“There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all,” writes Oscar Wilde. Nevertheless, throughout history countless books have been censored and banned for their language, content, and political or social views—a practice that continues even today. This week, as we celebrate Banned Books Week, September 25–October 1, we take a look at challenged texts and celebrate and advocate for the freedom to read.
In celebration of Banned Books Week, take a look at our feature of fifteen significant poetry collections, poems, and poets that have been challenged, censored, and banned throughout history, and find out more about this week’s celebration on the Banned Books Week website.