
Read Up on Banned Books with Bloom’s Literature
You’ve no doubt heard about it in the news: a massive uptick in book challenges in institutions nationwide. The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked more than 1,269 challenges to library, school, and university materials and services in 2022 alone—an unprecedented amount compared to previous years. But why? And what books were banned in the past? One cannot discuss the history of great literature without discussing efforts to ban or restrict the reading of more controversial works. Bloom’s Literature, our award-winning literature database, gives students and researchers the content they need most—including articles on the history of book censorship, must-reads for Banned Books Week. Learn the History of Banned Books The works covered in these articles include renowned classics like The Great Gatsby, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Bluest Eye, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl as well as newer works such as Maus I and II, The Hate U Give, and Thirteen Reasons Why. For many of these titles, readers will also find a wide range of related reference essays and scholarly criticism as well, helping students and researchers understand them in a broader context. What Is