Banned Books, Burned Books: Forbidden Literary Works

by Maureen Corrigan

Throughout the 24 lectures of Banned Books, Burned Books: Forbidden Literary Works, author and book critic Professor Maureen Corrigan of Georgetown University will take you on a tour of some of the most challenged and controversial works of literature, from the plays of Shakespeare to 21st-century best-sellers—even including the dictionary and classic fairy tales. You will trace the history, in the United States and Great Britain, of the challenges to books, the censoring of books, book bans, and even burnings. You will explore the common reasons books have been and continue to be banned, including profanity, heresy, illicit or sexual content, racism, violence, and more. And you’ll consider the shifting trends in why books are challenged.

The challenging, censorship, and even destruction of works found to be offensive or threatening to the status quo is not new, but the nature of 21st-century communication and politics has certainly influenced the way books are evaluated and judged today. The rise of social media has blurred the line between an author’s work and their private life, while it has also given readers and would-be critics a platform to make their voices heard. And social justice movements have brought race, sexual identity, and other issues to the forefront of the consideration of literature and its influence on culture.

These new elements certainly influence how we approach censorship now, and yet many of the complaints brought against books today are not so different from the criticism of a century (or several) earlier. And the taboo and forbidden nature of banned books has its own special appeal for the human psyche as well, making literary censorship an especially complicated and fascinating subject. As you consider the broader history of book censorship, you will hopefully find yourself thinking more rigorously about your own views on intellectual freedom and the right to read.

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction, Literature, Books About Books, History, Literary Criticism, Education

13 pages, Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

Maureen Corrigan (Born July 30, 1955) is an American journalist, author and literary critic. She writes for the "Book World" section of The Washington Post, and is a book critic on the NPR radio program Fresh Air. In 2005, she published a literary memoir, Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books.

Corrigan holds a B.A. from Fordham University as well as an M.A. and Ph.D from the University of Pennsylvania and is Critic in Residence and a lecturer in English at Georgetown University. Her specialist subjects include 19th-century British literature, women's literature (with a special focus on autobiographies), popular culture, detective fiction, contemporary American literature, and Anglo-Irish literature. Corrigan is a member of the advisory panel of The American Heritage Dictionary and an Advisor to the National Endowment of the Arts "Big Read" project.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Siv30 · Rating 5 out of 5]

לסקירה מפורטת בעברית ואנגלית, קישור לבלוג שלי -

https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/bann...

[Cameron Rhoads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to on Audible in its entirety and thoroughly enjoyed. I learned from the last lecture of this Great Course that my alma mater, The Baptist College at Charleston, in 1987–the year I started college there—banned the classic The Great Gatsby (1925).

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of lectures; it is too intense for me so I'm putting it aside. I will read banned books, so I don't need all the history as too why they were banned.

[Gary Brumagin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and well presented. Couldn't put down. Very enlightening. I couldn't believe what antiquated views some people want to push on others.

[James Uscroft · Rating 1 out of 5]

"A Masterclass In 'Both Sides'-ism"

What is this obsession that people over the age of 50 or so have with defending the Transphobe who must not be named as merely a 'Woman With An Opinion?' Carefully avoiding the fact that she's an obscenely rich and famous bigot who uses her influence to empower Christo-Fascist misogynists and attack and destroy the lives of the most oppressed minority on earth (along with the lives of multiple-times more cis-women for the crime of 'Not Being Feminine Enough,') because the thought of "Men *Pretending* To Be Women" makes her feel icky inside.

Well, it's because they're also Transphobic bigots, but their self-righteous egotism won't allow them to admit or accept that reality. So instead, they paint themselves as the 'Moderate, Rational & Reasonable Adults Who Condemn Extremism On #BothSides." Which, in the case of Maureen Corrigan, means ignoring the blatant and fundamental difference between Millennials burning copies of the Harry Potter books which they already own as a symbolic act of cleansing; distancing themselves from Rowling's bigotry, and Rowling's fellow bigots not only burning books, but literally shooting people and bombing schools because books that promote diversity and inclusion threaten their bigoted status quo.

Indeed, if you honestly can't tell the difference between victims of sexual assault #Cancelling, which is to say, boycotting and refusing to celebrate the work of sexual predators, and the people who ban books which merely acknowledge the fact that not everyone is straight and cis-gendered, then I can't help you. And while, to be fair, this course spends most of its run-time tackling the real issues involved and the reality that book bans, burning and censorship are almost always a weapon of the reactionary right to preserve the oppressive status quo, the fact that Maureen Corrigan goes out of her way to cry "But So-Called #ProgressiveLeftists Do It Too!!!1!!!" means that I can only give this course one star.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent collection of very well researched and well presented lectures by an extremely august professor. I was excited by this series in particular because of my own experiences and outrage as a high school student that an adult would dare interfere with my acquisition of knowledge and question my ability process the content. I made it a point of teenage-angst fueled pride to read as many of these books as I could get my hands on.

20 years later my views have not changed in giving people of all ages free and unfettered access to book of all types. Two of my takeaways from this series were a new confidence to crack open and read some of the books that I didn't feel I would be able to connect with in the past. I'm also living proof that a young person can be exposed to contested content and still come out a decent human being and citizen of their community. I'm so excited now by the prospect of broadening my horizons and finding a new vector to experience empathy with the entirety of humanity.

I feel that I should also state that these lecturers are not always easy to listen to. The content is excellent but many of the facts and anecdotes are about people acting out of blind ignorance, fear, or a sense of inflated moral dignity. I had to at one point give my self a break so that I could cool down. I'm very happy I finished the series and I encourage anyone to do it as well. This is a problem that effects us all, regardless of class/creed/race/gender/sexuality/politics or other.
I give Maureen Corrigan the highest marks for this fantastic lecture.

However, The series is filled with constant and unnecessary warnings, One for every lecture. There are exactly two f-bombs, in the series, both of which were used in context and while quoting a section of a work, and both were beeped out, to my great amusement. Dear Editors at the Great Courses. Shame on you.

[Jeff Keehr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a balanced view of book banning. I won't even discuss book burning because there is no justification for that. Corrigan takes us back to the Inquisition and the trial of Socrates, to remind us that this is a subject as old as society. But when I learn that 'The Great Gatsby' and 'Moby Dick' are among those books deemed too dangerous for children, I am surprised. I have read both more than once and I can't think of anything offensive in either. Then I learn that some object to the adultry in Fitzgerald's gem and the mingling of races in Melville's masterpiece. That sounds like a reach in both cases. We know that Fascists use propaganda and book burning to deny the public a chance to learn the truth. But why does this happen in a democracy? Because there is always a bit of fascism in every society; there will always be those who wish to control what others can read. I agree that some controversial books should not be required reading in public schools because parents may wish to keep their children in the dark on certain subjects, which is their right. But that will not stop those kids from reading whatever they want when they finally have free choice. I read 'Catcher in the Rye' in the 8th grade but it was not for a class; Sue Salvadori lent it to me saying that it was very good. And indeed it was. I changed my life. I realized that what we were taught and told was not the whole truth by a long shot. So parents in the South can try to keep the history of slavery a secret from their children but if those children have any curiosity they will learn the truth eventually. They can read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' or 'Invisible Man' or 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' or a slew of other classics that reveal what kind of country we live in. Human history is a nightmare and the sooner everyone realizes this the sooner we can get on with the business of fixing what is broken: ourselves.

[Cristiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Isn’t it ironical that each of these lectures about censorship starts with a content warning disclaimer? And that the lecturer never says “nigger” when quoting books, but uses the “n word” euphemism? And that the only time (if I’m not mistaken) on quoting a text the word “fuck” is bleeped out? I don’t find it amusing, I find it very, very sad. The lecturer is a very intelligent and very well-read woman and a good speaker, but unfortunately only half of her lectures are really interesting and the rest is incredibly boring. It is important to give plenty of details about the banning of, say, To Kill a Mockingbird, but it is completely out of place to give countless details about when, where (what state, what town etc.) and by whom books were banned in schools and library in the US or attempts were made to ban them. These incredibly long sections should have been part of a series of lectures dedicated with that topic in particular along the lines of “Banned and Cancelled Books in Library and Schools across the US”. For a series of lectures entitled “Banned Books, Burned Books, Forbidden literary Works” one lecture about the reasons why books have been banned in schools and libraries would have been enough. I’d give 4-5 stars to the half of the lectures and 2 stars to the rest, so an average of 3 stars.

[Dennis Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Banned Books, Burned Books: Forbidden Literary Works by Maureen Corrigan is a pretty interesting lecture series on various iterations of censorship of books that are part of the literary canon in the United States. You get the impression that Corrigan is an older moderate democrat that was once a fierce critic of the world she grew up in, but is now thoroughly in love with literature and desires strongly to protect it - especially when it challenged and pushed boundaries of old fashioned approaches to life and society. We follow her through a series of lectures, usually centered on an author or a particular novel, which talks about the transgressive nature of the works and/or its author, and the various ways it was opposed. There's a lot to love here, but how much you like this book will depend on how much you appreciate Corrigan's point of view - which has a habit of bleeding into things, especially on more recent subject matter. I liked it, but others might not.

[Regina Raimond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved some ideas from this book!
- We cannot judge a book by today's standards but we can appreciate its literary and historical value.
- Can we separate an artist from its work? Can we analyze a book without its author or cancel a book because of the views of the author? Is it okay to censor them in spite of them standing for freedom of speech?
- Is it really necessary to force one's opinions on others?! (Read at any time on whichever subject)

Pro: Strong points to defend books in general
Con: sometimes...not so much

Some books were thoroughly analyzed based on historical context and why were they banned (Uncle Tom's Cabin,Alice in Wonderland, Color purple, Huck Finn, etc) but others were just the record of trials and legal action taken to censor them. I would have left this out and focused on the reason they were censored, as it became dull and overarching.

[Glenn Hopp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the customer reviews for this entry in the Great Courses series at Audible is probably all the convincing a person needs to listen to the whole thing. That was what sold me. The breadth of the topics is impressive—from Shakespeare being bowdlerized to Judy Blume and Harry Potter causing controversy—but it also covers topics like writers “canceled” in the wake of Me Too, authors censoring themselves (that is, leaving deathbed directions for their manuscripts to be destroyed), and the busy times since Reagan and Jerry Falwell rose to prominence when conservatives became more active at banning. Maureen Corrigan is excellent at writing and delivering these comments. I also enjoyed and recommend her shorter course on Agatha Christie. Again and again, she makes comments and gives examples to make a listener think. This is truly excellent. (Also comes with a PDF of her text.)

[Marsha Rafalski · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded to 4.0

This is a set of 24 lectures in the Great Courses collection related to the history, strategy, and policy related to the restriction and removal of books throughout history to today primarily in the United States and Great Briton. This set of lectures services as a survey of issues related to the practice of restricting access to books. The course is a comprehensive study of the practice. It is well researched, presented in an interesting way and leaves the listener with food for through. I highly recommend to those who have an interesting way in the subject from either perspective.

[Cris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super interesting and very informative course not only about censorship, but also about the novels most targeted for censorship. Very equanimous reporting of the reasons for censorship from the right (mostly) and the left. Analyzing Me too and canceling as applied to literature is rich food for thought. In the end I believe I agree with Corrigan that we need to separate the artist from the art and face uncomfortable reads as what reading is supposed to be, a way to see the world through different eyes.

[Kyra Dawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for Goodreads

Overall, I really enjoyed this lecture series. I've always been fascinated by book banning and censorship, which is a more delicate way of saying that learning about it breaks my heart 99% of the time. I came to this lecture series to do research for my own creative writing, and I gleaned a lot of helpful information. I still have so many questions too. My brain is still spinning. but I think that is part of the point.

[John Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Banned Books- Great class on various banned books, aithors and genres. Ulysses, Shakespeare Lady Chatterlys Lover Howl book burning satanic verses, Catcher in the Rye, Lolita, self censorship, fairy tales, E.B. White, Dr Suess Roald Dahl, Capt Underpants, Cancel Culture, Huckleberry Finn To Kill A Mockingbird, YA novels, Me too books, Critical Race Theory, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, text book revisions, Harry potter, graphic novel, Moby Dick, Great Gatsby, Invisible Man, Grapes of Wrath

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An in depth look at not only why certain books are banned, but an analysis of morality, prejudice, and the freedom to write and read by our own choice. This lecture series examines those sensitive topics most of us are uncomfortable with openly discussing and even offended and disturbed by. The series accentuates a discussion of the balance between what is considered art and beauty and the profane and obscene.

[Andy Graetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This did a great job of showing how complex and issue book banning is, and how it’s ultimately wrong (which I’ve always believed, but this brings huge points up for discussion). It had me me thinking about issues I didn’t even consider and will be sticking with me for a long time.

[Abdul Alhazred · Rating 2 out of 5]

A series of lectures about censorship that all start with a content warning disclaimer made me chuckle. The lecturer has serious credentials, as both a professor in literary criticism, and long time reviewer of books, including being a judge for the pulitzer prize in 2012. The content is split between a
historical backdrop and working its way toward the modern day, with a near-total US centric focus.

Once we get, roughly at midpoint, closer to the present era, the usual fault lines of this topic begin to emerge. As you would expect from a critic with a gig at NPR there is little second guessing when covering the impact of #MeToo cancellations - accusations is enough to warrant books being removed from publishing or shelves, under the neoliberal idea of "it's not censorship because we're allowed to determine what we stock or sell". However, in lectures about school boards "banning books" for content the ability to buy these banned books and read them isn't brought up as a counterpoint for why it's "not really censorship". The controversy over Critical Race Theory is given a lecture, and dismissed as the fevered imagining of conservatives, yet sprinkled throughout the critical theory (not CRT) assumptions about identity politics are assumed real and not critiqued at all. It's simply given as a fact.
Now to her credit, books being attacked from the left is actually brought up, such as in the context of banning Huck Finn for sensitivity reasons, or going after To Kill A Mockingbird. However, the defense of books turns toothless and pleading in this context, with a deference given to their positions, instead of a full throated defense of missing the whole point of said books. In other words, it's roughly what you'd expect.
The biggest omission from a book with this title though is the hard cases. Most of these controversies are kicking in open doors for book lovers. Al Quaeda propaganda, Mein Kampf, bomb making instructions, open access viral databases, there are a lot more book/information controversies with life and death stakes - worthy for inclusion next to comic books with gay sex scenes?

[Paul Triller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook version

If this series of lectures does not get you to revisit your views/opinion of literature and the power it has...I feel sorry for you.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed listening to these lectures and getting more insight into which books have been targeted and why.

[Hunter Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating lecture series. Corrigan is engaging and insightful and makes great points. Highly recommend.

[George · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful, just awful. Terrible presenter, biased content, same old same old. I'll continue my search for a legitimate presentation of the true challenges to intellectual freedom today.

[Bryngel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible, with a few fair points.

[Bennett Graff · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5

[Darren Hardesty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, thought provoking, interesting and well presented. Focus is all US and UK which is a shame but terrifyingly relevant

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of lectures - some better than others and underscored by political rhetoric.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series of lectures is an interesting history of an unfortunate phenomenon that just won’t go away, people who feel it’s their right to impose their worldview on everyone else by preventing them from being able to access certain books. Sometimes I think it’s built into the human brain to want to do this because it just won’t go away.

Anyway, this was very interesting though a bit repetitive. That’s understandable since this is a repetitive subject. It’s the same story over and over again. The lectures are well done and quite engaging. Corrigan summarizes the issues nicely and makes you think.

One thing I discovered is that I really need to read The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie. Not that I’m actually into the kind of novel that it purports to be. There are so many other books I'd probably read instead. Still, people have been murdered over it. Rushdie will have a price on his head for the rest of his life because Ruhollah Khomeini died without rescinding his fatwa, not that that bloodthirsty old man was ever going to resend it. Still, I’ve been reminded that I need to read that book.

This was well worth my time and I hope more people give these lectures a listen.

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating journey both in literature and the cultural and social environment that produced the many reasons that might lead to banning or challenging books. Unlike many of the Great Courses, this material is very current and incorporates the latest, strengthening movements towards restricting what we, and especially children, can read. Professor Corrigan dedicates lessons from Shakespeare to the #MeToo movement.

I learned a lot, and now I am re-listening. Full review after second listen.