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Facts On File Banned Books Series
Throughout history, tyrants, totalitarian states, church institutions, and democratic governments alike have banned books that challenged their assumptions or questioned their authority. Even today, attempts by school boards, local governments, and religious fanatics continue to restrict our freedom to read.
The Facts On File Banned Books Series profiles over 400 well-known, often classic works that have been harassed in one form or another throughout history and around the world for either sexual, social, political, or religious reasons. Each clearly written entry in this eye-opening four-volume series gives readers a summary of the work at hand, its censorship history, and suggestions for further reading:
Ken Wachsberger is the editor of the collection. His introduction applauds the greatest vision America has given to the world.
Authors include experts in their fields:
 Dawn Sova (whose idea to write a book on censorship of erotic books evolved into this series, author of Sexual and Social) is an adjunct professor at Montclair State University and a former reporter and newspaper columnist. She is the author of Forbidden Films, Agatha Christie A to Z, and Edgar Allan Poe A to Z, all from Facts On File, as well as How to Write Articles for Newspapers and Magazines (Arco) and Writing: A Self-Teaching Guide (Wiley). In 2002, the Mystery Writers of America honored Edgar Allan Poe A to Z as Best Book in the Critical/Biographical Category.
Nicholas J. Karolides (Political), professor of English and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, has served as editor of the Wisconsin English Journal. His censorship publications include Celebrating Censored Books: Critical Viewpoints I; Censored Books II: Critical Viewpoints, 1985-2000; Reader Response in Elementary Classrooms: Quest and Discovery; and Reader Response in Secondary and College Classrooms. He has been honored with the UW-RF Distinguished Professor Award and the Regents Teaching Excellence Award for the University of Wisconsin system.
Margaret Bald (Religious) is a freelance journalist and critic and a founding member and former research administrator of the National Writers Union. She has been involved with anti-censorship activities of the PEN American Center and has written extensively on censorship issues. She is a managing editor of World Press Review magazine in New York.
"...the series represents a well-researched addition to the literature of censorship. Whether purchased individually or as a complete series, Banned Books will prove indispensable to libraries and classrooms in high schools and institutions of higher learning."—American Reference Books Annual
"The writing is clear, evenhanded, and accessible to secondary-school students and beyond...provides valuable perspective on the study of literature and censorship and is recommended for high school, public, and academic libraries."—Booklist
"This series will be useful for reports..."—Voice of Youth Advocates
"The set is highly recommended as a gateway into censorship for any library..."—Choice
"...this well-researched, authoritative series is timely. Highly recommended."—The Book Report
"Prepared by well-qualified scholars who have written and lectured extensively on censorship, the set is a very readable gathering of much useful information."—Library Journal
"This four-volume set on the history of book banning would be a useful and informative addition to the collections of many public libraries, colleges and universities. Anyone who wants to research the nature of censorship would do well to begin here."—Rocky Mountain News (syndicated)
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ISBN: 0-8160-3305-6
