Banned books: Forbidden to Famous

For as long as books have existed, authorities have tried to restrict or prevent access to those that have challenged authority, religious practices, or moral boundaries of the culture of the time.

Book bans are often justified as protectionary measures from ideologies deemed harmful for a population or group of people (eg. protecting young people from sexual content). 

The banning of books leads to a restriction in diverse perspectives, potentially leading to the erasure of history, and the reduction of opportunities to develop empathy, undermining our democratic society.

The Library holds many banned books, notably including:

• Il decamerone (1548 edition) by Giovanni Boccaccio, a 14th century work of German literature, Decamerone was banned twice in Australia in the 20th century for its obscenity. Macdonald B198
• De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) (1566 edition) by Nicholaus Copernicus, banned by the Catholic Church due to its heliocentric model of the solar system. Deane RB 8266.1
• Paradise Lost (1639) by John Milton, banned due to its sympathetic portrayal of Satan, criticism of monarchy and church, and sexual themes. Macdonald Wing M2143
• Candide (1759) by Voltaire, banned due to its obscenity, and for challenging religious and political institutions. Macdonald V47
• Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) by Harriet Beecher Stowe, banned because it was seen as abolitionist propaganda that would undermine the institution of slavery. Deane RB 914.1 2

• On the Origin of Species (1859) by Charles Darwin, banned because the theory of evolution conflicted with biblical creation. RB 1070.47
• Les misérables (1862) by Victor Hugo, banned due to Hugo’s portrayal of the Catholic Church, and the novel’s anti-monarchy themes. Dewey 843.78 J1 3
• Lady Chatterley’s Lover (1928) by D.H. Lawrence, banned due to its explicit content. Deane Erotica B.3.39
• Redheap (1930) by Norman Lindsay, the first banned book by an Australian author; it remained on the Australian banned books list until 1958. RB 1158.24
• Animal Farm (1945) by George Orwell, banned primarily in communist countries, and in countries concerned about the talking animals. Graham SF 09375
• 1984 (1949) by George Orwell, banned due to its social and political themes. Graham SF 09375 and Deane RB 1196.1
• Fahrenheit 451 (1953) by Ray Bradbury, banned due to its criticism of authoritarianism, vulgarity, and adult themes. Graham SF 03937