A Winnipeg Free Press Best Book of 2025 The freedom to read is under attack. From the destruction of libraries in ancient Rome to today’s state-sponsored efforts to suppress LGBTQ+ literature, book bans arise from the impulse toward social control. In a survey of legal cases, literary controversies, and philosophical arguments, Ira Wells illustrates the historical opposition to the freedom to read and argues that today’s conservatives and progressives alike are warping our children’s relationship with literature and teaching them that the solution to opposing viewpoints is outright expurgation. 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 will always insist upon reading for themselves. Praise for  On Book Banning "Cogent and incisive." —Michael Dirda, Washington Post "Though book banning is usually associated with repressive or conservative mindsets—ancient Rome, or Florida moms—even classic texts have fallen prey of late to a 'censorship consensus' enforced by liberal-minded gatekeepers. In the latest in Biblioasis’s continuing Field Notes series, Wells seeks to define the controversial practice and explore its effects." —Globe and Mail “Wells delivers a potent behind-the-scenes look at book banning in this standout account . . . [and] convincingly advocates for teachers to center ambiguity, sympathy, and curiosity when teaching about language, rather than harm, and for ‘the building of critical thinking abilities.’ It’s a decisive and fascinating take on a hot-button issue.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A slim, surprisingly reassuring treatise about censoring the shelves . . . Wells excels at that writerly skill of toggling easily between good storytelling and helpful summative assessments . . . it’s the historical, psychological, and philosophical explorations that really characterize the narrative and distinguish it from the other volumes on the topic.” —Sarah Trembath, Washington Independent Review of Books "A concise, exquisite, and tidy inquiry into our common desire to protect against the other. Wells serves up a masterful and provocative treatise about the nature of free speech and the power of the written word." —Winnipeg Free Press "With this slim volume . . . Wells persuasively explains how book banning reduces and devalues art and how it constitutes an attack on intellectual autonomy and on 'your right to determine the future of your own mind.'" —Keith Garebian, Literary Review of Canada “This slender volume makes for excellent conversational kindling. More than a definitive treatise or clear prescription for protecting the right to read, it serves as a starting point for serious thinking about the question. The book is an embodiment of its core values, engaging with multiple viewpoints and arguments.” —Julie Sedivy, Alberta Views “[A] thoroughly researched, well cited, and thought-provoking work on the past history and current state of book banning.” —Anne Logan, I’ve Read This “This book is best read twice: once, to appreciate the author’s prose and his care in reporting both his own experience and the record, both recent and historical of book banning and the associated rationales; and then, with others having continuing professional responsibilities for maintaining libraries, to explore the author’s insights in concrete contexts.” —Dick Ellis, ELAN “A thought-provoking read. Wells is not afraid to pose tough questions or hack through thickets of thorny issues . . . For readers concerned about intellectual freedom, On Book Banning is worth a look.” —Lisa Timpf, Seaboard Review of Books “ On Book Banning provides a multidimensional examination of book banning through North American history up until very recently . . . Horrifying, enraging, and scintillating stuff.” —Thalia Stopa, Scout Magazine “[A] timely addition to the book banning and censorship discourse . . . What makes this work valuable and a true expansion of what we think of when it comes to banning books is that it explores how both sides of the political spectrum are banning books in one form or another . . . [ On Book Banning ] should provide a great vehicle for discussion among students, librarians, and practitioners.” —Choice Reviews "Both important and urgent [and] its value enduring . . . I can only hope that it will find its way to libraries across the land." —The Miramichi Reader "Timely and relevant, balanced and engaging." —Marcie McCauley, Buried In Print "What emerges in this deceptively slim and powerful volume is the voice of a devoted reader— On Book Banning is a testament to the life-altering power of books and ideas." —Quill & Quire (starred review) "An expert assessment of literary censorship and a strong rebuttal to contemporary book bans." —Foreword Reviews "A thoughtful, conversationally written reflection on why banning books damages the fabr