Books that are banned in the US, and why.


From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

**Jackson:** Hey everyone, welcome back to BeFreed! I'm Jackson, and I'm absolutely thrilled to dive into today's conversation about one of the most contentious issues in American education and libraries right now.
**Eli:** And I'm Eli! Jackson, I have to say, when we started researching this topic, I was genuinely shocked by the sheer scale of what's happening. We're talking about over 6,800 book bans enacted in just the 2024-25 school year alone across 87 school districts in 23 states!
**Jackson:** That's exactly right, Eli. And what's fascinating-and frankly alarming-is how this connects to a much deeper story about who gets to decide what ideas are dangerous, what voices deserve to be heard, and ultimately, what kind of society we want to be. Today we're exploring not just which books are being banned and why, but the entire ecosystem of censorship that's been evolving in America for generations.
**Eli:** Absolutely! And our listeners should know we're going to take them on quite a journey today-from Anthony Comstock's moral crusades in the 1870s all the way to today's school board meetings where parents are demanding the removal of books about LGBTQ+ teens and racial justice. It's a story that's both historical and urgently contemporary.