Books have the power to open up a million doors and take us to places we would never even dare to imagine. After reading a good story, nothing is the same. Perhaps that is why throughout history, books have been banned. Some stories have been seen in the eyes of power as perverse, dangerous, and offensive.
Some time ago, communities were so small that it was easy to control thoughts. By banning the exposure of some stories, the power was sure nothing contrary to its ideals would be available to the people. Some of the topics that did not fit into the more conventional systems were, for example, sexual references, explicit violence, contradictory governmental ideas, and even, in some cases, the existence of female authors.
However, even though novels and other texts were censored, banned, and even burned, the reasons for these acts of reprobation gradually fell away. Some of the most eloquent narrators, who were silenced, have regained their voice.
Banned books in history
Freedom of expression organizations had to work very hard to guarantee access to free thought for the next generations. Let’s think about it: reading is an activity that nurtures ideas and provides evolution and empathy.
A society that lacks in literary diversity, lacks in evolution. The Banned Books Week was born to celebrate the acknowledgment of diversity. The idea is to read, for an entire week, historically forbidden books celebrated around the world.
We invite you to celebrate your freedom, explore these fantastic novels, and let the emotions that a great story provokes run amok. From September 27 to October 3, banned books and silenced novels will come to life. Here is a short list of amazing banned books you can start with to discover great ideas and reflections.
List of banned books you can start with
Despised and Rejected – Rose Allatini
This novel deals with the opposition to war, acceptance of homosexuality, love, desire, tolerance of others, and gender identity.
Boy – James Hanley
Hanley’s literary classic chronicles the short and brutal life of a neglected boy who is forced to trade school for the unforgiving world of work.
The Well of Loneliness – Radclyffe Hall
This historical novel that deals with gender identity, tells the story of Stephen Gordon, a woman who was given a male name at birth by her parents because they were expecting a boy.
Lady Chatterley’s Lover – D. H. Lawrence
Based on an erotically charged affair between an upper-class woman and her earthy gamekeeper, Lawrence’s classic novel is a powerful portrait of social class, sexual desire, and gender politics.
Ulysses – James Joyce
Set in 1904, this novel portrays the ordinary life of the people of Dublin. It focuses on the life of a struggling artist, Leopold Bloom, and those around him. The book was burned numerous times in the United States in 1918 due to the explicit and graphic depiction of bodily functions.
Text and cover photos courtesy of Ecoosfera
Translated by María Isabel Carrasco Cara Chards
Photos: Unsplash: Fred Kearney
