[hildea]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I don't think that condemning a book without reading should be illegal or forbidden, and probably the OP doesn't think so either. To my mind, it should not be ok in the same sense as insulting someone just because you don't like his face is not ok. Of course people do both of those things anyway, and hardly anyone in this discussion is likely to think that they should be punished by law for it. But we can discuss whether it's ok in our personal opinion or not.

Yes, exactly! And that's how I feel about some books, as well. Publishing them should not be illegal, the books should not be banned, but publishing them is not OK in my personal opinion. I wish the author/agent/editor had agreed, and had decided not to publish them, but to work on some other book instead.

Originally Posted by darryl

It is part of normal life to be exposed to material that offends and upsets us. Often this material challenges us as well, and occasionally causes some to re-think their positions. Reading is not compulsory. Hurt and offence from a book is easily avoided. Don't read it.

I wholeheartedly agree with this, and I would apply it to book criticism as well. I'm sure the authors of the books we're discussed were hurt and offended at the criticism of their books, but there's also a slim chance that it caused them to rethink their positions. Or, more likely: That others in the publishing business do so, and are slightly more likely to notice that kind of problems in future books, and discuss them with the authors.

But: I think you missed my second clarification:

Originally Posted by hildea

I think the main harm stories like these cause isn't because some readers are offended or hurt. The main harm is those readers who don't get offended, who read and like the books, sympathise with the protagonists (because that's what we usually do, if the book is competently written), and whose ideas about that part of history gets influenced, just a little bit, by what they have read. I think the world would be better if noone had read those books.

Originally Posted by Sirtel

So? It's fiction. Many fictional books, for example, idolize war; by your logic, they all should be banned. Many romance novels idolize relationships that in real life would be called abusive; should they be banned also?

I don't think banning everything is the solution. Grown and reasonably sane people are (for the most part) perfectly able to tell the difference between reality and fiction.

This is a good point, and it makes me a bit uncomfortable, which means I really need to think about it I'll answer later.