Spring 2026: Banned Books

The Spring 2026 Friends of the Moultonborough Library Literature Discussion Series invites us to explore literature that has faced censorship and criticism. Each of the three sessions is a chance to critically examine the themes, characters, and ideas that have sparked controversy, and to understand the historical and social context behind these literary battles. Join us as we celebrate the power of these books to challenge, inspire, and endure.

Print copies of all books will be available in the library to borrow. Registration is highly encouraged. Click on the blue hyperlinks for each date to register. If you do not register, you will not receive reminders for the events or, in the case of a Zoom discussion, a link to the meeting.

On Thursday, April 23, scholar Suzanne Brown will lead a discussion on Nineteen Minutes, by Judy Picoult, a haunting examination of a community shattered by a school shooting. Our discussion follows the fractured lives in Sterling, New Hampshire, as we navigate the complex motivations behind the violence and the blurred lines between victim and perpetrator. We will also address why this novel has become a frequent target of book bans across the U.S., examining the debate over its graphic realism and its raw, unflinching portrayal of the adolescent experience.

On Wednesday, May 27, scholar Will Speers will explore Looking for Alaska, by John Green. Miles Halter heads to Culver Creek boarding school in search of the ‘Great Perhaps,’ only to have his world reshaped by the brilliant and unpredictable Alaska Young. Our discussion will navigate the novel’s haunting ‘Before’ and ‘After’ framework, tracing a group of friends as they confront the ‘labyrinth of suffering’ and the messy reality of grief. We will also examine why this work remains one of the most frequently challenged books in the U.S., discussing how its raw, frank depiction of teenage life continues to spark both intense controversy and deep reader connection.

On Wednesday, July 15, scholar Suzanne Brown returns to lead the discussion Lady Chatterly’s Lover,  a novel that shattered social taboos through Constance Chatterley’s forbidden affair with her estate’s gamekeeper. Our discussion centers on the clash between class and nature and Lawrence’s celebration of the ‘life of the body.’ We will also address the landmark obscenity trials that kept this book banned for decades, cementing its status as a defiant symbol of freedom of expression.