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600 BCE
Jeremiah's Scroll burned by King Jehoiakim
Jeremiah is asked to write down everything that he has prophesied and bring it to King Jehoiakim. He does so, but when King Jehoiakim reads Jeremiah's scroll, he refuses it and burns the scroll bit by bit. This is one of the first accounts of book burning and it is found in the Bible. -
Burning of "The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption" by William Pynchon
William Pynchon is the author of the first book to ever be banned and burned in the New World (Lamb, 2020). His book challenged theology and the idea of religion and claimed: "obedience rather than punishment and suffering was the price of atonement" (Lamb, 2020). Puritan leaders were outraged by this and burned all copies of Pynchon's book. According to Lamb's article, only 4 copies are known to still exist (2020). -
Emily Dickinson's Letters
Unlike some of the other burning incidents, this one was actually ordered by Dickinson herself before her death. In the 10 years after Dickinson's death, her brother and sister, Austin and Lavinia, burned any letters that Dickinson had ever received and kept (Kelly, 2012). If they didn't burn them, then they strategically cut out specific words and phrases so that they could never be fully read again (Kelly, 2012). -
Berlin Book Burning
On May 10, 1933, 40,000 people gathered in Berlin, Germany to hear a speech from Joseph Goebbels, a propaganda minister, and take part in or witness one of the largest book burnings in history. The book burning was planned by student groups from various German universities, and along with Nazi party leaders, the students burned works that they felt held an "un-german spirit" (Bibliography: 1933 Book Burnings, n.d.). -
Theodore Dreiser's Works
Although most of Dreiser's books were challenged for a myriad of reasons, all of his work published before 1933 was included in the banning and burning of books in Nazi Germany (Theodore Dreiser, n.d.). Dreiser's books were also burned in Warsaw, Indiana, which is where Dreiser went to high school (Simins, 2022). The library trustees of Warsaw ordered their burning due to "socialist content" (Simins, 2022). -
Comic Book Burnings
Starting in 1940, various groups of people in various places throughout the United States began a crusade against comic books (Coleman, 2017). A lot of people started to believe that comic books put "strain on the young eyes and young nervous systems" (Coleman, 2017). Comic books also started being referred to as a "national disgrace" (Coleman, 2017). In December of 1948, over 2,000 comic books were burned in Binghamton, New York (Coleman, 2017). -
The Satanic Verses By Salman Rushdie
A book burning took place outside of London when this book was published in 1988 (Culture Shock: Flashpoints: Literature: Salman Rushdie’s the Satanic Verses, n.d.). Islamic fundamentalists protested the book for a long time after it was published, and at one point in time, more than 20 protesters were killed by the police (Culture Shock: Flashpoints: Literature: Salman Rushdie’s the Satanic Verses, n.d.). Rushdie, S. (2008). The Satanic Verses: A Novel (Reprint). Random House Publishing Group. -
Central University Library (Bucharest, 1989)
Caught in the cross-fires between protesters and communist-loyal armed forces during the Romanian Revolution, the Central University Library (Bucharest, Romania) became engulfed in flames on December 22, 1989 (McCook, 2021). Over 500,000 volumes, 3,700 irreplaceable manuscripts, and other various items were lost that day (McCook, 2021). -
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Rowling's books have been burned for various reasons since they were published. In New Mexico in 2001, a group of people burned the Harry Potter books because they "perpetuated the idea of satanism" (Alexander, 2017). Rowling's books have also been burned by long-time fans due to some of her political stances that she has made public through Twitter (Alexander, 2017). Rowling, J. K. (2009). Harry Potter Boxset (Harry Potter, #1-7). Arthur A. Levine Books. -
Tennessee Global Vision Bible Church Book Burning
In February of this year, a political extremist pastor, Greg Locke, called to his parishioners to bring anything of the occult and burn it in a large bonfire (Sung, 2022). Books such as the Harry Potter series and Twilight series were included for reasons of witchcraft, demonism, and occultism (Sung, 2022). Other items such as various other fantasy novels, tarot card decks, movies based on fantasy books, and voodoo dolls were included in the burning (Sung, 2022).