Should individuals make their own decisions about censored books, or is it the government's responsibility to suppress dangerous or provocative texts? Does censorship undermine the first amendment, or does it protect and uphold cultural values? Editor Ronald D. Lankford Jr. allows readers to explore questions such as these in this comprehensive volume on book banning and censorship. This necessary edition urges readers to engage in critical text analysis in order to draw informed conclusions on the topic. Includes discussion of books as cultural identity, the legal limits of censorship, and book destruction as a form ideology control.