BANNED BOOK SUMMARY

Portnoy’s Complaint BY Roth, Phillip

Several libraries and librarians throughout the U.S. were harassed and threatened for carrying this book on their shelves.

The Australian Government banned this book. "But the most controversial banned book in the early 1970's was Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint which, in June 1969, was classified as a prohibited import on the advice of the National Literature Board of Review. This prohibition was not lifted until June 1971. This left a response squarely in the hands of the stat governments as to whether they would launch prosecutions under state obscenity laws.

In New South Wales, the Australian publishers of Portnoy's Complaint wer taken to trial twice although, on both occasions, the jury could not agree on a verdict. (from The Politics of Sex: Prostitution and Pornography in Australia Since 1945)

I am surprised that this doesn't have more instances of banning attempts and successes. Considering that chapter 2 is about pretty much nothing but masturbation, one has to wonder if people were paying attention. (LOL)