Booklist Review
A new edition of a well-reviewed set originally published in 1998 and updated in 2006. In four volumes (Banned Books: Literature Suppressed on Sexual Grounds came out in June 2011), there are articles describing 500 works that have been censored for their political, social, religious, or erotic content, in the United States and around the world, from biblical times to the present day, including condemned and challenged novels, histories, dictionaries, children's titles, and more. Each volume begins with a unique introduction and list of works discussed. As with previous editions, entries are alphabetical by title. Author, literary form, date, and country of publication are listed, followed by a summary of 1 to 4 pages. Censorship History for each book is the heart of this set. Most entries run 2 to 4 pages, with some exceptions (those for Mein Kampf and The Satanic Versesare 10 pages). Writing is balanced for such a touchy subject. Thorough further-reading lists are included after every article, with a complete list at the end. Each volume also contains biographical profiles of most of the writers included, a list of works covered in the other volumes, and a volume-specific index. Indexes are excellent they include author, title, and lots of geographic locations (Iran, Texas, Vietnam) as well as some subjects (Catholic Church, the poor, witchcraft). However, a comprehensive index would make it easier to determine if an author is found elsewhere in the set. This edition adds about 40 books, along with some updates. Most public and academic libraries will want to own this resource but may have to decide whether the new material makes it worth replacing the previous edition.--Gooden, Susan Copyright 2010 Booklist