anatomy, which some parents deem “pornographic” or inappropriate for young readers, alongside concerns about its LGBTQ+ themes and the graphic nature of its historical subject matter.
However, it’s a vital read, as it gives a firsthand account of the horrors of the Holocaust, transforming the abstract into an actual young girl’s story.
2. Dune by Frank Herbert
Dune has come under fire throughout the years due to its racial and cultural tropes, problematic themes such as eugenics and sexism, violence, sexual themes, and religious themes, too. However, despite this, people say that Dune is a masterpiece of science fiction, and can be enjoyed while accepting that it’s not the way you’d perhaps behave in real life.
3. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Shatter Me has received backlash due to parents complaining about sexual content within the book, despite the fact that it tackles some seriously important issues of a dystopian society.
4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games is frowned upon by many due to its marketing to children, despite there being adult themes involved. There are children killing children, mature political themes which parents are concerned teens will not fully understand, and alleged anti-family content too.
The book is so important, though, as it tackles many issues in an age-appropriate way, encouraging children to think politically, as, let’s be honest, politics rules a lot of our lives.
5. 1984 by George Orwell
1984 faced backlash from people because of its complex political themes (anti-communism/anti-totalitarianism), explicit sexual content, and negativity towards the government. It is sometimes misinterpreted as promoting communism or being generally inappropriate for younger audiences, despite its clear warning against oppressive regimes and censorship.
However, 1984 is a particularly poignant book for the current times, because it offers a chilling, enduring warning against totalitarianism, surveillance, and the manipulation of truth, and scarily mirrors parts of today’s society.
6. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Secret History has restrictions primarily due to its mature, dark themes, including scenes of murder, drug use, alcohol abuse, and explicit, often disturbing, sexual content. It has proven controversial because of the characters and their relationships with each other.
But it’s an iconic book, and one which many people, including author Joe Hill, have said inspired them in their own writing, and it really is worth a read.
7. Animal Farm by George Orwell
Animal Farm is a controversial novel as it is seen to be directly criticising the Soviet Union, Stalinism, and totalitarianism. It was banned in communist countries, including the USSR (until 1980), Cuba, and China. It has also been banned in the UAE for its depiction of pigs and alcohol, and has been challenged in Western schools for its political themes throughout.
However, it’s deemed a great read, because it gets people thinking about political systems and provides a timeless critique of political corruption, tyranny, and the abuse of power in society.
8. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Handmaid’s Tale often gets critiqued because of its violence, profanity, sexual content, and its dark, dystopian critique of religious extremism, misogyny, and political oppression.
But it’s an incredible book which shows gender-based oppression, and can flag similarities, scarily, to the world we live in now.
Will you be picking up any of these books? Let us know in the comments…