Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship

By Jennifer Davis and Dan Schulz turn books banned in schools into a comedy book review podcast, reading challenged literature cover-to-cover to find out exactly what got each book banned.Comedy Society & Culture Arts Books

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Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship episodes

April 23The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 20: Drunk Dials, Broken Records & Central Park at 1AM | Banned Books Podcast
Holden closes out one of the longest nights of his life alone at a bar, drunk-dials Sally Hayes at 1 AM to ask if he can trim her Christmas tree, and ends up wandering Central Park in the freezing cold looking for the ducks. What finally gets him off that bench and walking home might surprise you.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Holden's 1 AM drunk-dial to Sally Hayes where he asks to trim her Christmas tree four separate times while her grandmother tries to hang up on him
Jennifer's immediate pivot to mom-mode logistics: "Where is he sleeping tonight? Is he going to be okay?"
Dan declaring he's not strong enough to handle another Holden adventure and just wants the kid to go to bed
Holden skipping his last quarters across the lagoon while Dan loses his mind about the money management
A listener comment that reframes Holden's entire reluctance to go home around the threat of institutionalization
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? This chapter shows a teenager drunk, alone, and planning his own funeral in Central Park at 1 AM. The thing that finally saves him isn't an adult, a teacher, or a system — it's the thought of his little sister. Book banners call this "anti-social behavior." The rest of us call it a kid who ran out of adults.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
Disclaimer 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 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, his estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? The Catcher in the Rye has been one of the most frequently challenged books in America since its publication in 1951, and was the most censored book in the U.S. from 1961 to 1982. It's been removed from schools and libraries for profanity, sexual references, and "anti-social behavior" — but the deeper reason is that Holden Caulfield gives teenagers permission to question authority, reject conformity, and say out loud that the system feels broken. That's the part that actually scares book banners.
Is there a podcast that reads The Catcher in the Rye chapter by chapter? That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 10 covers The Catcher in the Rye, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning? No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 20, Holden Caulfield, Sally Hayes, Phoebe Caulfield, Allie Caulfield, Valencia, Central Park, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

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37 min
April 21Banned Camp Presents: They Came After the Librarian
Martha Hickson is a school librarian featured prominently in the PBS documentary "The Librarians." She's also a Banned Camp fan. On National Library Workers' Day, we talk with Martha about why book banners consistently target librarians, the coordinated "Lawn Boy" setup that made her one of the first librarians in the country attacked by this organized movement, the personal toll of standing up, and most importantly—what you can do right now to fight book bans and support librarians in your community.
This is a special episode. No chapter reading. Just Martha's story.
Watch the Documentary: "The Librarians" (PBS Independent Lens, directed by Kim A. Snyder) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywQOCY-qDzE
Resources Martha Mentioned:
Unite Against Book Bans UniteAgainstBookBans.org A coalition of organizations (ALA, National Coalition Against Censorship, PEN America, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Every Library) with resources for fighting censorship in your community.
Action Menu tinyurl.com/burningmad A menu of actionable ways to support libraries and fight book bans, from reporting challenges to the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom to posting on social media.
What You Can Do Today:
Join Unite Against Book Bans
Report book challenges in your community to the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom
Post about book banning on social media
Use your library and tell others how great it is
Send a thank you email or card to your librarian
Tell your librarian you see them, value them, appreciate them
Featured Books Discussed: Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

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31 min
April 16The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 19: The Loneliest Kid at the Bar | Banned Books Comedy
Holden heads to the Wicker Bar to meet Carl Luce, an older former student advisor from his Wooten days who knows a suspicious amount about everyone's private life. What follows is one long, uncomfortable bar conversation where Holden can't stop asking the wrong questions — and Luce can't wait to leave.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Holden describes the Wicker Bar's lounge singers with a French accent that Jennifer fully commits to
Robot explains what "flits" means and Dan tries to figure out exactly how offensive it is
Jennifer notices something about Salinger's real message about gay people hiding who they are
Dan compares Holden to his dog Foxy — "the world is a lonely place if you bark at everyone"
Holden asks Luce about his older Chinese girlfriend's sex life and somehow thinks this is normal conversation
The chapter ends with one of the most honest lines in the book
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? This chapter includes repeated use of 1950s slang for gay men and an extended conversation about sex, sexuality, and psychoanalysis — exactly the kind of content that gets flagged by book challengers. But the real threat is Jennifer's observation: Salinger may be arguing that society forces people into being phonies by not letting them be who they are. That's the message book banners don't want teenagers to hear.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
Disclaimer 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 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, his estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? The Catcher in the Rye has been one of the most frequently challenged books in America since its publication in 1951, and was the most censored book in the U.S. from 1961 to 1982. It's been removed from schools and libraries for profanity, sexual references, and "anti-social behavior" — but the deeper reason is that Holden Caulfield gives teenagers permission to question authority, reject conformity, and say out loud that the system feels broken. That's the part that actually scares book banners.
Is there a podcast that reads The Catcher in the Rye chapter by chapter? That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 10 covers The Catcher in the Rye, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning? No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 19, Holden Caulfield, Carl Luce, Wicker Bar, sexuality, loneliness, phoniness, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
32 min
April 14The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 18: The War Behind Every Page | Banned Books Comedy
Holden kills time before a bar date by going to Radio City, where he watches the Rockettes, debates whether a roller-skating comedian is a little person, and sits through a movie so bad he recaps the entire plot just to prove how terrible it is. But this chapter takes a hard turn when Dan asks a simple question — was Salinger in the army? — and the answer changes everything they thought they knew about this book.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
The ongoing debate about whether the roller-skating comedian at Radio City is a little person — and Robot's devastating comparison to the dog from Up
"You know what that is? That's precision" — the line that keeps coming back, including when Holden decides what Jesus would say about a kettle drum player
Dan's observation that both Holden and Jesus are sick of the phonies
Holden recapping an entire terrible movie — and the Gilligan's Island coconut comparison when a cricket ball restores someone's memory
The woman who cried through the whole movie but wouldn't take her own kid to the bathroom — and why Holden's observation about that is one of the sharpest lines in the book
The moment Jennifer asks if Salinger was in the army — and the revelation that rewrites every chapter that came before it
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
Disclaimer: 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 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, his estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? The Catcher in the Rye has been one of the most frequently challenged books in America since its publication in 1951, and was the most censored book in the U.S. from 1961 to 1982. It's been removed from schools and libraries for profanity, sexual references, and "anti-social behavior" — but the deeper reason is that Holden Caulfield gives teenagers permission to question authority, reject conformity, and say out loud that the system feels broken. That's the part that actually scares book banners.
Is there a podcast that reads The Catcher in the Rye chapter by chapter? That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 10 covers The Catcher in the Rye, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning? No. Every episode opens with Robot's recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 18, Holden Caulfield, Jane Gallagher, Carl Luce, Sally Hayes, Allie Caulfield, DB Caulfield, Emily Dickinson, Radio City, war and literature, performed emotion vs real empathy, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
30 min
April 09The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 17.2: The Date That Was Already Over Before It Started | Banned Books Comedy
Holden and Sally hit the ice at Rockefeller Center, where Sally rents a "little blue butttwitcher of a dress" and Holden discovers he's the worst skater on the rink. What starts as an awkward date turns into something much heavier when Holden starts lighting matches in a bar and asks Sally the question that's been eating him alive: "Did you ever get fed up?"
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Sally's butttwitcher skating dress and the moment Jennifer asks "is that a typo?"
Holden trying to order a scotch and getting shut down by yet another adult who can see right through him
The match-lighting scene where Holden goes from small talk to existential crisis in about thirty seconds
Holden's full escape fantasy: $180 in the bank, a cabin in Vermont, chopping wood, and a girl he doesn't even want to bring
Jennifer comparing Holden's meltdown to Dan wanting to ride the rails like a hobo
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? This chapter captures exactly why — a teenager rejecting the entire plan society has mapped out for him, saying out loud what he's not supposed to say, and asking someone to run away with him. It's not the language that scares people. It's a kid who sees through everything and can't pretend anymore.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
If you're looking for another great podcast to add to your rotation, check out:
Trace of Suspicion — A new podcast from Dateline about a young Marine whose death investigation took a wild, unexpected, and utterly bizarre turn. Hosted by Josh Menowitz.
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
Disclaimer:
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 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, his estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 17, Holden Caulfield, Sally Hayes, Rockefeller Center, escape fantasy, teenage depression, conformity, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
34 min
April 07The Catcher in the Rye | Ch. 17: Girl Watching, Phonies, and the Love You Don’t Mean
Holden arrives early to meet Sally Hayes, watches girls in the lobby, and realizes he wants to marry her the second she walks in — even though he doesn't even like her. What follows is a date full of cab rides, bad theater, and a guy named George who takes up way too much space in a checkered vest. By the end, Holden hates everyone, including himself, and Sally has a marvelous idea.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Holden's extended meditation on boring guys and the one roommate who was a terrific whistler — and Jennifer losing her mind over the tangent
The moment Holden tells Sally he loves her, admits it's a lie, then says he meant it when he said it
Dan and Jennifer debating whether Sally is a phony or just an uncomfortable girl doing her best
"Every toe in her body" — a Salinger original that breaks both hosts
Dan pointing out that less than seven hours ago, a prostitute and her pimp were beating Holden up — and now he's on a date
Jennifer's mom telling her she didn't really give birth because she had a C-section — during a Macbeth discussion
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? This chapter captures one of the book's most quietly dangerous ideas: that the line between honest and dishonest isn't a line at all, and a teenager can figure that out in real time. Book banners don't want kids to realize that adults perform sincerity the same way Holden does — they just never admit it.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
Check out these podcasts we think you'll love:
Dateline | Trace of Suspicion — A young Marine, a woman who didn't care about convention, and a death investigation that takes a wild, unexpected turn. Hosted by Josh Menowitz.
MS NOW presents Clock It — Simone Sanders Townsend breaks down the intersection of culture and politics with sharp analysis and real talk. New episodes drop Thursdays.
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
Featured Clip: This episode includes short clips from "Girl Watcher" by The O'Kaysions. All rights belong to their respective owners and are used here under fair use for the purpose of cultural commentary and education.
Disclaimer: 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 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, his estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 17, Holden Caulfield, Sally Hayes, George, Harris McKim, Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, phoniness, authenticity, love and self-deception, The O'Kaysions, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
31 min
April 02The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 16.2: The Museum That Never Changes | Banned Books Podcast
The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 16.2 | Banned Books Comedy Podcast
Holden goes to Central Park looking for Phoebe, helps a little girl tighten her skate, walks all the way to the Museum of Natural History remembering every detail from his childhood field trips, and then does something nobody expected — he won't go inside. This is the chapter where Salinger finally shows you what the whole book is about.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter—we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Holden asking a random kid on a bench if she knows Phoebe — and Jennifer pointing out that's the most kid move in the entire book
The skate key moment: "you could put a skate key in my hand 50 years from now in pitch dark and I'd still know what it is"
A detour into whether Trump's animatronic at Disney's Hall of Presidents was actually a repainted Hillary Clinton figure — Robot investigates
Jennifer's observation that Holden isn't what he was anymore and doesn't know what he's becoming
Dan connecting the dots: trying so hard not to be phony is its own kind of phony
The glass case passage — one of the most important paragraphs in the entire novel
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? Sixteen chapters in and the hosts still can't find a single thing worth banning. What they did find is a teenager standing outside a museum he used to love, unable to go in, because going in would prove he's not the same kid anymore. The real threat of this book isn't language or behavior — it's a kid admitting that growing up is terrifying, and no adult in his life has noticed.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy:
If you're looking for more great podcasts, check these out:
Dateline Presents: Trace of Suspicion — A young Marine and the woman who didn't care about convention made a life together. Then one night the Marine died, and the death investigation took a wild, unexpected, and utterly bizarre turn.
MS NOW Presents: Clock It — Simone Sanders Townsend positions herself at the intersection of culture and politics, breaking down what's happening in the news so you can start to clock it too. New episodes drop Thursdays.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
Disclaimer:
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 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, their estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 16, Holden Caulfield, Phoebe, Sally Hayes, Central Park, Museum of Natural History, glass cases, growing up, nostalgia, identity, phoniness, Disney Hall of Presidents, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
33 min
March 31The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 16.1: If a Body Catch a Body Coming Through the Rye | Banned Books Comedy
The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 16.1
Holden walks through New York on a Sunday morning still haunted by the nuns, buys a record for his little sister that makes him happier than anything in sixteen chapters, finally calls the girl he's been afraid to call, and hears a six-year-old kid singing a song on a curb that changes everything. This is the chapter where the title of the book finally shows up.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter—we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Robot's stunned reaction when Jennifer remembers something from season one without flashcards
The Katherine Heigl charity dog rescue tangent that ends with Dan's greatest verbal stumble of all time (you'll know it when you hear it)
Holden finally calling Jane after sixteen chapters of excuses — and what happens when her mom picks up
The moment Jennifer and Dan read the line the entire novel is named after and has no idea what it means
Robot refusing to explain it "You'll get there."
Dan's insight that Holden performs realness as his own kind of phoniness — which might be the smartest thing anyone's said about this book all season
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned?
Sixteen chapters in and there's still nothing ban-worthy in the text. What there is: a teenager who notices that charity can be performance, that actors are phonier than the people they play, and that the only authentic moment in Hamlet was a girl horsing around with a dagger while nobody was watching. The real threat of this book is a kid who can tell the difference between what's real and what's for show — and who keeps choosing real.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy:
If you're looking for more great podcasts, check these out:
Dateline Presents: Trace of Suspicion — A young Marine and the woman who didn't care about convention made a life together. Then one night the Marine died, and the death investigation took a wild, unexpected, and utterly bizarre turn.
MS NOW Presents: Clock It — Simone Sanders Townsend positions herself at the intersection of culture and politics, breaking down what's happening in the news so you can start to clock it too. New episodes drop Thursdays.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
Disclaimer
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 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, their estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Topics Covered:
The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 16, Holden Caulfield, Phoebe, Jane Gallagher, Sally Hayes, Little Shirley Beans, Sir Laurence Olivier, Hamlet, Ophelia, the Lunts, phoniness, authenticity, coming of age, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
30 min
March 26The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 15.2: Holden Talks Romeo and Juliet with a Nun | Banned Books Podcast
The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 15.2 | Banned Books Comedy Podcast
Holden finishes his conversation with the two nuns at the lunch counter, gives them ten dollars he can't really afford, discusses Romeo and Juliet with an English teacher in iron-rimmed glasses, accidentally blows smoke in their faces, and then watches them leave. It's one of the warmest scenes in the book, and it ends with one of Salinger's most devastating lines.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter—we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Holden's take on Romeo and Juliet: he cared more about Mercutio dying than Romeo or Juliet, because it was somebody else's fault
Robot's history of how nuns had their cultural moment in the 1960s, complete with Vatican Two described as "ComicCon for bishops"
Holden connecting the Catholic identity thing to the suitcases from last episode — the invisible walls between people who were getting along fine
Dan calling the chapter a dud and Jennifer pushing back with one of the sharpest observations of the season
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? This chapter is about a teenager having a kind, honest conversation with two nuns about literature. He gives them money. He feels guilty he didn't give more. And then he connects religion to class — the labels people carry that end good conversations before they should. That's the threat: a kid learning to see the invisible walls that divide people, and questioning whether they need to be there at all.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy:
If you're looking for more great podcasts, check these out:
Dateline Presents: Trace of Suspicion — A young Marine and the woman who didn't care about convention made a life together. Then one night the Marine died, and the death investigation took a wild, unexpected, and utterly bizarre turn.
MS NOW Presents: Clock It — Simone Sanders Townsend positions herself at the intersection of culture and politics, breaking down what's happening in the news so you can start to clock it too. New episodes drop Thursdays.
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!
Featured Clips:
This episode includes a short clip from The Blues Brothers (1980). All rights belong to their respective owners and are used here under fair use for the purpose of cultural commentary and education.
Disclaimer:
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 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, their estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 15, Holden Caulfield, Mercutio, Romeo and Juliet, nuns, religion, class identity, suitcases, Thomas Hardy, Eustacia Vye, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
26 min
March 24The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 15.1: Holden Meets Two Nuns at Grand Central | Banned Books Podcast
Holden finally sleeps, checks out of the hotel (while avoiding the pimp who punched him), and calls the one girl he doesn't actually want to talk to instead of the one he does. Then he sits down at a lunch counter next to two nuns with cheap suitcases, and something quietly shifts.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter—we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
Dan asking the question everyone's been thinking: why won't Holden just call Jane?
Jennifer's callback to the biblical lunatic with the sharp rocks — "he reaches for the thing that will cut him"
The suitcase scene where two roommates liked each other but couldn't get past their luggage
Dan's life advice: "one thing my dad always told me growing up — don't make fun of nuns' suitcases"
Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned?
This chapter has almost nothing a book banner could point to — it's a kid eating breakfast and meeting nuns. But that's the point. The real threat isn't the sex or the language. It's a teenager processing class, shame, loneliness, and the fear of disappointing his parents — the exact things a kid reading this book might recognize in themselves.
If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
If you're looking for more great podcasts, check these out:
Dateline Presents: Trace of Suspicion — A young Marine and the woman who didn't care about convention made a life together. Then one night the Marine died, and the death investigation took a wild, unexpected, and utterly bizarre turn.
MS NOW Presents: Clock It — Simone Sanders Townsend positions herself at the intersection of culture and politics, breaking down what's happening in the news so you can start to clock it too. New episodes drop Thursdays.
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Disclaimer
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 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, their estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 15, Holden Caulfield, Sally Hayes, Jane Gallagher, Dick Slagel, Maurice, Sunny, class and identity, suitcases, loneliness, parenting, coming of age, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

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32 min

About Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship

From the publisher's feed

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.