Love banned books? Hate censorship?
Same. You’re our kind of people.

Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books and try to figure out why they were banned in the first place.

Each season, we tackle a new banned book, reading it chapter by chapter and asking: What made someone clutch their pearls and scream, "BAN IT!"? (Spoiler: It’s rarely what you’d expect.) One thing is clear—the people banning these books often haven’t read them. While we uncover some eyebrow-raising moments, nothing truly justifies censorship.

Join us—and our listeners, "The Scary Book People"—as we explore the strange, hilarious, and sometimes baffling world of banned books.

Past seasons have featured classics like 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 Sáenz, and Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut.

This season, we’re diving into 1984 by George Orwell—a dystopian warning that feels eerily real today. From thought control to banned books, its message is more relevant than ever, and that’s exactly why it remains one of the most challenged books of all time.

By reading these books, we ask big questions: Why are banned books important? What does “banned” mean? What does “challenged” mean? How do book bans affect students? Are book bans constitutional?

Come hang out with us and have some laughs while we dig into the drama behind banned books—you might even learn something cool along the way!

Jen and Dan kick off this season by reading chapter 1 of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Dan seems to identify with the slower pace of life in a sleepy town, but Jennifer can't stand that phrase 'Ladies bathed before noon after their three o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum.' It's like they're being compared to baked goods covered in sweat and talcum powder. That's just not right -- or is it?

Join the fight against book banning in your local community, and get your copy of The Book Ban Battle Plan, our grassroots guide, at https://www.bannedcamppodcast.com/battle.

DISCLAIMER: This podcast, Banned Camp, features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment in accordance with fair use guidelines. The material used from the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. We do not claim any ownership over the original work, and all copyrights remain with the original copyright holder. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase copies of the discussed works to appreciate them in their original context fully.

This podcast is not endorsed by Harper Lee, her estate, or the publishers of "To Kill a Mockingbird." Any monetization of the podcast is separate and not derived directly from the copyrighted material discussed. Our intent is to engage in, promote, and support critical and educational discourse around these works within the framework of fair use.

Jen and Dan read chapter 2 of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Jen is considering taking Atticus’ advice to use bartering to clean her house.

Join the fight against book banning in your local community, and get your copy of The Book Ban Battle Plan, our grassroots guide, at https://www.bannedcamppodcast.com/battle.

DISCLAIMER: This podcast, Banned Camp, features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment in accordance with fair use guidelines. The material used from the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. We do not claim any ownership over the original work, and all copyrights remain with the original copyright holder. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase copies of the discussed works to appreciate them in their original context fully.

This podcast is not endorsed by Harper Lee, her estate, or the publishers of "To Kill a Mockingbird." Any monetization of the podcast is separate and not derived directly from the copyrighted material discussed. Our intent is to engage in, promote, and support critical and educational discourse around these works within the framework of fair use.