Many famous books (especially those critical of government or people in power) have been banned in various countries and at various times, but here are 16 cases of books banned for bizarre reasons, often in head scratching locales. Take Candide, banned in 1929 in Boston:
So why was the book seized in America in 1929? Surely, at that point, we were okay with making snide remarks about the jesuits? Apparently customs in Boston disagreed, stopping the book from reaching a Harvard french class on the grounds of it being “obscene”. The official who made the decision to capture the novel said “… But about ‘Candide,’ I’ll tell you. For years we’ve been letting that book get by. There were so many different editions, all sizes and kinds, some illustrated and some plain, that we figured the book must be all right. Then one of us happened to read it. It’s a filthy book …”
From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by redsfaithful.
As for the ''perfectly crafted'' Steinbeck book... I can't think of anything perfect about the story. Popular works, or even well-liked works are not necessarily ''perfect'' ones. Even Steinbeck was shocked when he won the Nobel.