We're coming to the end of Banned Books Week, a time of year which always opens up some interesting conversations on censorship. Throughout history, books have been banned for many different reasons—some of your favorites might even have once made it on that big, bad blacklist!
Are you a rebel and don't even know it? Check out these 10 banned books and tell us which ones you've read!
1. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
* Banned: For sexual references, profanities, and vulgar language and behavior.
2. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
* Banned: For being un-Christian, immoral, and vulgar (among other things).
3. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
* Banned: For sexual violence (director Stanley Kubrick's film version of the book was also banned in the U.K. for a time due to copycat crimes supposedly inspired by the movie).
4. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
* Banned: For language and sexual content. (By the way, this book is a highly recommended read if you want to educate yourself on race in America).
5. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
* Banned: For its focus on sex, promiscuity, and the overall decadence displayed by Hemingway's characters.
6. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
* Banned: For Satanic themes.
7. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
* Banned: For anti-Christian themes and violence.
* Banned: For strong political themes.
9. A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
* Banned: For its negative portrayal of Mormons.
10. Beloved by Toni Morrison
* Banned: For graphic violence and sexual references.
How many of these banned books have you read?
Share your number below in the comments section!