The Surprising History of Banned Books

Imagine this: you’re a budding scholar in 1550s Europe. You hunch over a candlelit desk. You try to sneak a peek at an “unauthorized” copy of The Prince by Machiavelli. You know it’s risky business—owning such a book could get you excommunicated, or worse, tossed into jail. But the thrill of reading something they don’t want you to see? Oh, it’s irresistible.

Book banning isn’t a modern phenomenon; it’s been around as long as we’ve had books. Long before concerned people were debating books at school meetings, religious authorities banned works. These works were deemed dangerous. Political authorities also slapped bans on books considered heretical or just plain scandalous.

Let’s expand our vision and travel back in time to understand what made books so controversial before 1600. And then let’s see how those bans connect to the ones we find today.

The Bible: A Surprise Repeat Offender

Yes, you read that right. The Bible, one of the most widely read and revered books in history, has been banned multiple times. But the issue wasn’t the Bible itself—it was the translation. In the 14th and 16th centuries, John Wycliffe and William Tyndale took a bold step. They made the Bible accessible to the average person by translating it into English. The Church wasn’t having it. They feared that untrained readers might misinterpret the scriptures, leading to heresy.

Today’s equivalent? Arguments over who gets to tell certain stories and how. Whether it’s a Bible translation or a memoir discussing lived experiences, someone always worries about the “wrong” message. They fear it getting into the “wrong” hands.

Machiavelli’s The Prince: Power, Politics, and Paranoia

Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince (1532) is practically the OG self-help book for politicians. Its pragmatic advice on leadership didn’t sit well with the Catholic Church. Some might say it offered cynical views, like “it’s better to be feared than loved.” The Church promptly added it to the Index Librorum Prohibitorum (the official “banned books” list). The Church claimed it promoted immorality and atheism.

Fast forward to today, and we’re still debating whether certain books promote dangerous ideas. Switch out Machiavelli with The Hate U Give. Change it to Gender Queer. You’ll see echoes of the same fears about books corrupting society.

Ovid’s Ars Amatoria: Love Lessons Too Spicy for the Romans

Even the ancient Romans got in on the censorship game. Ovid’s Ars Amatoria (The Art of Love) was banned for being a little too risqué. It was basically a how-to guide on seduction. -Scandalous!- Later, medieval monks attempted to conceal this juicy piece of ancient literature. They worried it might lead readers astray.

This one feels particularly relatable in today’s debates as the pushback often comes from the same place. It does not matter if it’s Ovid or modern YA romances. People are just uncomfortable talking about love, sex, or relationships.

Sorry folks. I don’t have a better picture of Ovid. There doesn’t seem to be one in color.

Copernicus and Galileo: Banned for Looking Up

The 16th century was a rough time to be an astronomer. Nicolaus Copernicus’s De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (1543) proposed that the Earth wasn’t the center of the universe. Cue the outrage! Later, Galileo got into hot water for supporting Copernican ideas. The Church saw these works as a direct challenge to its authority and interpretation of scripture.

Today, we still see books banned for challenging prevailing beliefs—whether about science, race, or identity. It seems questioning the status quo will always ruffle feathers.

What These Bans Teach Us

So, what can we learn from these ancient censorship battles?

First, the reasons for banning books haven’t changed much. Fear of dangerous ideas, discomfort with challenging the status quo, and concerns about morality have been driving bans for centuries.

Second, banning books almost always backfires. Telling people they can’t read something only makes them more curious. (Case in point: you’re probably Googling The Prince or Ars Amatoria right now, aren’t you?)

And finally, banning books isn’t just about the books themselves. Who gets to decide what’s appropriate? Whose voices get silenced? Whether it’s 1559 or 2024, these are the questions we keep coming back to.

Read Boldly

As readers, we’re lucky to live in a time when access to books is easier than ever. But that doesn’t mean we should take it for granted. Whether it’s Ovid or Toni Morrison, banned books challenge us to think critically. They push boundaries and encourage exploration outside our world view.

So, here’s to the rebels of the Renaissance and beyond—those who dared to read what wasn’t allowed. Let’s honor their legacy by keeping the conversation going, one book at a time.

What do you think? Have you read any books that were once banned? Let’s talk about it in the comments—unless, of course, they try to stop us.