From my understanding, there are no 'banned books' in the US, but rather ones that are blacklisted by library, teaching and bookstore groups making them difficult to come by. I'm personally unaware of any book that the US Government has banned, although I'm always willing to be wrong :)
I'm pretty sure that the book was sent to the relevant government people to be vetted, before it was published. The first time around, someone in the government must have missed the details.
The second time around, I'm sure they combed through it and pointed out the things that they would prefer the author left out. After that, the modified book probably got the green light.
I don't see why you would want to be an ass and just republish the book again without talking to the people.
Since when does the government need to approve books for publication? You want to "be an ass" because as the author, you want those details out, and as the publisher, you know those details are what will sell the book.
Depending on what kind of security clearance you have/had, you sign some long-term (ie: for life) NDAs and other paperwork that gives the government right of refusal to allow you to publish (in any fashion) any work. Including things like your resume.
It's not something normal, regular, average citizens deal with, but for those who are trusted with highly sensitive knowledge, it's par for course.
The book Bridge to Terabithia (of which a 2007 film was adapted) was at number 8 on the ALA's list of frequently challenged books because:
"The censorship attempts stem from death being a part of the plot; Jess' frequent use of the word "lord" outside of prayer; concerns that the book promotes secular humanism, New Age religion, occultism, and Satanism; and for use of offensive language."
Maybe it's better we don't have a similar process.
Fair point, but the merits of the book banning system: are that it appears to be relatively difficult to implement or enforce, and that it's restricted to localities instead of a whole country.
The only way to have a publication legally banned in the United States is to have it declared legally obscene. Obscenity is a local consideration and it's practically impossible to get something banned universally. The only way publications are kept out are complaints to vendors and/or the willful adoption of mandatory rating systems, which generally have a rating that is equivalent to a commercial blackout (see "AO" from the ESRB or "NC-17" from MPAA; material so rated is not generally available because most "respectable" vendors refuse to stock it).
Because banning books invokes Fahrenheit 451 and 1984, but banning websites doesn't. In short, because they think they can get away with it for websites.
Presumably those "books" with child pornography in them aren't allowed to be sold in the States. As someone who doesn't live there, I'm curious: how is that enforced?
As long as they're only describing the act in text it's legal. If there are photos, it's obviously right out. If there are illustrations, then the courts haven't definitely settled the question last I heard.
Not necessarily. Remember that pedophilia book that got Amazon some flack? A rogue sheriff in Florida had one of his deputies buy the hard copy and then arrest the writer for "distribution of obscene material depicting minors engaged in harmful conduct". Horrible precedent for several reasons.
True, but that case has yet to be settled. Either way as far as I know the US government has made no move to ban the book, and even if they do get a conviction it will be under local laws and not federal laws.
