The Dead Zone Banned!

[mprose]

What was Stephen Kings reaction to the banning of The Dead Zone? Did he try to defend the book? Did he have any reasons for writing a controversial book? and were there any other controversial books besides, Carrie, Christine, Cujo, The Dead Zone, and The Shining?

*Quotes from Stephen King would be very helpful.*
I'm writing a research paper on The Dead Zone.

[jackson992]

The Dead Zone was banned? This is the first time I've ever heard of it being banned.

[Moderator]

You should check out the website for the American Library Association which has a section on banned books and challenged books. Please be aware that the term "banned" does not mean it is not available to the public and in most cases only means that it was removed from school libraries where it was deemed inappropriate for younger audiences for a variety of reasons. Stephen usually encourages anyone to find out for themselves about the book rather than relying on someone else's opinions about what makes a book "appropriate."

[Jasonbobdude]

I don't know much about The Dead Zone, I haven't read it (yet!) but I remember reading in On Writing that he wanted to write a book about a political assassination where the killer is the protagonist and has a noble motive that readers sympathize with. Another book of his that you should mention is Rage (written under the name Richard Bachman). He actually requested that one to be taken out of print. It deals with a school shooting.

[mprose]

I don't want others opinions i want way he wrote a controversial book and what he had to say about it [if anything] when it was banned. although if he didn't have a reation or something of that sort i would like to know how it made others feel. I was also wondering what other books he wrote that were banned. again i do know the meaning of banned and i know that it means that some schools don;t have it in stock because it was banned, and that public libraries and bookstores do!

if that sounds rude or mean i am sorry but i am trying to clarify myself, for my paper i need to know those things. i have searched and i came along this site and i thought who better to help answer these [mostly what fans thought] then fans.

[Bryan James]

His reaction was likely unnoticeable. Probably because he 1) Did not know or 2) Did not care.

Just my thoughts,
BJS

[phidgt]

Every year the bookstores and libraries across the nation celebrate "Banned Book Week". It was created to let the public know about situations where people have tried to have certain books removed from library shelves. There are also cases where people have tried to have some books completely banned. I'm pretty sure that all of Stephen King's books have made it onto the banned list at one time or another.

I used to work at the local bookstore in town and it was always fun to come up with clever displays for that week. I did a huge display of books one year that were completely wrapped in police tape.

[JRLauer]

The Dead Zone was Banned? From where?

[Moderator]

I don't want others opinions i want way he wrote a controversial book and what he had to say about it [if anything] when it was banned. although if he didn't have a reation or something of that sort i would like to know how it made others feel. I was also wondering what other books he wrote that were banned. again i do know the meaning of banned and i know that it means that some schools don;t have it in stock because it was banned, and that public libraries and bookstores do!

if that sounds rude or mean i am sorry but i am trying to clarify myself, for my paper i need to know those things. i have searched and i came along this site and i thought who better to help answer these [mostly what fans thought] then fans.


Honestly, we don't bother keeping track of the banned/challenged books so you'd have to go to the American Library Association site I'd mentioned in order to find out the reason for banning. The Dead Zone was only one of many of his titles that fall into that category so he doesn't issue a press release every time that happens. There have been a couple of articles and editorials he's written about censorship but they are too lengthy to post here. One was in OMNI magazine, February 1987, in their FORUM section titled What's Scaring Stephen King. Perhaps your library might be able to locate a copy for you.

[JohnDalglish]

Honestly, we don't bother keeping track of the banned/challenged books so you'd have to go to the American Library Association site I'd mentioned in order to find out the reason for banning. The Dead Zone was only one of many of his titles that fall into that category so he doesn't issue a press release every time that happens. There have been a couple of articles and editorials he's written about censorship but they are too lengthy to post here. One was in OMNI magazine, February 1987, in their FORUM section titled What's Scaring Stephen King. Perhaps your library might be able to locate a copy for you.

Hi,

May I suggest that it might be a good thing to have on the main site at some stage, Ms Mod?

Long days and pleasant nights

[Moderator]

It's been on my To Do list to ask Steve's permission for a while now. :smile2:

[mprose]

What are your opinions on the banning of The Dead Zone? :eek2:

[mojomofo]

Huh. I've always thought the Dead Zone is pretty tame.

Go figure.:dunno:

[tillyn]

I thought Dead Zone was some what tame, my self banning kids in school from reading it just seems stupid. Lord of the Flies was more disturbing than DZ.

[Lencho_of_the_Apes]

It's the idea of assassinating a political figure that gets their panties in a wad. Combine that with the idea of questioning authority and you've got the very worst kind of communist-anarchist-satanist-conspiracy propaganda poisoning the minds of innocent young people. Have to ban that & protect the status quo.

We all float down here.

[the_last_gunslinger]

Huh. I've always thought the Dead Zone is pretty tame.

Go figure.:dunno:

Yeah, I think it was pretty tame as well. But it dealt with an attempted political assassination, and despite whatever noble causes the protagonist had, there are a lot of people who think such a topic is taboo and should be avoided.

[Matthew.Degnan]

What's so bad about The Dead Zone? If you ban The Dead Zone you migth AS WELL BAN ALL THE OTHER sk BOOKS AS WELL. (appologises for caps)

[Denise Marsden]

I am surprised that this book has been in any way banned. Are we now in an age where Democracy means the banning of books because the governing Eilite feel that they are too inappropriate for us to read.?That is more frightening to me than anything in The Dead Zone.

[JRM]

Huh. I've always thought the Dead Zone is pretty tame.

Go figure.:dunno:

That's EXACTLY what I thought! :blush: Of all the SK books I've read, The Dead Zone felt the most tame. Though I also think it was banned because it dealt with Political assassination. That being said, I felt Stephen King was holding back on this one, lol.

[Denise Marsden]

If the political assassination was the reason for the ban Im really confused, it was merely an attempt that failed. Maybe it was because the lunatic nature of the sure thing President was an issue those in power just cant have us considering.

[Wanderer From Ys]

It's not actually banned, it's just on the list of most commonly challenged books......along with Carrie, Christine, and Cujo. Both lists can be found on Wikipedia. As for how I feel about banning books, I'll just say that I believe and freedom of speech, and I don't think books should be banned. Maybe there are a few exceptions, but looking over the list, I would have no problem with my own Children reading Tom Sawyer, Harry Potter, or To Kill a Mockingbird.

[Audaciousfox]

I went on site to The American Library Association, http://www.ala.org/index.cfm (http://www.ala.org/index.cfm). While I could not find a list of currently banned books (I imagine it's just too long to keep up with), I did find the Top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books for 1990-1999. The King books listed, and their respective ranking: Cujo, Carrie, The Dead Zone; 55, 77, 83. While reasons for the bans were not listed, Carrie and Cujo I can stretch my imagination enough (if I really, really try) to figure it out. The Dead Zone is a puzzler - for me, anyway. People write novels about political assasinations all the time. I mean these books are on the same list as Sex by Madonna (*insert gagging sound here*).

There was a listing of Most Challenged Authors in the Twentieth Century as well. Our favorite author only shows up in the years 2002 and 2003.

[Audaciousfox]

That's EXACTLY what I thought! :blush: Of all the SK books I've read, The Dead Zone felt the most tame. Though I also think it was banned because it dealt with Political assassination. That being said, I felt Stephen King was holding back on this one, lol.

Through the years 1990-2008, school libraries, at 3616 challenges, and schools with 3614 (followed distantly at public libraries with 2569...and from there the number of different challenges tops at 392) led the way by a fantastic margin in challenging books. THIS is what makes reasons behind banning The Dead Zone so inscrutable to me. Are we really afraid our youngsters are preoccupied (or may become so) with political assasinations??!! :oo:

[*Iris*]

Are we really afraid our youngsters are preoccupied (or may become so) with political assasinations??!! :oo:

Well... I didn't know that Dead Zone was banned(?!)... Audaciousfox, the first thing that came up to my mind when I read this, was just what you have written above....