17 Best Banned Books Podcasts to Listen to (2026)

Ali Velshi brings you 'Velshi Banned Book Club,' an act of resistance against the book banning and censorship epidemic sweeping the nation. In each episode, a different author joins Ali to discuss why their work is being targeted and what is so crucial about the literature itself. 'Velshi Banned Book Club' is a series rooted in literary and cultural analysis, in the notion that reading is resistance. Read along with Ali. more

Love banned books? Hate censorship? Same.Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books out loud, cover-to-cover, and try to figure out why they were banned in the first place. If you've never read them, now's your chance to hear them for the first time with us. If you have, well, you already know what's coming and this will be your chance to laugh at us as we bumble our way through and get horrified over and over again.11 seasons in, we've gotten pretty good at figuring out what these books are actually about and why the people pushing book banning and censorship don't want you to read them.This season we're reading The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Every episode we read the next chapter out loud, talk about what we found, and try to figure out why this book scares the book banners so much. It probably has something to do with the political shit show we're all currently living through.You know what's really insane right now? There are people in this country who own a lot of red hats but not a lot of library cards, and somehow those people ended up in charge of deciding what your kids can read.Moms for Liberty, pudding lover Ron DeSantis, and basically every politician who thinks they know better than you have been pushing book banning and censorship for years. We're pretty sure none of them have actually read the books, because if they did they'd have a hard time explaining why Captain Underpants and Charlotte's Web are a threat to your kids' freedom.So we read them ourselves to find out what's really in them.We also have a fact-checking robot so we don't accidentally spread misinformation. Or what some people call 'alternative facts.'Our listeners are called The Scary Book People. You'll fit right in.New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. You can start anywhere, Robot catches you up fast.Past seasons: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. more

We're two fed-up moms juggling jobs, kids, and the fight against book bans and bigotry. Why should MAGA fear-mongers masquerading as 'patriots' decide what we can read? Join Jennifer and Courtney as they amplify the voices of banned book authors and their characters in between mom-ing and trying to survive the capitalist grind of our new Authoritarian America. milf4books.substack.com more

Brooklyn Public Library is full of stories. Borrowed brings the best of them to you. Current podcast series: Borrowed & Returned is a new podcast series that examines what our reading public borrowed in the past, and what we're all reading now. In conversations with library workers, authors and readers across the country, we'll return to the books that changed us, and changed America, too. Previous podcast series: Borrowed and Banned is BPL's Peabody-nominated series about America's ideological war with its bookshelves. From September to December 2023, we released ten episodes featuring the stories from students, librarians, and teachers on the frontlines of intellectual freedom, and writers whose books have become political battleground. This series also won a Webby Award and was nominated for an Ambie Award . BPL's Anthem Award-winning podcast is a narrative show about superhero librarians, neighborhood stories, and what it means to be a free, democratic place in today's changing world. We've told stories about libraries during natural disasters, the challenges of homelessness, and NYC's fraught relationship with trash. For transcripts, pictures, book lists, and resources, please visit our web page: bklynlib.org/podcasts The views, thoughts, and opinions of the guests do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of Brooklyn Public Library. more

Enter the controversial pages of banned and challenged books, of censorship and culture wars. Join Nicolle Okoren and Eden Wen twice a month as they read, discuss and understand the books and authors that communities across the United States have historically tried—and are still currently trying—to keep out of the hands of children and teenagers. burnthisbook.substack.com more

Censored is a podcast for the filthy minded. Explore banned films, books, magazines, newspapers and cinema like a smut-obsessed censor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. more

A weekly conversational podcast with Christine Renee  Miller and Jessica Goudeau about banned books, plays, and films now and throughout history--with occasional guests.  more

Since 2021, an unprecedented number of Young Adult books, especially ones with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC characters, have been removed from libraries across the country. In this podcast, our mission is to provide clarity and context during this period of record-breaking book challenges by discussing banned books. Please join us for our conversations! Books are meant to be read. more

'Welcome to Lit on Fire — the podcast where literature meets controversy, where banned books, silenced voices, and dangerous ideas refuse to stay quiet. From classrooms to courtrooms, novels to news cycles, we explore how stories challenge power, expose injustice, and ignite social change.Our logo — a woman bound atop a burning stack of books — isn't just an image. It's a warning and a promise. A warning about what happens when voices are erased… and a promise that stories, once lit, are impossible to put out.So if you're ready to question, to argue, to feel uncomfortable, and to think deeper — you're in the right place. This is - Lit on Fire. more

Welcome to Banned Together, the podcast that fearlessly ventures into the world of banned and censored literature. Books inspire conversation, let's see what comes up. We cover book details, social structures, human rights, racism, gossip,  and any other thought provoking subjects that this literature inspires. Readers are leaders, and our mission is to not only be inspired, but evoke inspiration in others. We are a book club just a click away. Not only banned books, but the socially impactful books as well. Join us as we unravel the gripping stories, controversial ideas, and powerful voices that have challenged authority, sparked revolutions, and left an indelible mark on the fabric of society. Hosted by Jeanna and Adriana. more

Banned Voices preserves the stories of authors, editors, and publishers who have experienced censorship or persecution. We strive to be politically neutral, giving a platform for all kinds of thinkers from around the world and across the political spectrum to tell their own personal stories from their own perspectives. We are the official podcast of the Banned Books Museum, a museum in Tallinn, Estonia that preserves and exhibits banned, censored, and burned books from around the world. more

Join us as we discuss the latest news and books in the world of book bans and reading. Think of us as your virtual book club as we tackle the ever-growing lists of banned books, or as we call them- our TBR. more

Unban Coolies advocates for artists and authors facing censorship, amid a surge in book bans, with librarians in the middle of the crossfire. Host Christopher Lau leads interviews with acclaimed authors and rockstar librarians, illuminating the dangers of book banning. Lau ensures each episode is filled with intriguing and thoughtful questions, guiding the conversations. Together, we champion diverse voices, ensuring our literary landscape mirrors the richness of human experiences. Brace yourself for inspiring narratives and boundless love for literature. more

When Banned Things Happen To Good People is a podcast about censorship and the arts. Hosts Todd Sullivan and Peter Aman examine books, films, and more that have been banned or challenged in the past. more

Barred Books combines banned books, cocktails, and conversation into one delightfully chaotic mix. Join us!

The illliterati is an exclusive group that possesses supernatural knowledge of all things literature, and all things P&T Knitwear. Presented by the staff of our independent bookstore and podcast studio in NYC's Lower East Side, the illliterati revisits banned books, rewrites bad endings, and re-assigns assigned reading. Listen and laugh at the staff's novel and often weird opinions. more

Banned Books have a lot to teach us. The goal of this podcast is to learn about historical social justice issues through reactions to banned and controversial literature and learn how our culture can grapple with ideas of free speech. Through a deep dive into historical precedent and conversations with experts, we'll have important discussions on intellectual freedom, censorship, the power of using your voice, and much more. Note: Each episode's sources will be listed on the podcast's website shortly! more