Banned Books Week 2026 – Nonfiction 

In Dangerous Fictions, Lyta Gold traces arguments both historical and contemporary that have labeled fiction as dark, immoral, frightening, or poisonous; within each she asks, how “dangerous” is fiction, really? And what about it provokes waves of moral panic and even censorship?

At a moment in which our democratic institutions are buckling under the stress of polarization, On Book Banning is both rallying cry and guide to resistance for those who reject the conflation of art and propaganda, for whom books remain sacred vessels of our shared humanity, and who will always insist upon reading for ourselves.

Already under fire for publishing the literary avant-garde into a world not ready for it, Margaret C. Anderson’s cutting-edge magazine The Little Review was a bastion of progressive politics and boundary-pushing writing from then-unknowns like T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, William Butler Yeats, and Djuna Barnes. And as its publisher, Anderson was a target.

Fight back against censorship and empower your community with this close look at the book banning movement.

Libraries and archives have been attacked since ancient times but have been especially threatened in the modern era. Today the knowledge they safeguard faces purposeful destruction and willful neglect; deprived of funding, libraries are fighting for their very existence. Burning the Books recounts the history that brought us to this point.

The ABA Right to Read Handbook will provide a comprehensive guide to resisting the epidemic of book censorship through local organizing and engaged citizenship. The Handbook is designed for the potential activist who may only have a few hours to spare each month.

Part memoir, part manifesto, the inspiring story of a Louisiana librarian advocating for inclusivity on the front lines of our vicious culture wars.

In On Censorship: A Public Librarian Examines Cancel Culture in the US , respected long-time public librarian James LaRue issues a balanced and reasonable call to action for all citizens.

In Free Speech, Jacob Mchangama traces the riveting legal, political, and cultural history of this idea. Through captivating stories of free speech’s many defenders, Mchangama reveals how the free exchange of ideas underlies all intellectual achievement and has enabled the advancement of both freedom and equality worldwide.

Georgetown law professor Snyder (Democratic Justice) vividly recreates the life of labor organizer Angelo Herndon (1914–1997), who in 1932 faced “a possible death sentence” over his possession of “communist literature.” Snyder astutely dissects Herndon’s story for its ramifications for civil liberties and free speech today.

Just Plain Filthy is the first book to tell the complete story of Island Trees v. Pico, the flawed yet fascinating case that is the cornerstone of intellectual freedom in America. For now.

The explosive world of Banned Together which includes a diverse cast of visionary teenagers, stirring public protests, private threats, criminal charges, and drama-filled school board meetings pulls back the curtain on two of the most controversial issues in America today: book bans and curriculum censorship in public schools.