Ever wondered what Dr Seuss and
Lolita have in common?
This December and January, Subiaco Library is highlighting a collection of books that have been banned or challenged by school boards, community members, or even politicians, in their Banned Books exhibition.
These books have been challenged for a variety of reasons, including controversial themes and disturbing depictions.
The exhibition encourages readers to challenge their own views on censorship and read books that may be outside of their comfort zone.
Included in the collection is Brett Easton Ellis’s
American Psycho, which is rated R18 in Australia and is sold shrink-wrapped under national censorship legislation.
One of the most infamously banned books of all time,
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, is also featured within the collection. The book has been banned in France, Argentina, New Zealand, England and South Africa, and was dubbed “the filthiest book ever read” by a reviewer at London’s Sunday Express newspaper.
Angie Thomas’s book
The Hate U Give was on both the
New York Times best seller list and the American Library Association’s top ten challenged and banned books list in 2017. The book was challenged for its profanity and violence, and was thought to promote an anti-police message.
The collection also contains some surprising additions; books that were challenged but not banned for more unusual reasons. For example, in 2014 the Dr Seuss book
Hop on Pop was challenged in a Canadian library for inciting violence against fathers.
Another of Dr Seuss’ books within the exhibition,
The Lorax, was banned in 1989 because it was believed to negatively portray logging, and many feared it would turn children against the foresting industry.
Banned Books will be on display and available for loan from Thursday 8 December and will run to the end of January at Subiaco Library. Many of the titles are also available via the City of Subiaco’s e-library:
https://www.subiaco.wa.gov.au/see-do/places-to-visit/library/elibrary