The Books Your Parents Hated?

I am curious to know if any of you were told by your parents, teachers, etc NOT to read certain books.

In my case, my dad was a Jehovah Witness and he still thinks I left the cult because I started reading the works of Ayn Rand. Even years later he'll rant on the phone, "It's that Ayn Rand! She corrupted your mind!"

I wonder what he'd think of the hundreds of other books I read since then. He's probably never even heard of most of them. :^)

Anyone else's mind been corrupted by books?

Nah, my whole community encourages reading all books.... just not my library. I swear my library doesn't have any banned books in there so I always end up buying stuff from Borders. The only things I've ever been discouraged to read are magazines.

EDIT:

The book that's had the biggest impact on me is 1984. It taught me a lot and what to look out for in the future.

[edit on 1/15/05 by Otto_States]

I think reading the Upanishads had a really big impact on me, I was always interested in eastern philosophy, but that really opened my mind alot.

Demon by John Varley.my parents saw the title and thought it was about satan or demons,lol.if you havent read it,try it,its a great book.

Great responses.

It's so odd how some people think that books can 'infect' your mind. This also applies to Security Clearances where if you read the wrong book, you are somehow now the best choice for gummint jobs.

"Well soldier, we want you to fight commies, but if you've READ any of their books, well, you might become one of them so you're a risk."

Probably would have to add 'The Protocols', The Satanic Bible and anything by Chomsky to the list. I'm happy to say I've read 'em all!

I read 1984 and Brave New World, and my parents thought it was a good thing at the time, but not anymore. They think that all these theories I read and make up are a big waste of my time.

The only book they never really wanted me to read was the biography of Che Guevarra, which I bought but still haven't had the time to read.

Originally posted by smallpeeps
In my case, my dad was a Jehovah Witness and he still thinks I left the cult because I started reading the works of Ayn Rand. Even years later he'll rant on the phone, "It's that Ayn Rand! She corrupted your mind!"

Maybe it was the Bible that corrupted your mind and caused you to reject the JWs!

My mom gets upset when I tell her about the theories I read online including ATS. Even though I tell her I don't believe in the reptilians, she still thinks I'm going mad just for telling her about them.

Maybe it was the Bible that corrupted your mind and caused you to reject the JWs!

Ha! Yeah, that's it.

In fact, the Jehovah publications are fascinating now, in retrospect. They are FAR more 'demonic' and sinister than anything written by so-called Satanists.

I forgot to mention 101 Days of Sodom. That's a classic for enraging others. Lots of people would be willing to burn DeSade's work, I expect.

I suppose the concept of 'Evil Books' could be broken down into Sexual, Spiritual and Political. One could imagine lots of people being turned off by the first two (books about ribaldry or spellcasting), but to be paranoid about Political books is the sign of a total mind-controlled victim.

I wonder if opposition to political books is more prevalent in the US or in cults like the Watchtower?

I had a book taken from me while I was in the Air Force , its called The Hollow Earth .. I have since found another copy ..Why would they take only that book ?..

zman: Are you talking about Hollow Earth by Raymond Bernard? There are a couple books with similar titles. I want to read it based on your post.

Any others? What books are seen as 'dangerous' by authority figures? I want to ensure that my mind is utterly and totally corrupted. :^)

My folks let me read anything and everything.
I read hundreds of books about religion, government, etc. but she thought Stephen King would be what really did me in!
If only she had realized that truth really is stranger than fiction!

The Book is written by Raymound Bernard in 1969. University Books , NY

In the early eighties I read this book (do not know the author) and I can still clearly remember my parents reaction afterwards as I did not just do to "please" any more....Twenty years later and I still remember the "fogging" technique.

I was strongly discouraged from reading a book about the Bermuda triangle by my father. I read it anyway and believed for maybe three months. I was told by my father that it was bunk and that I was wasting my time. He was right.

If you want to read some books with dangerous ideas I suggest anything by Eustace Mullins, if you can wade through the anti-semitism, or T.A.Z. by Hakim Bey an ontological anarchist.

wellwhatnow: Yes! I forgot about Stephen King. I had to hide those books from the J-dubs around me. Once, a nosy woman saw 'The Stand' on my bookshelf and reported me to the Watchtower secret police. I had to repent and I told them I threw it out.

I should also add books by Julian Simon to the list as his ideas go directly in the face of what people believe these days. His books made a huge difference in my understanding of resources and humans in general. He will be sorely missed.

Lots of good stuff here! Reading can mess you up, so be careful. :^)

No, I was encourage by my parents to read as much as I can. My father hated when literature was banned or censored. I was encouraged to read controversial books and I did choose to read on my own free will many banned and controversial books and litertaure.

Only thing I was ever discouraged from reading was some horror book when I was 9 .

i think its my history teacher and not any books. we've learned more about the stuff on this site form him than actual history

Originally posted by jgbjgb
In the early eighties I read this book (do not know the author) and I can still clearly remember my parents reaction afterwards as I did not just do to "please" any more....Twenty years later and I still remember the "fogging" technique.

Too late to edit my original post - the book's name was something like "How to say no without feeling guilty"

I am often discouraged from reading books when they aren't homework, especially ones that "I don't need to read." I was raised non-religious and my parents think it is ridiculous to read the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I read both, not really because I believe them, but more to get an understanding of others' beliefs. I also read alot of stuff on conspiracies and ancient secrets, which again my parents disapprove of. But, I am an 18-year old, so they say no and i say definitely.

Perhaps '100 reasons why your parents are wrong and you are right, always?'



My parents don't discourage me from reading any book, maybe because they are in their own world, having their own problems.

Surf