The books deemed too dangerous to read

Enjoy this deep dive into censorship and go to ground.news/robwords to see through media narratives. Try it out or subscribe through my link before September 30, 2023 for 30% off unlimited access to compare coverage and spot media bias for every news story.
In this video, we go deep into the dark world of censorship. With the help of the world's only Banned Books Museum, we'll take a look at some notorious literature.
Should Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf be banned? Why is The Anarchist Cookbook still available? And did Thirteen Reasons Why really cause suicides?
Those questions answered and more, along with a look at censorship in China, Salman Rushdie's "fatwa", banned children's books and the restriction of language books.
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Edited with Gling AI: bit.ly/46bGeYv
#banned #books #language
==CHAPTERS==
0:00 Introduction
0:49 The Banned Books Museum
1:40 Mein Kampf - Adolf Hitler
4:41 The Anarchist Cookbook - William Powell
7:30 Ground News
8:40 13 Reasons Why - Jay Asher
12:27 The Satanic Verses - Salman Rushdie
13:57 Censorship in China
15:36 Banned language books
16:30 Conclusion
17:15 Newsletter

[@RobWords]

Get to the truth of every story: head to ground.news/robwords to see through media narratives. Try it out or subscribe through my link before September 30, 2023 for 30% off unlimited access to compare coverage and spot media bias for every news story.

[@magyarkivan6723]

MIRKY ••• Interesting spelling of MURKY. Must be a Brit variant, Rob. BUDAPEST 2023 SEPTEMBER 9 5.5 PM

[@josueveguilla9069]

CensoredTube: HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER? BONK!

[@danquaylesitsspeltpotatoe8307]

Will be interesting to see the books Rob Words banned from being on the video! Will he do the book the has caused the most death, pain and suffering in human history? THE BIBLE? I BET IT WONT FROM THAT VIEW IF HE DOES! It will be from the opposite biased view of his religion! Classic is starts off with the German Official Version trying to get your brainwashed by reading their biased views! An Amazing lesson in censorship to start with! No Anarchist cookbook is way less dangerous than an internet connection! LOL My how times have changed!

[@danquaylesitsspeltpotatoe8307]

Bet he manages to leave out the science books of Charles Darwin etc! which are still banned in many places in the USA today and as part of the the evil work of the bible pretenders!

[@maxximumb]

I'm too inquisitive for my own good and wanted to know what children's book couldn't appear on Rob Words. After finding a cover þat matched the blurred frames, I completely agree wiþ you on your decision. Whilst HB's story is fine, þe language used was far from acceptable. Whilst hiding þe past means we can't learn from it's lessons, some words are best left to die in obscurity. þanks for another interesting video and þe newsletter.

[@Cantread807]

Banning books makes them so much more powerful to the minds of the curious.

[@josueveguilla9069]

Agree 100%

[@hollywebster6844]

There are books that I had no desire to read until I found out there was an effort to ban them. Then, it became my mission to read those books to find out why some people considered them dangerous.

[@josueveguilla9069]

@@hollywebster6844 Same.

[@donaldquirk7801]

It used to be a thing but now it's just a marketing gimmick. Pretend to get banned then when you release your book sales skyrocket. I'm convinced Jordan Peterson is on that gravy train. Oh no I had to get a slap on the wrist for a Tweet now go buy my book on how to clean your room and you'll be successful.

[@Xnoob545]

Honestly it just makes me curious about it

[@snowysnowyriver]

I'm 71 years old. I read Mein Kampf when I was 16 years old. It was on the shelf in my local libray here in the UK and anyone 16 or over could borrow it. I didn't turn into a mass murderer or a fanatic after reading it. The book was rather boring, but I did enjoy discussing it with my father who was a soldier in WW2, was captured and was a prisoner of war. He and his fellow POWs saw Germans from a perspective that never left them.

[@alistairborthwick2031]

Interesting .. One could argue that you've also been subject to a much stronger source of propaganda and conditioning .. the British media.

[@mrbojangles7577]

My father was a POW in WW II also and married a local lass (My mum) after the war and brought her back to Blighty. She died in 2016

[@joeking1019]

It is wise to look into the mind of such people, like them or not

[@maalikserebryakov]

If you found Meinkampf boring, it just means your scope of intellectual concern is very narrow, probably constrained to the exact motions you go through in everyday life, such as finding your socks, toothpaste and ironing your clothes. Most of the book deals with the issue of ideating and executing a political mission, and in Hitler’s case this was literally from Zero. He first began thinking about entering politics as a peasant labourer working long hours just to survive, to go from that to dictator of a formerly democratic nation doesn’t happen by accident. There are few stories like Hitler’s in history. I have to admit though I still don’t have a clear understanding of how hitler justified oppressing all jews even after reading meinkampf multiple times

[@snowysnowyriver]

@@maalikserebryakov I hold two Honours Degrees (one in Modern History and one in Philosophy) and a Masters in Modern History. I re-read parts of Mein Kampf for my dissertation. I still found it boring. Oh, and by the way, I lived in Germany for over ten years and read it the second time around in German.

[@Ammo08]

When I was in junior high school back in the mid-60s, two brothers in my class kept checking out the book In Cold Blood....the librarian got worried that they were planning something and using the book as a guide...it turns out that neither could read real well, and it was taking them a long time to read it.

[@dinkster1729]

Their reading ability probably improved a lot as a result of reading "In Cold Blood". Banned books? What about librarians who refuse to put on their shelves books such as "In Cold Blood" ?

[@Ammo08]

Our librarian was a fantastic lady but these two brothers weren't exactly saints. Also, the 1960s were a very different time and place. Our little library had all sorts of books, may that were considered controversial...Parents and teachers still have a responsibility to know what their kids are reading. @@dinkster1729

[@gwenwilliams3594]

As a reading teacher, I loved this post. Anything to motivate kids to learn to read. Learning to read is hard work for many and they often need something to really encourage them.

[@LazyIRanch]

@@gwenwilliams3594 Children reading Truman Capote? Heck yeah! While they're at it, give the kiddos some Oscar Wilde to read. He wrote some delightful stories for his own children, before he was thrown in prison for being fabulous.

[@Bookspine5]

Lol.

[@concernedcitizen7385]

Interestingly, we were made to read 1984 at school because it was supposed to be a critique on Communism … Now that it resembles what’s going on in our own society it’s on the banned list 🤔

[@sr2291]

There is no left wing totalitarian political system in the United States.

[@gavinreid2741]

It was banned in the Soviet Union for being anti Communist, banned in the USA for being pro Communist.

[@stevemayes8799]

And you are living in...?

[@vincentcrowley5196]

I would recommend the book Coming Up For Air , also by Orwell. It is set in 1939 leading up to WW2 , the main character is a ww1 veteran and it shows a sense of doom as the world descends towards war. It seems as appropriate today. There was even talk of reintroducing conscription in the UK in the near future due to Russia -Ukraine

[@concernedcitizen7385]

@@vincentcrowley5196 Indeed. Thanks for the tip, I’d not heard of that work by Orwell 👍🏼

[@jacktribble5253]

In the case of "The Anarchist Cookbook" the banning and restriction just created an air of mystery about it that attracted people who would never thought about it otherwise. It was a lot like the "Parental advisory" sticker for adults. It almost became a symbol of lawlessness just by itself. And he was right, most of the information in there is flawed and quite dangerous if attempted.

[@bigscarysteve]

A friend of mine who is ex-military read the _Anarchist Cookbook._ He told me he thought it was CIA disinformation because they only thing you'd blow up using its recipes was yourself.

[@DavidJashi]

I was 2nd year engineering student with some combat experience (90eis Eastern Europe, yeah) when I bought it and reading it was accompanied by my constant exclamations along the lines of "no, this will blow before you at the safe distance" and "this definitely won't work". But explosive aside, the banana recipe was something totally ridiculous.

[@coleenocasturme]

So, as a pacifist anarchist punk in the 90s, a copy of The Anarchists' Cookbook was passed around my group of friends, along with print and VHS copies of A Clockwork Orange. I do remember hearing the rumour that it was CIA misinformation meant to kill off budding revolutionaries. As for "the banana recipe", a friend of mine did collect banana skins for some time, then dried them out in the oven as directed. He talked a fairly straight-edge friend into trying it out in the basement of my house, shutting the guinea-pig into a small porch. We watched him through the glass doors. I think he was mostly inhaling grease-proof baking paper. Aside from smelling utterly rank, there were no "positive" effects.

[@Dr_V]

You're right, that's exactly why I've read it (well, bits of it, as I don't really care much about that kind of stuff). Fortunately I was over 30 when I did and found it rather useless, as I don't take any kind of drugs (never did), already know much better (and safer) prank recipes and I'm certainly not interested in physically hurting anyone, myself included.

[@trippingthelight]

streisand effect is a powerful force.

[@typograf62]

My grandfather was slapped in school for writing something in Faroese. Faroese was not prohobited, but it had for most purposes been forbidden from being used in written texts for centuries. It seems to not be uncommon to ban languages. Faroese survived in oral form - quite well. I think I understand why supression of languages causes much anger and sorrow.

[@jessicabing6222]

When my husband`s father was in school, the nuns would punish him for speaking Cajun French with a slap on the knuckles with a ruler. Luckily his family and community spoke the language and kept it alive, along with it`s indomitable culture and traditions. Now we have French Immersion in schools, where they teach children of all ages Parisian and Cajun French.

[@hazchemel]

Right :) and btw, have a friend also from your country - here now in Australia. The suppression of non-standard languages as you say, is indeed widespread. Russian in the Donbas was forbidden, and I think it is even criminal to use notwithstanding that in Ukraine, Russians are usually either the major ethnicity or the large minority. Within the foldes and corners of Asia, and from island/archipelagic peoples here and there in southern and western Pacific Ocean even in the great archipelago of Malaysia, and a little in the islands of the northern Indian Ocean; dozens of languages are circling around total extinction since. many of them are spoken by few in addition to having no script. Some letter-less languages have even adopted a foreign script in desperation invariably, the Korean.

[@sjbloop]

My grandmother was German American born in 1924. No one spoke English in the farming community she was from. When she went to school,, the instruction was entirely in English and the students were expected to respond in English even though they has never spoken it. She said they were "beaten with a baton," If you said anything in German. She said if you helped one of the little ones by translating, both were beaten. She never spoke about WW2 or her experiences as a German in the USA. I only learned this because my mother told her I would fail my class if I answered all the questions with, "My grandmother refuses to answer."

[@jaronimo1976]

I didn't know Faroese was banned. By whom? The Danes?

[@Fledhyris]

@@sjbloop Fascinating! To be fair to your grandmother though, while it would undoubtedly have helped you get an amazing grade to hear her stories, not everyone in class had a German American grandma and you could presumably have found all the reference material needed to pass without her. I think it's a little unfair of your mother to have suggested her silence (no doubt for very personal and traumatic reasons) was harming you!

[@katereznikov8792]

We just came from Tallinn. On the top of Tallinn being a must see place, visiting this museum in particularly is a huge step in anyone's intellectual development! Thank you! for the greatest idea of creating this museum and brining it it life!!!

[@JosephDunniganBB]

Thank you, we do what we can :)

[@jormamaattanen3048]

​@@JosephDunniganBB Have been many a times to Tallinn, but only now do I learn that, among other things, there's such an interesting museum. The next time there I'll definitely pay a visit.

[@JohnJones-oy3md]

2:24 - Always be wary of those who propose to tell you what something says, while going to extreme lengths to keep you from reading it for yourself.

[@fairsaa7975]

Well that is what it's about, no? And it was a tool used to spread the ideology that would eventually lead to allow for one of the deadliest massacres of human life to ever occur. I don't think it's a mystery that they don't want people reading it.

[@mz.jackson3760]

​@fairsaa7975 I must confess that you make a pretty compelling case in favor of censorship. It's difficult to defend the the availability and accessibility of certain works such as Mein Kempf considering the profoundly dangerous influence it has had on the perpetuation and promotion of antisemitism throughout the world. On the other hand, neither Mein Kempf nor any other book, for that matter, possesses the capacity to brainwash its readers or subconsciously "force" its readers to adopt its dangerous ideology. Additionally, despite the extraordinary role Mein Kempf played in fostering the collective antisemitic zeitgeist necessary for enabling the Nazi party to gain widespread public support among Germans, it was by no means the only factor responsible for shaping the public view. In fact, most of the work had already been completed as far as setting the stage for Nazi control. Political leaders and other public figures - including athletes and entertainers - had for nearly half a century been planting the seeds of antisemitism in the minds of citizens. There had already been a longtime growing resentment among non-Jewish Germans towards Jewish Germans who, it was alleged, had been undermining Germans and robbing them blind for decades. In fact, the idea that Jews had been responsible for Germany's failing economy and rapidly deteriorating significance in the global arena had long been established by the time Mein Kempf hit the shelves. The primary significance of Mein Kempf was not so much its function as an agent of antisemitic propaganda as it was its brilliantly conceived timing. For what it's worth, the book itself was not exactly what one might ordinarily regard as a literary masterpiece. Far from it, Mein Kempf was a dull, uninspired, chaotic hot mess; nearly every page was saturated in grammatical and mechanical errors, run-on sentences, awkward tone of voice and a host of every other conceivable flaw. At best, it might have earned a C in a 5th grade history class - and probably only then as a token gesture of pity. One thing is for sure, if it had indeed been Hitler's intention to demonstrate the intellectual superiority of white Germans, he would've undoubtedly missed the mark by a longshot. Fortunately for Hitler - and unfortunately for the rest of humanity - it was not necessary that Hitler be a universally revered literary genius in order for Mein Kempf to fulfill its intended mission, which was to offer Germans a sense of optimism and security with respect to the economic and sociopolitical future of Germany by validating their fears and paranoia surrounding Jews and fueling the growing collective hatred and antisemitism already brewing in the nation. Through empathizing with the German citizens and granting validation to their fears, paranoia and prejudices, Hitler used his book as a tool for establishing report and earning the trust of his fellow Germans. Through Mein Kempf, Hitler provided Germans with a leader who understood the people's needs and shared their vision for a prosperous and powerful Germany as a military and economic world superpower. He employed a time-honored recipe for gaining the support of the people and ensuring his victory as the voice and face for a movement. Sadly, Mein Kempf continues to serve as an inspiration for white supremacists who revere Hitler as a sort of immortal leader or demigod of the white nationalist movement both here in the states and all throughout the world. Like I stated earlier, however, the book in contemporary times is more of a symbolic tool used by white supremacists to incite fear and anger as well as to serve as mere shock value. I highly doubt that the majority of white supremacists have ever even read Mein Kempf. Honestly, I suspect that a good many of them have likely never even heard of the book. (White supremacists, particularly in the United States, are largely illiterate and grossly under-educated. This serves as yet another reason why they are so vulnerable and easily manipulated by self asserted leaders of the movement. This is as true today as it was in 1939 in Germany and 1860 in the Deep U.S. South and again today in the politically divided U.S. where a good strong half of the population have been once again manipulated by politicians preying on their fears and ignorance surrounding race, gender and sexual orientation. (Ironically, these are the same politicians who have recently successfully criminalized the teaching and study of slavery, segregation, and Black and Indigenous American History in general throughout 26 of our 50 states so far, and who have also spearheaded a successful campaign to ban books regarding these same topics from public schools and libraries and universities. Such is the danger posed by censorship.)

[@FilosophicalPharmer]

“Freedom of Speech is meaningless unless those who think differently are allowed to speak.”

[@DanielKirillov-iv3ww]

Elon?

[@marcuschauvin7039]

exactly why conservatives get cencored for speaking common sense.

[@DrWhoFanJ]

@@marcuschauvin7039No, they get punished for being lying bigots. They are not censored, and they are incapable of common sense.

[@Cantread807]

Actually freedom of speech is bad.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

All freedoms come with responsibilities. People always forget that part.

[@borntochill]

a small note from a german viewer 'Mein Kampf' wasn't really banned, but the german state of Bavaria held the copyright for it until 2015 and didn't allow anyone to reprint it. in 2015 the book became public domain. in anticipation for it becoming public domain the critical edition was created.

[@rbcc_ab]

And it only allowed to publish it as a critical edition with additional commentary!

[@calorion]

@@rbcc_abNo, it's public domain. That should mean that anyone can publish it.

[@jennyh4025]

I‘m not sure about the public domain thing, but the first part is definitely correct. And let’s not forget, that so many copies of that horrible book (horribly written and horrible ideology) were „sold“ because the government forced it on people, e.g. as a present to newlyweds given by the registrar.

[@jennyh4025]

@@radwynalthor1501 no one was allowed to print it up until 2015. So if a company did actually print it between 1945 and 2015, what they did was a copyright infringement. As far as I remember, copyrights are global.

[@thecodewarrior7925]

@@jennyh4025I’m not a lawyer, but I don’t think that’s exactly the case. Copyright law depends on the jurisdiction, so if country 1 says public domain is after 50 years, and country 2 says it’s after 70 years, I can happily sell copies after 50 years if I’m only selling them in country 1, but the moment I try to sell them in country 2, that opens me up to all of *their* copyright laws.

[@mini8995]

I don't remember much of what happened in 13 reasons why, I just remember when I was a teen and reading this book for the first time, I could relate heavily to the main character. When she explained what happened to her in the jacuzzi and Hannah telling her friend he was the only nice person to her really stuck with me. As a teen, I was navigating through my emotions and I was always taught to conceal my emotions, but after reading 13 reasons, I actually started talking more about what I was feeling. I guess it's how you take the information and story that's being provided.

[@navntoft6984]

I really like the book and REALLY dislike the series. Because as someone who was suicidal when I read it, it made me feel seen. The self-sabotage, the asking for help and being dismissed, the spiral downwards. It was me. Because the sad fact is that most of us formerly suicidal teens did ask for help. Many times. The book imo make it clear that her suicide was the "bad ending". It was the suicide fantasy of "that'll teach them", and it didn't go as she had planned. Obviously I am still here, and I do think that book did help push me a tiny bit towards healing. Solidarity is powerful. As much as I agree with motivating people to ask for help, it is also important to acknowledge all of us who did and was failed by every single adult around us. The series however? They basically did a "how to guide" on suicide after specifically being told not to. It was bad.

[@theverseshed]

Normally, I get really peed off when promos for a sponsor are dropped into an upload, often without a break, and often disrupting the whole flow of a discussion. This is one of the few examples where it was not only relevant but genuinely useful to know about. One of the best-ever Rob Words videos. Fascinating. This whole theme, and Rob's visit to the museum, deserves a follow-up video featuring other and/or less well known examples of censorship and/or banning.

[@stischer47]

Interestingly, when I was a senior in high school (many years ago), my senior English teacher came up with a reading list for us and submitted it to the principal for approval. He turned all of the books down and came up with another list (e.g. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm). She then told us that what happened as she passed out the approved list. I asked what was on her list. She smiled, glanced at the shut door, and began to give us her list as we hurriedly copied down the titles and authors. So, instead of "preserving our young minds from corruption", we all went out, found the books, and read them. What started as "required", ended up being banned and alluring. What a doofus.

[@bigscarysteve]

So what was on the banned list?

[@-Subtle-]

The principal is the doofus. The teacher got you to read books.

[@plan4life]

Yeah I want to know those banned books too!

[@huyxiun2085]

When I read this story, I can't help but wonder if it wasn't just a clever scheme on stupid teens to make them smarter despite them. There was no ban to start with, would be the most probable (in that scenario). Or even the principle was in it (but unlikely, even in that scenario, still would be fun).

[@DawnDavidson]

@@-Subtle-pretty sure the OP knows that. :) But good to clarify. It is a great example of the power inherent in making something off-limits. This is exactly why I believe that most “street drugs” should be legal but heavily taxed. When people can get hold of them to try for themselves, they often do, and conclude that it’s not interesting anymore. This works in other parts of the world, like Amsterdam and Portugal. Sure, there are always some people who will still become addicts. But studies have shown that the overall damage to society is much less when we support these people with treatment, alongside lessening the financial gains of the black market. It requires a shift away from an authoritarian, punitive mindset, and towards a compassionate recovery model, however. Difficult to achieve in our “rugged individualist” society.

[@SirAntoniousBlock]

_"Those who burn books will in the end burn people"_ Heinrich Heine. Not a post WW2 quote but from the 19th century.

[@cyberhermit1222]

All countries have banned books despite WW2 propaganda.

[@jeffrooturantula2081]

Curious that the books that were burned in WW2 were about child genital mutilation and pornography

[@alansimmonds9030]

They're currently burning down the library of Alexandria on-line, behind a mountain of censorship called wrong-think...just in case you hadn't noticed dude.

[@blackukulele]

William Tyndale's translation of the New Testament into English was banned in England in 1526, Tyndale was later judicially strangled in 1536.

[@kevinyorkshire5173]

Wasn't he burned at the stake?

[@kevinyorkshire5173]

You're right, he was strangled then burned

[@embreis2257]

it is high time a new translation of the Bible into English and many other modern languages is due. all those deliberate misleading interpretations of the old Hebrew and Greek texts need correction. what those daft religious fellows came up with 500yrs ago simply shouldn't be good enough for us now.

[@gwenwilliams3594]

How ghastly. I'm wondering what the controversy was. Good on google to find out why.

[@rebeccablackburn9487]

I think the controversy was wrote it in English so the average man could read it and decide for himself( or herself) what the passages meant( their own interpretation) . The priests in the churches were afraid of their grip being taken away on the people.

[@RedSiegfried]

I also think it's important to differentiate between books that are banned or highly discouraged for adult reading, and books that are banned or discouraged for young children. Just because we think it's a bad idea to sexualize young children doesn't mean we want to censor all material on sexual matters. Age appropriateness when it comes to sexual matters is seriously important for the developmental progress of the child - ask a psychologist. Children are not adults and adults should not be so eager to expose children to sexual material, even when it's purely factual, because it can do lasting harm and can create an environment where sexual acting out by children is encouraged. Both parents and educators need to be willing to be open with each other and discuss what is appropriate for children honestly and with the good of the child in mind.

[@kirstenriehl700]

Interesting that there is a section with grammar books. So many languages have been forbidden all over the world. How powerful languages can be when governments fear them!

[@andrewdigby5114]

cf harold pinter: "mountain language"

[@doommarauder3532]

Clerk seems like a great guy. Doing a great job for humanity.

[@JosephDunniganBB]

Thank you. I do what I can ❤

[@jovetj]

@@JosephDunniganBB Lookin' good, too!

[@HollyOak]

@@JosephDunniganBB You're going to need a whole new wing just to cover the books being banned in the US at the moment.

[@blackukulele]

The comedian Fred Allen in 1947 commented on the empty room in the Boston Library -- he said the empty room was where they kept the books that had been banned in Boston.

[@believeinpeace]

I’m so bummed! I was just in Tallinn, but didn’t watch this until today. My hotel was very near the museum. Oh well, you explained it well. I fell in love with Estonia. Thank you

[@a-bombmori7393]

Something interesting about the Anarchist's Cookbook, is that it has somewhat of a sequel. The Anarchist's Cookbook 2000. It's a collection of online text files that were spread around the internet sometime around the year 2000 by various authors. A lot of its content is about technology exploits, many of which involve the horribly unsecure dial tone system that was still in use. It covers a lot of the same topics the original Anarchist's Cookbook covered, but the information is a lot more accurate. Although they do still spread some myths that were popular at the time. It even includes fairly accurate information regarding legal rights, including how things are different for juvenile offenders. Seeing as it was written by several different people, and also includes a few pieces that are just commentary on society, it has enormous historical value. Giving insight into the minds of troubled youth at the turn of the millennium.

[@chrisbalfour466]

If all the internet fads of the last 20 years were written in a book, it would be the Anarchists Cookbook 2020. Trying to eat dry cinnamon comes to mind. I don't care about censorship one way or the other, but I hate the original and 2000 cookbook. Trolls love them.

[@mastertonberry9224]

ahhh good old textfiles, those were the days!

[@fairsaa7975]

​@@chrisbalfour466"I don't care about censorship one way or the other" And that's how fascism rises to power!

[@jthev]

Tarzan of the Apes was banned by a librarian because she said that Tarzan and Jane were living in sin-they were not married. However, if she had bothered to actually read the saga of Tarzan and Jane, they were married by her father, who was an ordained minister, in the jungle cabin where Tarzan was born. And it was a double wedding to boot! Jane's friend, Hazel Strong, married Lord Tennington in the same ceremony. So there, nasty librarian! Can't get much more married than that. [Check it out for yourselves, pages 364-365 in any A.C. McClurg, A.L. Burt or pre-WWII Grosset & Dunlap edition of The Return of Tarzan. Any other edition, just turn to the last page or two.] I really enjoy your videos on language. It was a fortuitous day when I discovered RobWords and I've been hooked ever since. I have been fascinated all my life with idiomatic phrases and their origins and word usage histories through the ages. In fact, my guest bathroom contains a number of books dealing with just that. Good reading material for short or longer visits.

[@RobWords]

Much of my best etymological research is done in the smallest room.

[@lakrids-pibe]

Yeah well but Tarzan and Jane are skinny dipping in the movie *Tarzan His Mate* from 1934 (with Maureen O'Sullivan and Johnny Weißmüller) So Tarzan is saucy. That's just how it is. Edit: This post was intended to be satirical.

[@jthev]

​@@lakrids-pibe No, it's not. Hollywood's Tarzan bears little resemblnce to the character as created by Burroughs in his novels. The names, perhaps, living in a jungle, perhaps, but mostly Hollywood's version of Tarzan sucks big-time. After all, Hollywood's ideas are pretty limited to "sex sells," and "illicit sex sells even more" and if that doesn't work, throw in lots of thud and blunder too.

[@dustylong]

​@@lakrids-pibe😲 Skinny dipping... how terrible 😳 🤣😂🤣 🙄

[@jthev]

@@RobWords Right on, brother!

[@marktapley7571]

All the books reviewed here are approved by KZbin censors or this video would have not been allowed.

[@Kim_Miller]

Growing up as an Aussie teen way back, many of us had a fascination with Portnoy's Complaint because it had been banned here. After a year or two it was published with the 'bad' paragraphs censored so some pages had long blank portions. It was an easy thing to get those page numbers and somebody found the original text and passed them around. So we had 'underground' access to the lost passages. My memory tells me that it was all rather tame.

[@henryb160]

It's that kind of crap (from an earlier time) that motivated Hitler.

[@Emmajaymusic]

Had no clue it was banned and my copy is in my bookcase, and will stay there. Hell, i may just re read it on weekend.

[@dinkster1729]

@@Emmajaymusic It's our Thankgiving Weekend so you would have time in Canada. It was banned? That's crazy.

[@ChomoBidensMules]

​@@dinkster1729Australia bans practically everything.

[@Gerryjournal]

When I was a kid it was Peyton Place and Lady Chatterley's Lover. We all managed to get copies somehow

[@eypandabear7483]

The *13 Reasons Why* controversy reminds me of Goethe’s *The Sorrows of Young Werther*, which allegedly also caused a surge in suicides when it came out.

[@karlkarlos3545]

I really was expecting him to mention it.

[@trippingthelight]

When I was 9 or 10 I tried to OD on benedryl (because I knew nothing about anything) but I guarantee I didn't come up with that on my own. I definitely got the idea from somewhere else first, and it was NOT from a book. The issue is the portrayal in movies/tv. I don't think the book "13 Reasons" is the issue, I think the show was. We absorb what we see and subconsciously view it as an example of "normal" behavior and model ourselves after it. With books the process is so internalized we don't make that same mistake. Additionally, on TV especially, things almost _always_ work out in the end and the character who engages in that self destructive behavior is rewarded with concern, care, and help. Most who SH's or attempt su*c*de definitely saw some portrayal in movies/tv before hand, even if it wasn't the inspiration.

[@StrawmnMcPerson]

if the alleged subsequent su*c*des actually happened, it would have to have been the straw that broke the camel's back at most. su*c*de isn't something anyone does just because they read about it or watched a show about it.

[@StrawmnMcPerson]

​@@trippingthelightCite your research or stop spreading blatant misinformation based on nothing but your own ignorant conjecture.

[@trippingthelight]

@@StrawmnMcPerson I don't have to. I shared a personal experience and started my statements with "I think". Why are you so mad, guy?

[@tmatt1999]

All of these books are available on Amazon in the US.

[@drewfeld8483]

I'm not a fan of censorship, but fully realize that putting ideas in someone's head could lead to (even if not specifically, legally causing it) a situation that could be dangerous to someone. So I refrain from sharing those ideas. I also don't want people to think I'm dangerous simply for having a thought.

[@nunyabiznez6381]

My first banned book was The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments. I was 12 and was addicted to parts of our public library normally off limits to anyone under 16. But the librarian liked me and one day told me that she had been ordered to dispose of a book that was supposed to have been disposed of almost a decade earlier but none of the librarians had the heart to do so. So She kept it locked in the safe with other rare books not usually available to the public like a bible printed in the 1590's. So the town council had sent an auditor to the library to take inventory of rare and valuable books for insurance purposes and the auditor gave the town council a list of books that in their opinion were illegal to own (technically not but that's a long story) so she was ordered to destroy all of those few and that was one of them so she asked if I'd like it. Of course I jumped at the chance. Originally I think the book sold for about 50 cents but my softcover version does not have the price marked on it but part of the cover is missing so it might have been there. Today you can occasionally find it for sale for as little as $300. Several websites have posted copies online but all that I know of have had their accounts canceled as a result. A few years ago there was a video on KZbin that was a slideshow of all the pages so you could read it but that is now down as well. Not long after it was published roughly 60 years ago the government ordered all libraries and schools to remove or destroy their copies or lose all federal funding. Every book seller in the country also got a letter ordering them to stop selling the book though I forget what the government threatened them with if they did not comply. So the publisher pulled the book and never bothered to renew the copyright so periodically you can find an E-copy for sale for something like $25. I've seen E-copies as high as $50. I have another banned book but didn't know it was banned until years after I obtained it. When I was a child I spent much of my time living in a nudist commune. There were a few dozen families and a handful of older single people who lived there part or full time. I lived there full time for three years then spent several summers there after we moved. A well known photographer whose works are in major museums spent a lot of time there and took thousands of photos including hundreds of me. He published a book with probably a hundred photos of nudists doing ordinary things. Three photos in that book are of me at age 3, 6 and 9 years of age. As a souvenir he gave my parents a copy and I ended up with it when my parents passed away. Some years later I discovered it illegal to own in about half the states. I still have it. It contains the only copies I have of photos of myself from that period of my life. It does not fall under federal law due to the way the photos are presented but many states would arrest me for having it even though it contains photos of me. I am also the youngest subject in the book. The next youngest two were teens at the time and you can't see anything and the rest were adults over 18. You can see me in my entirety. One of those photos currently hangs in a major art museum. But ignorance rules half the states in this country. Books are banned for a variety of reasons, some legitimate some not. I have since collected over 100 books that are currently illegal to own in various countries and have gotten autographs for most and I have about 200 books formerly banned in various places including a handful mentioned in this video. One is a book in Latin and Greek that was published in 1597 that contains a large number of what are today called spells and incantations. Ownership of that book would result in the death penalty in most of Europe the year it was published. Even today it is controversial. That is one of my favorites. It also belonged to one of my ancestors though I don't think she actually used it for casting spells.

[@mfadls]

I would be happy if you can share the list of your banned books collection.

[@user-ld1jb2fy8p]

Whose the author of the 1597 spell book?

[@O.R.O.B.O.R.O.S]

I ain't reading all that.

[@volkerkoenigsbuescher2394]

I had the German version of The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments (Robert Brent: Die Wunder der Chemie) at quite young age (10-12 years old maybe) and it laid a fundament for my scientific understanding.

[@eshaibraheem4218]

Fascinating. I was hanging on your every word.

[@BlakeEM]

As a kid, a friend and I tried many things in the Anarchist Cookbook. I remember we tried the match head tennis ball and some others. We lost interest soon after realizing most of it was wrong or didn't work as it said.

[@tomifost]

Thats the one I wanted to try!

[@francisdec1615]

The Anarchist Cookbook wasn't written by anarchists at all. A real anarchist would know how to make bombs that worked, loopholes in the law etc.

[@urgon6321]

As a teenager I was very interested in more energetic chemistry and things that are a bit illegal. I've got a copy of this book from the Internet, I read some of it, and decided that most of the recipes are either incorrect, or just plain idiotic.I'm pretty sure the author never tested any of them...

[@francisdec1615]

@@urgon6321 Already before the internet parts of the book were known here in Sweden. It had incredibly stupid things in it, like you could get high or even kill yourself by inhaling smoke from burning banana peel or that you could detonate petroleum jelly. As someone interested in pyrotechnics, you of course know that petroleum jelly is used in some explosives but that it can't detonate on it's own. It's used to make the explosive plastic and/or as a fuel to a powerful oxidizer.

[@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx]

@@francisdec1615 Anarchists are just people who subscribe to anarchist ideas. They're not born with superior knowledge of bomb-making.

[@josefserf1926]

Criminals will always fear the truth.

[@edryba4867]

One of my favorites is a mythical volume, used by mythical characters Rocky and Bullwinkle’s Chief (mythical) villain, Boris Badenov: “The Fireside Crook Book”.

[@Gerry1of1]

Mein Kampf was in my high school library in the 70s. Now "The Life of Rosa Parks" is banned. We live in strange times.

[@eclat4641]

Why is rosa parks banned?

[@AlexsGoogleAccount]

@@eclat4641 Depending on their state, probably for "teaching Critical Race Theory"

[@lindenstromberg6859]

@@eclat4641 Critical thinking is banned in Southern US, and books about black people, such as Rosa Parks, are classified as critical thinking books.

[@eclat4641]

@@lindenstromberg6859 yikes . Why are they banned? ( i mean rosa parks.) some needs to show some questioning to their authority (to those that are banning books.)

[@xmorte]

bc critical race theory is racist@@eclat4641

[@garryferrington811]

We had a small but nifty library when I was very young. I remember reading "Droll Stories," "The Decameron," "The Golden Ass," and "Moll Flanders" before I was twelve. Dad didn't believe in censorship.

[@flagmichael]

I think the younger the better to be exposed to stimulating stories. I think I am not alone is being relatively unmoved at early ages by writing about what happened somewhere far away in space and time. That is an important reason why children are denied the vote: they have a poor sense of perspective.

[@binghamguevara6814]

Keep yourself and your dad away from my family then.

[@timothy4557]

"The Golden Ass?" Wasn't that about the show "Baywatch?"

[@paulbrower]

Those are worthy reading. I can think of one book, Machiavelli's The Prince, that shows how to do political thuggery. It is safe to assume that most political sociopaths have read it. Also, people who have no desire to become thugs might as well study as a defense against politial thuggery. Ideally one also becomes familiar with Macbeth, which shows the consequences of political thuggery to the participants.

[@pismobiics825]

What....??? Are the Decameron, The Golden Ass and Moll Flanders banned in the US? Insane....

[@danhei]

I love your KZbin channel. After sharing it with my siblings (4) only one enjoys it too. The others say you are a geek which makes me a word geek. That is one of the nicest things they could have said to me. Cheers from🇨🇦

[@gavinreid2741]

I have a copy of Mein Kampf translated into English by James Murphy. Published in 1939, the blue cover with swastika. It belonged to my dad. He paid 21shillings for it.

[@matthewgrumbling4993]

When my oldest son was a child, I banned The Simpsons from our house, because I thought Bart was a bad influence. So, naturally my son preferred going to the houses of friends whose parents enforced no such ban. My failure should be a warning to all.

[@t.k3025]

The Simpsons are icons because they show us what is wrong with the world through humor.

[@emeraldcrusade5016]

@@t.k3025The Simpsons itself was ( a bit indirectly) responsible of what going on in the world. It, along with South Park ruined adult animation.

[@user-pt3bv3jl3v]

​@@emeraldcrusade5016The simpsons, along with South Park, showed our generation (millenials) how we shouldn't take life that seriously as the previous generations, because our leaders sure don't.

[@GregMoress]

"Doh!!!!"

[@brankobelfranin8815]

@@emeraldcrusade5016 You are a few cards short of a deck Lol. You live your life according to a TV show?

[@PLuMUK54]

This video should have been at least an hour-long documentary. I wanted to know more, but I'll never be able to visit the museum. Please do a part 2.

[@susanhuck4969]

Yes! I wanted this video to be much longer!

[@Cha0s.Bring3r]

Yes! Would totally watch at least an hour of him showing us more books

[@eugenetswong]

Yeah, I was underwhelmed, both by the size of the museum and the length of the video. He didn't need to show us every book, but it would have helped to show us a bit more variety. I would love to see if any bannings did work. I hate the fact that specific books were banned, but was pleasantly surprised that there is a nuance to those bannings; specifically "13 Reasons" & "Anarchist's Cookbook". For me, learning the content is not interesting, but the nuanced reasons for banning them is good food for thought.

[@eugenetswong]

​@@PotatoeSnowHearing about 1984 would probably be less interesting, because it blatantly involves politics. Hearing about Huckleberry & Sawyer seems a good idea, though. I watched old reruns of Tom Sawyer on TV, and I don't think that they swayed me to either end of the spectrum. I think that critics don't like those books, because the books portray whites and a black acting normal to each other. I only heard about the banning in adulthood without explanation. While we're at it, I'd love to get a copy of "Song Of The South". I have such fond memories of that movie and the associated stories. About 6-12 months ago, I heard that some former slaves continued to labour for their former masters after abolishment. Likewise, some former slaves continued to visit for the holidays. The best guess that I could come up with is that these ideas don't fit the narrative.

[@rogink]

@@eugenetswong Yes, for obvious reasons 1984 was banned in Communist countries - I can't imagine it was banned anywhere in the West.

[@mauricebate5069]

Enjoyed this video !! They say books broaden the mind but in the wrong hands it can narrow it with sad outcome so when do you say "yes " or "no" to a book 😕

[@skathwoelya2935]

This is an exceptionally interesting video - even the comments are interesting! Have signed up to your newsletter.

[@MrUndersolo]

New sub! I worked at a magazine/bookshop in my hometown that sold "Mein Kampf", "The Anarchist Cookbook", and many others that I am sure are in that museum. And the sky did not cave in, and the world did not end. It is not the book you should worry about; it is what you intend to do after reading a book.

[@ChristophTungersleben]

What about you never thought without read trash. (Schund)

[@erinboes9139]

Thank you so much for this video! Love the topic of banned books! My high school in Houston always made a big deal about making sure banned books were absolutely available to us, and celebrated banned books week every year.

[@KristenRowenPliske]

I live south of Houston! Lol I don’t remember what books were banned from my high school years, if any. I think it’s more common nowadays. I read lots of things & my mom never stopped me. She told me about shel Silverstein’s books being banned for some reason but we’d already read those!

[@JoseyWales93]

In Germany Joseph G. Burg wrote _Maidanek in alle Ewigkeit_ the book was censored, the police went after every copy to destroy it and they went to the printing facility to prevent the production of any new copy. The book can now be found as a pdf on the internet.

[@daviddavies3637]

It is, in fact, illegal to possess a copy of the Anarchist's Cookbook in the UK, even though it is not explicitly banned. It's covered under the Terrorism Act under provisions on documents pertaining to the creation of home made explosives.

[@Mrtomcree]

My school had a magnificent library, containing everything from Mein Kampf to Das Kapital and many other books with which the school completely disagreed. The reasoning being that unless you knew what those with differing opinions were saying how could you possibly refute them. Something to be said for a Jesuit education.

[@Drudolo]

I'm from Ontario and was around 11 or 12 when we all got forms to take home to our parents about "13 Reasons Why" Obviously, if you tell a bunch of kids they can't watch something because its "too adult" or "dangerous" they wont watch it right? Yeah, no, two days later every single kid in the grade had seen it.

[@dinkster1729]

What did the forms say?

[@Drudolo]

​@@dinkster1729 I don't remember, I was 11. It was just warning parents about the show and how it "may encourage kids to copy the girl in the show" or whatever. We were later banned from talking about it completely. They banned a lot of strange things at that school.

[@jwil4709]

And teen suicides went up. Just like violent acts against police increased after NWA performed "F*** da police" Not saying we should ban this stuff. But, these things so influence our culture, unfortunately.

[@jwil4709]

To add one more, after Breaking Bad began airing, the numbers of crank labs went up. 😂😂😂

[@Uarehere]

And now they're all dead! 😝

[@annmat3641]

The book "Basque for english speakers" is not banned in Spain, you can buy it in different places, as far as I know we don´t have, in Spain any banned books.

[@TheGrindBoardGame]

Two Hundred Years Together Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

[@kaengurus.sind.genossen]

Fun fact: The reason you couldn't publish Mein Kampf in Germany was copyright protection. Only when it went into public domain in 2016 rules where made for a legal form of publication.

[@toddverbeek5113]

Copyright is HOW Mein Kampf was banned in Germany, not WHY. Germany has a range of laws whose goal is to avoid repeating the error and horror of Nazism, and keeping its manifesto out of print was just part of that.

[@twinklingwater]

As a bit of further explanation how that worked: Hitler held the copyright on his book. When he died the copyright fell to the bavarian state - since H. didn't have any descendants. The bavarian state decided not to print any new copies while everybody else would commit copyright infringement (with commercial intent) if they were to print new copies. Copyright expires after 70years after the original author's death, putting the "work" into the public domain. Since 2016 everybody could print new copies. Publishing an edition with comments is probably the only sane way of putting out new editions.

[@Uarehere]

@@twinklingwaterI kinda want to do a satirical commentary of the book in which are the comments are basically "right on!" Of course, no one seems to understand satire anymore, so I'm sure the commentary would be banned! 😂

[@xmorte]

Wow fun 😃

[@birdofclay9581]

The practical problem with banning books is that humans are curious and stubborn creatures. They will seek out and read them precisely BECAUSE you tell them not to. Similar to "Don´t try this at home.", which is coincidentally also a note that the Anarchist Cookbook should carry.

[@londongael414]

But wouldn't that actually encourage people to try it out at home?

[@seanfaherty]

Yup. That Eve chick did what anybody would do. This is the first time I have ever had any sympathy for the concept of Original Sin.

[@inisipisTV]

@@londongael414- With the internet and the wide array of terrorist how to guide in KZbin and so on. I’m more worried of books that push dangerous ideologies that make the reader wanting to look for these how to guide and use it.

[@londongael414]

@@inisipisTV I sympathise - it's horrific what's out there. In the end, the only effective countermeasure is as much wide and diverse education, as freely available as possible, plus setting the best example we can of being a decent human being.

[@RodrickNgonyoku]

Banning books is like a marketing strategy. I mean, the fact that they are banned gives us all the more reasons to want to read it.

[@daveerickson9524]

This is excellent. Wish it was much longer. Thank you

[@4623620]

👌🙂👍 In most cases the danger lies NOT in the book, but in the reader's mind❗

[@avaraportti1873]

"Censorship does not abolish the struggle, it makes it one-sided, it converts an open struggle into a hidden one, it converts a struggle over principles into a struggle of principle without power against power without principle."

[@djwarlock2873]

Excellent quote. Where is it from?

[@avaraportti1873]

Marx, On the freedom of the press

[@Steveinthailand]

Living in Thailand, there's also an incredible list of banned books. I remember when Paul Handley's, The King who Never Smiles' book was released. I had to skip across the border into Laos to buy a copy. In contrast to the Thai military junta's banning of the book. On reading it, I felt a lot more compassion for the late King of Thailand.

[@michaelfrost4584]

Thank you for your marvellous videos and explanations of meaning of words. As a young person l stattered very bad, l could hardly speak. Growing up in the 1960s and 70s my teachers just thought l was dumb and kicked me at the back of the class. I had very bad teachers and my parents were even worse. At the age of 17 l could not read a grade 4 reader. I self taught myself to read and now l just love books and the meaning of words, lm 66yr old now retired after serving 20yrs in the Australian Military and now a fireman. My books helped me soo much so thank you and the lovely Susie Dent.

[@StephanieElizabethMann]

My wife is Welsh. Up to the time she was between 10 and 13 years old she spoke mostly to only Welsh. She won a prize for her artwork in one of the years between 1970 and 19 75 perhaps. Her prize was presented to her by none other than Prince Charles. However when he congratulated her on her work and prize she did not understand him as she spoke so little English.

[@jovetj]

Good on her!!

[@richarddaugherty8583]

Can anyone spell irony? The Prince of Wales spoke no Welsh?

[@StephanieElizabethMann]

@@richarddaugherty8583 at that time he spoke no Welsh. He had to learn Welsh when he officially became The Prince of Wales. Normally that speach would have been given in English but Prince Charles gave it in Welsh.

[@menelise]

@@StephanieElizabethMannThe investiture took place in mid 1969, so before the presentation took place. Charles learnt no more Welsh than was necessary for his investiture speech and, by the sound of it, this was done parrot fashion. He probably had no idea what he was saying.

[@freneticness6927]

@@menelise Well if you look up why the prince of wales got that title its pretty funny. Kind of like the 6 feet of english land that hadrada got.

[@joshuaharper372]

I really appreciated an assignment we were given my last year in high school to read 1984 or A Brave New World and discuss whether the books should be banned or not and why. Not only did we have to think through issues of difficult themes and age-appropriate (or inappropriate) content but also had to discuss it in a rational fashion. I am not a fan of banning books, but it is important to have conversations about shocking or problematic books. Banning 13 Reasons, for instance, would probably be less useful than talking the motivations for suicide and the alternatives to suicide. Becoming people who care for each other and have compassion for the struggles of others is a potential positive outcome of reflecting on the book. Another banned book, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, was a troubling but extremely helpful and eye-opening introduction to the evils and horrors of segregation (and racial prejudice) in the US south jn the first half of the 20th century. The injustice is not comfortable--and it should not be--but it always struck me as odd that a beautifully written book by a Black woman should be challenged as inappropriate for reading by the young adult audience it was intended for. Again, there should be time to reflect and discuss the issues the book raises, but the results are so worthwhile that it puzzles me why people want it banned.

[@kdolo1887]

It's important to ban both 1984 and Brave New World because both contribute to activism against authoritarian governments, and that could lead to civil unrest and violence like we saw on Jan 6th

[@simontay4851]

I studied Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry for year 11 GCSE English back in 2001. I didn't even know it was/is a banned book.

[@derekmills5394]

I am old enough to have (been forced to but liked it) read 1984 when it was still 10 years in the future.

[@kellydalstok8900]

I read 1984 in 1984, when I went back to school as an adult. Watching the US these days, it feels like the right has adopted the book as their script.

[@Fledhyris]

Banning 1984 would be almost the poster definition of irony...

[@JoseyWales93]

In France _Nuremberg ou la terre promise_ (Nürnberg or the promised land), written by Maurice Bardèche was banned, it was in the early 1950s. The author was sued and had to pay a fine and he even spent some time in prison. The book has been republished recently and is now available.

[@RJLupin-zu9xv]

There is no middle ground when it comes to banning books. Information should be freely available, period.

[@talastra]

There has to be better institutional support to counteract well-groomed published bullshit, like the Bell-Curve. Hundreds of pages ostensibly proving the Black people are intellectually inferior (the authors will claim otherwise, because they've set out to lie in the first place.)

[@RaRa-eu9mw]

This is silly for a couple of reasons. Not all books are information, and are we really saying nuclear weapon instructions should be available to everyone?

[@ThePichu172]

Adding the annotations to Mein Kampf seems like a really interesting approach to censorship. Allow people to see the questionable content but actively try to explain why it's problematic. I don't know how extensible to others texts it'd be but it strikes me as a clever solution.

[@dalehoustman4737]

Yeah - I found the idea of an annotated 'Mein Kampf' intriguing. I actually read the horrible book in my teens, sans explication of course. I found it historically, psychologically and pathologically interesting, but - even as a young boy - I knew it was a badly written text. So this volume presents an interesting alternative to outright banning. But that would depend on the ones annotating. I mean it is all too easy to imagine a copy of - let's say '1984' - being annotated so as to underline and support the very concept of authoritarian power, making fun of Winston's defiance, and so on. Other examples might be better, but that's off the top of what I laughingly call "'my head." I actually went looking for the annotated book but I suppose it's an academically published tome as the cost is prohibitive. And yes, I did feel a bit of cringe doing a search for 'Mein Kampf.'

[@jorgefoyld8538]

Yes, because people can not know the truth.

[@CAP198462]

I agree that it’s an interesting tactic for allowing people to read the book dictated to Rudolf Hess by the Austrian painter. I wouldn’t want the job of writing the annotations if it was used for other books though. The temptation to insert my personal opinions would be unbearable.

[@frankm.2850]

To the right reader it could be beneficial. Unfortunately the people who believe fascist ideology wouldn't listen.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

@@raychat2816By that logic we can't be sure that any book we read isn't modified, except one verified by the author in person. And even there revisionism exist. And in case of that particular book, the only options were to get the annotated edition, or a version from back in the day with all of it's baggage as historical object.

[@geekexmachina]

When you said that books cant physically harm you I suddenly thought of "The name of the Rose" lol

[@LiyemEanapay]

I think it’s important to talk about books like Mein Kampf. Analyse them, pick them apart. I’ve never read it, but it’s on my list - I imagine it’s not unlike going through a certain someone’s Twitter page - a glimpse into the mind of a madman.

[@ookydooky8892]

You wish it was a glimpse into the mind of a madman

[@VondaInWonderland]

What a wonderful idea. I collect banned books myself. I just finished Slaughterhouse Five. I can't wait for October, being banned book month. I'm going to read as many as I possibly can ❤

[@phaedrussmith1949]

And so it goes.

[@xmorte]

So they aren't actually banned are they? lol

[@caseyhamm4292]

what an incredibly uncomfortable subject matter! that fourteen year old rule is really good, and it really conveys the gravitas of what this custodian is actually doing

[@londongael414]

Yes! He strikes me as a very responsible and thoughtful person. And a Scot, to boot!

[@dodsg]

​@@londongael414Don't boot Scots! We tend to get a bit grumpy if you do that 😉

[@londongael414]

@@dodsg😂 Yeah...speaking as one myself, I do see that, though I was using the word "boot" in its older sense of "profit" or "bonus", as I am sure you are aware.

[@sunpointstudio4472]

About 50 years or so ago there was a book called "Steal This Book" by Abbie Hoffman (I think it is still in print). It was perhaps a forerunner to the Anarchist Cookbook. I had a copy back then until someone stole it LOL.

[@GusThePrankster]

Ironic

[@nkuhlman677]

What happened to Abbie Hoffmann? There's your answer.

[@omp199]

@@GusThePrankster It's the opposite of ironic. It's a very straightforward following of instructions. Ironic would be if someone stole your guide to theft prevention.

[@vivianblack2951]

I worked in a bookstore when that book came out and all 10 copies were stolen, so that was the end of ordering new copies. Our library copy lasted 20 years before getting "lost".

[@jangarden2064]

This video was too short! We want more.

[@thedumbeststudent]

You are an anchor in DW.. it was fun seeing you on the news..

[@_.-_]

Irt 13 reasons why, i really think the show and book should be separated when talking about it, because their portrayal (and, apparently, impact. I had suspected it might but I hadn't actually seen studies) are different. I read 13 reasons why, as a depressed and suicidal young teenager, and it didn't spur me on, but rather made me feel understood, and also showed me the impact that could be had on other people's lives, even though the main character really believed people would think the world would be better off if she died. The show was more graphic in terms of showing the actual self harm, and it just didn't have the depth that the book did. I feel like, just watching the show, it's a lot more of a triggering and depressing story that feeds into those thoughts. The book is not a happy story, but it is also real in a way that is nice to see as a depressed person, because it's...tiring being told it always gets better when that doesn't feel like the truth at all, not from your experience. Sometimes you want something like that. And I felt like the book did that, and nicely walked the line of holding your hand and showing understanding, whilst also gently showing that maybe that isn't the answer, even if it feels like it is, even if there ARE some things it would solve, and not making that message sound un-genuine. Idk, i loved the book and happened to find it when I was right around the age of the MC, but the show didn't come out until i was in uni (still terribly depressed and suicidal tho) and i thought it was terrible. I can't say the book saved my life, or convinced me not to kill myself - i was in a situation where it wasn't an option anyway, even when i wanted to - but it certainly didn't spur me on or make me feel worse, and i did like it.

[@coleenocasturme]

That's a really interesting perspective, and thanks for sharing it so openly. It is interesting that there was no thought of banning the book until the Netflix series had come out.

[@trippingthelight]

Yes! Just left a similar comment. We subconsciously see movies/tv shows as "real" and model our behavior based on what we see. With books it's not the same. The process of reading is so internal it's easier to compartmentalize. Especially on TV those who engage in SH or su*c*de may not be _inspired_ by it, but it plants that seed. I attempted to OD at 9 or 10. It was benedryl (my mom used to give it to me to get me to sleep so I thought they were "sleeping pills") so I would've been fine. But I guarantee I didn't just come up with that on my own, and I _definitely_ didn't read it in a book. in TV portrayals especially the self destructive behavior almost always results in a positive outcome for that character. That's the dangerous part. It makes me think about how characters when they're mad or sad always go "ugh! I need a drink". IRL that always makes things worse but we think it's normal behavior and are conditioned to seek out alcohol when feeling that way.

[@Inamichan]

@@coleenocasturmealthough that could be because people don’t read much anymore and not because the book was better written than the show.

[@jannetteberends8730]

“13 reasons why” is the modern equivalent of “Die Leiden des jungen Werthers”, by Goethe. That book resulted in a wave of suicides. It was banned in several cities in Germany, and other countries.

[@jth4242]

We had to read it in school. I can totally see why people wanted to kill themselves in the process.

[@ChrisTian-rm7zm]

The "Werther Effect" is also the reason why, at least in Germany, there are usually no reports on suicides in the news.

[@psier11]

I know of YT censorship of a video about Faustus. Cause was suicide. Now I see. It is strange that they don't censor Hamlet or Cleopatra, to avoid people killing themselves.

[@fritsdaalmans5589]

@@jth4242 out of boredom, for reading too much Weltschmerz in one go?

[@Uarehere]

People are always looking for an excuse to kill themselves! 😆

[@Harry-tb8yo]

I bought the commented version of "Mein Kampf" some years ago. I could read only a few pages, then I felt exhausted. Not because of the content, that was rather boring but the writing style, the expression and grammar etc. is really a pain to deal with. I wonder how someone could read such thing completely or even translate it into other languages. Reading it is a real torture for the brain.

[@zakuraiyadesu]

Love the videos, man. Keep it up!!!

[@CineMiamParis]

Growing up as the daughter of teachers in a house pretty much held together by piles of books, all books were fair game, including erotica - except one, an infamous anti-semitic pamphlet penned by an otherwise brilliant writer. One day as my folks were out, I managed to find that book (teenagers, what can you do) and read it. Most disgusting piece of crap I’ve ever laid eyes on, before or since. Best thing that came out of this unfortunate experience : a vivid interest in the causes and effects of censorship. I wholeheartedly agree with Joe, the museum curator in the video: no matter what your views are, just have the conversation. Particularly with younger people. Thank you Rob and Joe for a wonderful video!

[@AlBarzUK]

Cancel culture is a new equivalent addition to censorship, isn’t it? Meta, Google and the like have yet to get their houses in order re censorship/cancellation,

[@nedludd7622]

So, what book is that? You don't want to censor it, or do you?

[@Kenfren]

So you could read smut, and thought that was okay?

[@nedludd7622]

@@Kenfren There is a lot of smut in the Bible.

[@CineMiamParis]

Good point 😊@@nedludd7622 It was Bagatelle pour un massacre, by L.F. Céline.

[@onemercilessming1342]

I read Mein Kampf as well as The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and a book for children, The Rise and Fall of Adolph Hitler, in 1959. I was 9 years old. My parents NEVER discouraged me from reading anything I was curious about. When I had questions, they discussed it with me.

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

As a Dane we stopped banning pornography in I think 1968 (Why should someone decide, what other grown people are allowed to look at?). We still have a censorship, but only for children. Since then it has become a minor market.

[@justaguy2365]

I was at a Goodwill store once and they had an enclosed case full of more valuable things. I saw a really old copy of Mein Kampf in German. They were auctioning those items off. I went to the book where the bids were being jotted down and there was something like 20 people bidding on the book. And the highest bid was like $200. I didn't even try, but I noticed a good friends name on the bidders list. I messaged him and told him I saw his name. He stammered to explain, but I assured him it didn't bother me lol, in fact, I have a copy myself.

[@jeanne-marie8196]

If, and it’s a big “if”; I’d love to either visit the museum, or just chat with Rob and Joe! The history behind each ban is fascinating to me, as are banned movies. As Jo said, some books reach the limits of one’s tolerance for one’s own beliefs. I learned a long time ago during a troubled pregnancy, that what one thinks their reaction would be in a certain circumstance, until one is faced with their own limits, one can never be really sure.

[@RobWords]

You speak wise words. I'm sure I'd enjoy that chat!

[@jovetj]

Yes. This is why we should spend much more time listening and empathizing with others, versus blatantly criticizing or condemning them. There may be about eight billion of us, but we really are all in this [life] together!

[@paulmagnuson1021]

"Bother!" said Paul as he returned to Rob's video only to discover that Rob had changed the title before Paul had resurfaced from chasing a word down a rabbit hole. He'd been hoping to discover some brilliant nugget that hadn't been dealt with by Rob in the video itself.

[@RobWords]

Apologies...

[@montyvierra2678]

I have a copy of Joyce's Dubliners (1914/2017) which I bought last year with no problem here in Vietnam. However, in the early 20th century, many of the stories were so controversial that publishers refused to print it! The first cause was obscenity in some, then politics in others! One story, "An Encounter," is said to be about a topic similar to that in Portnoy's Complaint. I guess you have to have been there to understand, because I didn't get it when I read Joyce's story. And here I thought I knew the subject well!

[@gwenwilliams3594]

Thank you for highlighting some banned books. Should have mentioned the banned book list published by the American Library Association annually. Google ALA banned book list. I note that you mentioned the Welch language being suppressed into the 1940s. In the background there was a Navajo language book. Native languages in the US were suppressed into the 1970s. Suppression of a language is devastating for the people targeted. I would like to see a deeper dive into language suppression in countries such as the US, Canada, Russia, Ireland, Wales, etc.

[@donaldgrove2249]

I find some of the trends in the US very disturbing. A lot of books that I read in High School classes are now being taken out of school. The Grapes of Wrath for instance. Perhaps most obnoxious is the removal of The Scarlet Letter, a remarkable novel on religious bigotry and hypocrisy. While the claim (by some) was that it was removed from schools for being a story about adultery, I suspect it is not the adultery per se which distresses some authorities, but the fact that the adulterer is a minister in a town obsessed with piety.

[@SpectreOZ]

The Grapes of Wrath was considered a classic and part of the high school literature curriculum during the 1980s in Australia.

[@debshaw2490]

I agree books shouldn t ever be banned but some people are sick and should never be read by them.However,people like that would find a way.

[@flagmichael]

@@debshaw2490 I simply can't understand why either was banned. Regardless of the anguish they portrayed, I never felt the anguish myself. After all, we read about dozens of wars and outrages against peoples in grade school.

[@randolphmurdockiii6523]

@@flagmichael For similar reasons that Huckleberry Finn is banned: 1. The use of a word that shall not be said! Somehow, after 1964 this word apparently stopped being used, ever, under ANY circumstance. Ahem... we won't mention most male rap music. 2. The idea that all Americans are pretty much alike; 139 years later, there are still large pockets of Americans who can't accept this idea.

[@drewfeld8483]

Ministers don't misbehave. We all know that.

[@VaraLaFey]

If you can't love a banned books museum, you just can't love at all. Plus an annotated Anarchist's Cookbook would be a nice idea.

[@jasonsouvannarath5789]

I think that book banning is not only a slippery slope, but also pointless. because one of the most sure fire ways to insure that somebody actually reads a banned book, is by banning it in the first place! By banning books, you're actually drawing more attention to them, and from my own perspective as a life long reader, who's highly skeptical of people in positions of authority, is told by someone in authority, that I can't or shouldn't read something that they personally don't like or agree with, and they try to keep me from reading it. That's just going to make me want to read it even more. Because I'll then want to know, what exactly is it, that you don't want me to know? Besides, if you don't like the title or subject matter of a book, or film, than just don't watch or read it! its that simple. And for those people who have vulnerable friends and family who may be at risk of harming others, or themselves, I do understand where you're coming from by saying that certain books like 13 Reasons Why, and the Turner diaries should be banned. That is why I'm in favor of having something like maturity restrictions in place in bookstores and libraries. But we must also bear in mind, that this idea too, maybe a slippery slope, because then how does a librarian or bookseller, go about accurately measuring individual maturity? Age doesn't always equate to wisdom, and people mentally and intellectually mature at different rates. I guess that this is where common sense, which sadly isn't all that common, comes in to play.

[@brigittegeorg]

I REALLY LOVED this. Please would love to hear more about banned books. Of the books you mentioned I've only handled someone else's copy of The Anarchists Cookbook and have yet to read my copy of The Satanic Verses. I ❤LOVE❤ books!

[@danielscott3178]

The virgin Anarchist Cookbook vs the Chad organic chemistry textbook and US Army improvised munitions handbook.

[@markedis5902]

All of which are available for free online

[@danielscott3178]

@@markedis5902 yup

[@Frilouz79]

In the 80s, there was a controversy in France over a book entitled "Suicide, mode d'emploi" (Suicide, a practical guide), because it included recipes for drugs to end one's life. For the same reasons, an American book: "Final Exit", published in the 90s, which deals with the same subject, is still banned in France.

[@RobWords]

Interesting, I didn't know about that. Thanks.

[@prokrastinator6648]

I am from Ukraine and can give you context of why books on 16:56 are censored here. The main reason is that those books depicts all horrible events like political imprisonment in Ussr, or genocide in Ussr, or famine in Ussr like something that either didn't exist ever, or have may be justified as something that need to be done. And to do that they just lie multiply times by constructing the context of time and place in such a way that it was impossible otherwise. Obviously they have a big lack of arguments, which they ignore and use tricks such as populism and creating negative, or positive connotations according to their needs. In connection with Russian TV propaganda it can easy create a false perception of reality for inexperienced viewers. So when someone claims that they watch propaganda, this people go to explain their political views by reading those books. And obviously those books explain that Russian propaganda says true. In order not to create crowds of people who will believe enemy propaganda, we have to ban it at all levels.

[@LearningandTechnology]

Very interesting video! The concept of censorship is complex - because there is also a sense of stewardship that comes into play. You chose a great selection of books to examine. The use of annotation to provide context (and allow access), the idea of protecting children from self-harm (13 Reasons Why), and the use of censorship as a way to control beliefs. Not all banning is the same and I really don’t know if it is all bad in cases where you are trying to protect from a place of sincere concern, but it does raise fears of the banning becoming used not to protect, but to control. It is nice to know a place like this exists to spark the conversation.

[@LearningandTechnology]

I’ll also add a quick note for those that wish to research the topic further. When I was younger, there was a book publisher called “Loompanics Press” - if you are ever able to acquire a copy of their book catalog - it would spark much discussion on the concept of free-press and censorship. Some of the titles they published were… questionable. They “may” have been the original publisher of the Anarchists Cookbooks series (there were several editions)

[@jb888888888]

Why would _Alice_ be banned for animals speaking human language but not _Winnie the Pooh_ which has animals speaking human language?

[@MarcusCactus]

Read the accompanying leaflet on the bookshelf. It is not banned now, it was banned in 1900 in New Hammshire and other places because of hints of mastrubation and hmosexualoty. ONE Chinese general in the 20's' libeled it for animals being put on the same level as humans. I don't know why Rob chose that minor example instead of pointing the bigotry of the US. But then, he says nothing of the present day bans in US schools from the woke right and of the woke left expurging books by Agatha Christie or Roald Dahl or like Gone with the Wind.

[@Andystuff800]

It was banned in 1931, long before the People's Republic of China existed.

[@neo-giu]

I don't believe any book should be banned at all. Having information freely accessible removes the mysterious allure of something that's banned, and allows you to understand a different point of view. I believe the consequences of reading it or not should be up to the reader. Free will and all that.

[@plan4life]

I get where you are coming from, but if a book explains how to make a bomb and the reader follows those instructions and kills a lot of people, some may severely disagree with you. Certain knowledge in the wrong hands, particularly those of youths (who are more prone to making bad decisions) can be fatal. You can think of it like this; if a toddler had access to bleach they might drink it up. You wouldn’t say let them have access to it and if they pay the consequences it’s up to them. Similarly if a book ends up in the wrong hands that individual might not be sufficiently mature or sufficiently of sound mind to make a good decision. So I think certain books should be difficult for just anyone to access.

[@elkes.6859]

@@plan4life The problem will always be: WHO decides which hands are right and which hands are the wrong ones. It's better to discuss problematic stuff than to ban it.

[@masterimbecile]

Banning books is robbing words from the people. Welcome to another episode of Rob Words.

[@katereznikov8792]

I have been teaching students for 45 years in 4 different countries. Let me tell you something that may shock you. There is NO book in the world that can harm you. All books need to be allowed. So called dangerous books need to be allowed in the first place. If someone wants an info about harmful things this someone will find those recipes regardless. By prohibiting something you only spike unhealthy interest. Also, No book can make anyone to be or to do what they don't want to in the first place.

[@deanpappas8388]

Loved seeing "Learn Basque" on the shelf LMAO. How did "No Exit to Brooklyn" and "The 50 Minute Hour" miss the list?

[@williambarnes3868]

No book should ever be banned or burnt. Some books may not be suitable for some audiences, just as some films are not suitable for some audiences, but books should NEVER be banned.

[@martinkuliza]

You're assuming that every book contains useful knowledge, WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE. Example, The bible should be destroyed forever if it was , that would be a blessing on mankind

[@drewfeld8483]

I agree with this.

[@omp199]

Are you referring only to words, or would you include pictures in that, too? Some books are banned because of the pictures they contain, rather than the words. This topic is one that RobWords didn't discuss in this video. But perhaps we should leave that discussion to RobPictures.

[@Ox_Eye]

​@@martinkuliza the problem with that approach is that its subjective. Look at what china was banning and they could say the exact same thing that you said about the Bible

[@Ox_Eye]

​@@martinkuliza further more the bible can be used to gain imsight into the past which is very valuable as well as the values in different areas by comparing different translations not to mention there are likely to be real things that happened that were exagerated. A good example of the latter is, tho not in the Bible, a collection of tales from multiple native Americans tribes (might be the wrong term but im tired so itll do) regarding an event where the sea attacked a massive area of land and there was a thunderus clap heard for miles, it was assumed to be pire myth but there was records of a massive tsunami hitting japsn at a similar time and it was found that the tales were true with some embellishments. And it helped us learn about the geology of the west coast of America

[@MLeibs]

As a big fan of books, I find myself more curious about and eager to read a book if I discover some people have BANNED it! 😂 As a high school English teacher, I am pleased to report that my students are the same way. ❤

[@kellydalstok8900]

If your pupils are curious you are doing your job well. All too many children only learn what they need for their exams, with the intention to forget as soon as they leave school.

[@inisipisTV]

Yes, the Streisand effect. Very effective. Like the Forbidden Fruit of knowing Good and Evil, Adam and Eve can’t help themselves to take a bite.

[@fibber2u]

The trouble with reading banned books after the ban is lifted is it can be hard to see what the fuss was about. I read Lady Chatterley’s Lover in the sixties as a teenager and was disappointed. Though I thought Henry Millers Tropic Of Cancer was great I never knew it was banned. So I suppose I was not desperately seeking the salacious and it stood on it’s own merits to the impressionable mind.

[@MLeibs]

@@fibber2u ♥️ Indeed!

[@oaktreeman4369]

Not only books. When the movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" was released, in 1975, it was thought to be offensive to the Christian religion and banned in various places, including Norway. In neighbouring Sweden the ads for it said: "So funny, it was banned in Norway!"

[@peterwilson5528]

In the past, the English also banned native languages in Ireland and Scotland. They called it a union but it was really occupied countries.

[@amaree9732]

I have no problem with parents demanding a big say in what books are on the shelves of their child's school library. If others disagree, let them buy it for themselves from a bookstore. That's the only book banning I agree with.

[@musingwithreba9667]

"Where the Wild Things Are" has been banned somewhere? 😮 Why? I love that book! My mother had an English translation of "Mein Kampf" in the '70s. I remember her saying it was a very dull read. I never read it. I have read quite a lot of other banned books. Most of them very dangerous magical instruction like the Harry Potter series, and The Lord of the Rings 😂 One year a while back I found a list of the topp 100 banned books around the world, and discovered I had already read more than half of them. Some were even required reading when I was in school. Just goes to show, one person's trash is another person's learning experience.

[@Hitsugix]

"Banned in many southern states for depicting child abuse (the no-go supper for Max), it’s also been challenged for being “too dark” and showing supernatural elements."

[@sheltr9735]

@@Hitsugix Ugh! Hypocritical "Puritans" I suspected as much Thank you for the explanation!

[@jeffwalker7185]

It would be great to see a follow up video focussing on books banned or suppressed in the UK such as Spy Catcher and Lady Chatterley's Lover.

[@Mariamarie999]

That is my hometown Tallinn, i havent lived there 15y since moving to UK. Fascinating! I will pop down when i visit next year or so.