Yalla Culture - Episode 24 - Banned Books
Welcome to episode 24 of Yalla Thaqafa. In this episode, I will be discussing the reasons behind banning books. The first reason is the celebration of Banned Books Week, which has been observed in the last week of September every year since 1982 in America. This event raises awareness about books that have been banned and the reasons behind it. The second reason is the winter in Kuwait, where authorities have been adding more books to the banned list, which now includes over 4000 books. Banning books has been a practice since the early days of writing, and it is still prevalent in many countries. The responsibility for banning books lies with both the government and the public. Reasons for banning books can be religious, ethical, or contain controversial topics. Some famous banned books include religious scriptures, such as the Bible and the Quran, as well as works of fiction like "The Da Vinci Code" and "Lolita". In Egypt, books like "The Da Vinci Code" and "Children of Gebelawi" by Naguib Mahfouz have faced controversies and were banned for a long time. In recent years, some of these books have been allowed back in the market. Other controversial books include "The Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie, which sparked outrage in the Muslim world. Ethical reasons for banning books include topics that are deemed morally questionable or contain explicit content. Books like "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov and "Lady Chatterley's Lover" by D.H. Lawrence have been banned due to their controversial themes. Overall, banning books remains a contentious issue that reflects societal values and norms.