Literary controversies: July 21, 2025

Here's the latest news on literary controversies and controversial literature.

• Kelly Jensen explains why reading banned books is admirable, yes, but not nearly as important as advocating for the freedom to read (Book Riot). 

• Jensen began last week's roundup of book ban and challenge coverage with an essay from India May, a librarian who's responding to censorship in Iowa by running for the state House of Representatives (Book Riot).

• A new documentary called Hitler's Mein Kampf: Prelude To The Holocaust examines the terrible legacy of the book written by Adolf Hitler and published one hundred years ago this month (NPR).