I think we need an addition to this censorship essay. It's great that you've written a story for the second-generation Kindle, but then Amazon did the unthinkable and took "1984" away from people who already bought it. What if that kind of control grew? At least if I buy the print edition nobody can take it from me. I was considering purchasing a Kindle but no more - I'll take paper copies instead.

Sir, I agree with you 100%. For a while, they wanted to ban Harry Potter in my middle school library, and as I read the reports of the people who supported the censorship, I found that they had no idea what they were talking about. I aspire to be a writer someday (although I won't be nearly as good as you--few authors ever are) and I believe that censorship, in any aspect, is WRONG!

Although the situation is slightly different in the UK, I can empathise. When I was at secondary school, there was a shelf in the library which was only supposed to be read by people over a certain age (14/ Year 10 I think) and there were some Stephen King books on it. Not that anyone really enforced it though. I am seriously opposed to any kind of "age limit" on books and I have been reading horror novels (amongst other novels ) since my early teens, I also seemed to have (and still do at age 21) an appetite for reading anything controversial/ dark/strange/ scary/thought-provoking. At the time, they (horror novels) seemed a good alternative to horror movies [more strictly age-restricted in the UK than the US] and I think that it was probably one of the things that got me into writing (as well as discovering many authors who I still enjoy reading to this day). Had I been denied access to such books when I was younger, I don't think that I would have got so interested in writing (I'm just about to start a MA course in creative writing). On a more philosophical note, banning books just makes them more appealing to people. As for the point about "American Psycho", I read it when I was about 15 and although I was pretty shocked by some parts of it (I still consider it to be one of the most violent books I have ever read), I don't think that there is much point banning teenagers from reading it as most will probably get bored before they get to anything shocking (although I think a lot of the book's subtext went over my head at the time, probably because I read it mainly because of the controversy rather than anything else). Literature is one of the few mediums of expression left with (relatively) no censorship and I believe it should stay that way otherwise we risk disillusioning a lot of future writers and losing out on many thought-provoking books.

Snazzy. I approve. But, you're kinda preaching to the choir here aren't you? You also said "lively life."

Here here, ol' chap. Here here.

I don't believe this essay could have been thought out any better. Amen and bravo, Stephen!

I hear ya, pal! Our school doesn't ban books, but when my teacher told us that one of the books that was mandatory reading for his class was banned in some places, I was shocked. This book was 'The Giver', a book about a future society in which everything is moderated and super super communist. To eliminate overpopulation, at a certain age, or when a person is a twin, or in a certain condition, they are euthanized. I thought it was a great book that made you really think, but I wondered why the hell it was banned. Some people called it a 'suicide book'. These are the mega-conservatives who are told this kind of stuff by their parents for generations and believe without any thought process as to why they do these things. I mean, you have to let your kids choose their morals, not have them force-fed to them. I say let them read whatever they want, as long as it's intelligent and unbiased.

Mr King, you are an inspiration. Your essay is excellent and, if the useless word of a little Scottish means anything, I am right behind you in spirit. I cant vote accross the atlantic for stuff like this but I hope my help counts for a little anyway. Your books are excellent literature, skillfully written and exectuted; look at "Geralds Game" for example. You barely leave a room but are engrossing all the way through. These idiots that ban your books dont know what theyre missing.

Stephen King's novels shouldn't be banned in schools. If anything there should be more in. His novels entertain and do the one thing that teachers are trying to make kids do-read! A terrible mistake was made to ban two of his books, and most likely made by snobby busybodies who havent got anything else better to do!

Mr. King: Bravo! Throughout the years books for all age groups, books that were part of a culture, have unceremoniously been removed from shelves never to be heard of again and this is a shame. We as a public need to pay more attention to majority than to the one or two who decide to climb up on their soap boxes because they have taken up some "cause". Now, if other states join the band wagon and decide they too will ban your material, this will be a great loss. Not only do your story lines hold one mesmerized, but your writing tecnique allows the reader to "live" in that moment. Very few accomplish this feat. This alone promotes the desire to read and more so to better express oneself. BTW, I love love love your editorials in E. Dad gum , you are funny!