Final Report

 ‘Book Burnings’ and the History of Censorship

Introduction

This report will cover information on ‘Book Burnings’ and the history of censorship both worldwide and some Australian specific information. It will cover information on historical book burning and censorship events, and takes a look into reasons and types of acts throughout history.

‘Book Burnings’ History

Book Burning – What is it?

Book burning is the ritual of destroying books through fire. It is commonly attributed to a cultural, religious or political opposition to the material contained within the book.

Book Burning History – Selective Timeline

Majority of book burning rituals appear to have been conducted as a response to social conflict. This has led to both sides to commit acts of violence against one another, and in turn has attributed to the destruction of written works the opposite party valued. Below is a list of some events that demonstrate book burning throughout history.

525 B.C.E       The Egyptian libraries are destroyed by the Persians

12 B.C.E         Alexandria is burned. This is the date on which Caesar is said to have

                         destroyed the Great Library.

5^th Century

554                  The Emperor Yuan burns his library

1309                The Jewish libraries of Paris are burned

1841                The Library of Congress is burned by the British

1933                The Nazis burn books in Berlin, followed by several other sites

1981                The Jaffna Library in Sri Lanka is burned

2003                Fire, pillage and simple destruction claim almost all of the Iraqi libraries

             following the American ‘libervasion’.

This is a photograph of the book burning in Opera Square, Berlin, Germany, 10 May 1933

 

Other ‘Book Burning’ Ceremonies

As discussed there can be many reasons behind book burning, some other reasons I have discovered include:

·         In 1939 Britain introduced the Ration Book, it was introduced because of the difficulties importing food into Britain during the war. The Ration Book (rationing) remained until 1954, where at midnight on 4 July, restrictions relating to the Ration book was dissolved.  Book Burning ceremonies were scheduled, out of celebration of the book being dissolved.

This is a photograph of a Ration Book

·         On April 10, 2003 after rumours were in circulation that Saddam was gone, a crowd gathered at the unprotected library. Overall 10 million documents were either looted, or burned. It was an attack of varying proportion, rebels protesting alongside regime loyalists who were intent on destroying evidence of Sadaams atrocities.

·         Terry Jones a Pastor from Gainesville, Florida planned to burn copies of the Koran in protest to an Islamic Centre being built in lower Manhattan near the September 11 memorial site.

Terry Jones a Pastor from Gainesville, Florida.

 History of Censorship

Censorship of Books – What is it?

Censorship of books is the act of changing , suppressing or prohibiting writings which are considered to be obscene, blasphemous or politically unacceptable. The banning and suppression of books can vary from country to country, due to varying social expectations.

Censorship History (Selected Works)

Many books throughout history and in current times are censored for various reasons. Some of these reasons may seem acceptable to some, but of offence to others beliefs. It is a hard line to make everyone happy when it comes to censorship. Below are some works that have been suppressed throughout history.

Banned and suppressed based on social grounds, was the Mark Twain novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel was original published in London, 1884.

Banned and suppressed based on political grounds, was the George Orwell novel, Animal Farm which was originally published in England, 1945 and USA, 1946.

A book that was banned due to sexual grounds, was Lolita written by Vladimir Nabokov and originally published in France 1955, England 1959 and USA, 1958.

History of Censorship and Classification in Australia

Australia has always maintained a standing on censorship, although throughout history their stand has been changed and enhanced to keep with the changes in society. These include:

1901 - The Department of Trade and Customs received the rights to prohibit the import of indecent, blasphemous or obscene works. 

1967 - The National Literature Board of review was established, they had the responsibility of reviewing books that they deemed unsuitable for release in Australia. 

1974 - The Commonwealth and all states except for Queensland agreed that the Commonwealth would have the responsibility to classify materials. 

1983 - The Commonwealth developed the Classification of Publications Ordinance 1983 (ACT)

1996 - The National Classification Scheme Commenced and a Classification Review Board was developed.

Banned Books in Australia

Throughout Australian History there have been many books that have succumbed to becoming banned in Australia. These have included:

The Room by Hubert Selby (Novel) - This novel was banned by the National Literature Board of Review on the 3^rd of October, 1972.

The Inheritors by Harold Robbins (Novel) - The novel was banned by the national Literature Board of Review on the 12^th of August, 1970.

 The Deal: A Novel by G. William Marshall (Novel) - This novel was banned by the National Literature Board of Review on the 16^th of October, 1968.

Objections to Censorship

Throughout history, and in current times there have been many objections to the reasoning’s of censoring particular items. Some cases have included:

Crowe v Graham and Others (1986) - The authors of a publication of 2 magazines in Sydney, were found guilty of breaching the New South Wales Obscene and Indecent Publications Act 1901-1955. The publishers later contested and after the case was heard, the High Court of Australia replaced, the common law test of obscenity “tendency to deprave and corrupt”, with a community standards test “whether materials offends against contemporary community standards, or the modesty of the average man.” (Crowe v Graham (1968)). This adjustment to Act related to all published materials, including books.

Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle - Scholastic a well known publisher of and distributor of children’s books in the world, more recently had decided to censor the book Luv Ya Bunches in 2009, as it was about a girl, with two mothers. Scholastic later overturned the decision after a Gay Rights Petition by Change.org  was commenced against Scholastic.

A childrens book which was planned to be banned by Scholastic.

 

Banned Books Week

An event which has been developed to take pride in the freedom of to read, was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in books being challenged by schools, bookstores and libraries. The event is Banned Books Week and it is held in the last week of September where libraries and bookstores draw attention to the problem of censorship through displays and events. 

 

Conclusion

Overall throughout history there have been numerous reasons behind both book burning and the censorship of books. These have ranged from personal opinion, social expectations and the expectation of others in what they think is right or wrong. Through researching this topic, it has highlighted that there is two sides to every case, objection, burning and the decision to censor.

References:

Banned in Australia 2012, Australian Literature Resource, viewed 29 April 2012, < http://www.austlit.edu.au.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/specialistDatasets/Banned>. 

Lyons, Martyn 2011, Books a living history, Thames & Hudson, London.

Sova, DB c1998, Banned books : literature suppressed on sexual grounds, Facts on File, New York.

Karolides, NJ c1998, Banned books : literature suppressed on political grounds, Facts on File, New York.

Sova, DB c1998, Banned books : literature suppressed on social grounds, Facts on File, New York.

Portland Community College 2012, Banned books, Portland Community College Library, viewed 2 April 2012, <http://www.pcc.edu/library/news/banned_books.html>.

Banned Books Week 2011, Banned Books Week, viewed 3 April 2012, <http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/>.

GottesmanLibraries 2009, Banned Books Week 2009, 11 August, viewed 4 April 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zZBqIcnU2k&list=UUDtMYyZDE9ltWIWXyY0XYXQ&index=2&feature=plcp>.

Baez F C2008, A universal history of the destruction of books : from Ancient Sumer to Modern Iraq, Atlas & Co, New York. 

BBC News 2012, 1954 : Housewives celebrate end of rationing, BBC On this day 1950-2005, viewed 21 April 2012, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/4/newsid_3818000/3818563.stm>.

Levitz, J 2010, Terry Jones’s Koran Fire protest plan burns out, The Australian, viewed 21 April 2012, <http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/terry-joness-koran-fire-protest-plan-burns-out/story-e6frg6so-1225918479142>.

1954 'Bonfire for ration books', The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1954), 11 March, p. 2, Trove, viewed 21 April, 2012, <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2911502>.

Knuth, R 2006, Burning books and levelling libraries : extremist violence and cultural destruction, Praeger Publishers, Westport.

Banned in Australia 2012, Australian Literature Resource, viewed 29 April 2012, < http://www.austlit.edu.au.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/specialistDatasets/Banned>. 

History of censorship and classification in Australia 2012, Parliament of Australia, viewed 29 April 2012, < http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=legcon_ctte/classification_board/report/c02.htm>.

Fox, R.G 1969, Obscenity and indecency : Interpretation of the Obscene and Indecent Publications Act 1901 – 1955 (N.S.W.), Adelaide Digital Library, viewed 06 May 2012, <http://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/24769/1/alr_V3n3_1969_FoxObsCaseComm.pdf>.

Change.org 2009, Tell Scholastic to stop censoring gay friendly books, Change.org, viewed 06 May 2012, <http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-scholastic-to-stop-censoring-gay-friendly-books>.