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A Clockwork Orange (Anthony Burgess)
A 1962 dystopian novel by Anthony Burgess that topped PEN America's most banned list for 2024-25, with bans in 23 school districts. Challenged over violence and language; not banned nationwide.
- Status
- Banned
- Country
- USA
- Category
- Books
- Banned since
- 1973
- Last checked
- 18/10/2026
A Clockwork Orange is a 1962 dystopian satire by Anthony Burgess about a violent teenage gang leader who loves classical music and the state’s attempt to change his behaviour. The novel explores free will, violence and the role of authority.
The book is not banned across the United States. It has been removed or restricted at school district and library level. PEN America ranked it first on its list of the most banned books of the 2024-25 school year, with bans in 23 school districts.
Why it was challenged: complaints have focused on its violence, its depiction of rape and what challengers call objectionable language. In 2020, two Florida groups challenged 14 books in Marion County, including this one, as obscene or pornographic under Florida law.
History of challenges: in 1973 a bookseller in Orem, Utah was arrested for selling the novel. In 1976 it was removed from a high school in Aurora, Colorado, and in 1982 it was pulled from two high school libraries in Anniston, Alabama, then reinstated on a restricted basis. In the 2020 Marion County case, the district removed all available titles from middle schools, and a committee recommended keeping the remaining books for high school students.
The same Marion County challenge also named The Bluest Eye, and PEN America’s 2024-25 list included Nineteen Minutes as well.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was A Clockwork Orange banned?
Challenges have focused on its violence, its depiction of rape and what critics call objectionable language. In 2020, Florida groups also challenged it as obscene under state law. It is not banned nationwide; PEN America recorded bans in 23 school districts in 2024-25.
Is A Clockwork Orange banned in the US?
Not by national law. It has been removed or restricted by individual school districts and libraries. PEN America ranked it first on its most banned books list for the 2024-25 school year.
What is A Clockwork Orange about?
It is a 1962 dystopian satire by Anthony Burgess about a violent teenage gang leader who loves classical music, and the state's attempt to change his behaviour. It explores free will, violence and authority.
Where has A Clockwork Orange been removed from schools?
Examples include a high school in Aurora, Colorado (1976), two high school libraries in Anniston, Alabama (1982, later reinstated on a restricted basis) and middle schools in Marion County, Florida (2020).
How many districts banned A Clockwork Orange in 2024-25?
PEN America recorded bans in 23 school districts, the highest of any title that school year. The count covers public school libraries and classrooms, not public libraries or prisons.