I just saw The Color Purple in the theater. It’s the new version based on the 2005 stage musical, which was, in turn, based on the 1985 movie and 1982 novel by Alice Walker. It’s come a long way around to tell one of the most heartbreaking but hopeful stories ever written. I read the book when I was way too young.

By the time I was in sixth grade, I was reading at a much higher grade level and was tired of many books for my age. There was a copy of The Color Purple in the house, so I sat down one day to read it when I was way too young. I could read at a much higher level, but the concepts and themes of the book were way over my head at that age. Still, I’m glad I read it. And I’m happy I had an opportunity to learn more about the author, the story, and the history behind it all.

The Color Purple is a banned book. It has been banned for being sexually explicit, depicting sexual abuse, white supremacy, and a frank discussion on race in America. It got me thinking about banned books, and I thought I would suggest just a few, along with The Color Purple, that you could challenge yourself to read in 2024. I just chose a few of my favorites, but the list of banned books is long, and my reviews are not intended to be comprehensive. Here are five more books I suggest you check out this year.

The Handmaid’s Tale

Margaret Atwood’s dystopian tale about the nation of Gilead and the oppression of women has always stayed with me. I read it in college when my roommate threw it against the wall because it made her anxious. It made me uneasy, too, but I recognized the brilliance of Atwood’s writing and the importance of her message. Even though the story was published in 1985, it resonates today, especially with several cultural events happening over the last several years. Atwood says she never writes about things that haven’t already or couldn’t happen, which seems to be this cautionary tale’s message. The Handmaid’s Tale is banned for gender politics, sexual material, violence, and profanity.

Flowers for Algernon

I was recently reminded of Flowers for Algernon. It began as a short story by Daniel Keyes in 1959 and was expanded into a novel by the author in 1966. The story follows Charlie, a simple man with a low IQ who embarks on a medical experiment to raise his intelligence. While the operation is successful, he discovers it won’t be permanent, and much of the story is about his regression. It’s written with such emotion that the reader feels everything Charlie feels throughout this experience. It’s genuinely heartbreaking. As with many banned books, the primary reason for challenging Flowers for Algernon is due to sexual content.

Slaughterhouse-Five

I love Kurt Vonnegut. His voice was unique in American literature, and everyone should read at least one Vonnegut novel. While Slaughterhouse-Five isn’t necessarily my favorite, it is an influential novel and one of the most illustrative of his style. Because of sexual content, obscene language, the inclusion of homosexuality, and what’s described as a “lack of patriotism,” Slaughterhouse-Five has been one of the most challenged books since its publication in 1969.

Ann Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

I always find it extremely surprising and disturbing that Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl is on banned book lists. I read this book when I was very young, too, about the same time I read The Color Purple. Unlike the other books on this list, it’s not fiction. This diary was published as a remembrance of the atrocities that happened during the holocaust, and it should not be forgotten, much less banned. I have no idea how the journal of a thirteen-year-old girl can be considered so controversial that it can be banned. History is not opinion.

Forever

Judy Blume is known for writing novels geared toward teenagers and their changing experiences. For many of us who grew up in the 70s and 80s, she was the only lifeline for understanding the things we were experiencing that no one else wanted to discuss. Several of her books have been banned, including Forever. This book was written about a young couple experiencing sex for the first time, but unlike many novels that create tragedy over having sex for the first time, Blume’s depiction was more like real life. It’s refreshing and worth reading, even as adults today.

What are your favorite books or other banned books you would recommend?

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