Adrian Marek: author archive
“The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini: published today in 2003
“But better to get hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie.” SYNOPSIS: Amir grows up in Afghanistan alongside Hassan, the son of his father’s servant. After betraying his closest friend, Amir spends years haunted by guilt. The novel explores friendship, betrayal,...
New book: 52 Banned Books in the UK: A Guided Intellectual Journey
A Yearlong Reading Guide Exploring UK’s Most Challenged Literature What happens when a book is considered too powerful to stay on the shelf? 52 Banned Books is a reading guide designed for curious, thoughtful readers who want to explore the stories that have been...
Remembering Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov on His Birthday
On the birthday of Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov, we remember one of the most original and fearless writers of the twentieth century. Born in Kyiv in 1891, Bulgakov began his career as a doctor, but literature soon became the true center of his life. His medical...
Harper Lee Birthday – To Kill a Mockingbird Essay
Today, April 28, is Harper Lee's birthday, she was born 100 years ago. Here's the essay about her famous book To Kill a Mockingbird, from my new book 52 Banned Books: A Guided Intellectual Journey (U.S. edition): Unlock the Stories They Tried to Silence SYNOPSIS: Set...
52 Banned Books Bonus: The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson
Synopsis: Pak Jun Do is the son of a work-camp official who grows up in an orphanage in North Korea, learning early that survival depends on obedience and instinct. As he rises through the ranks of the regime, he is drawn into missions that blur truth, identity, and...
Introducing 52 Banned Books: A Guided Intellectual Journey (U.S. ed.)
A Yearlong Reading Guide Exploring America’s Most Challenged Literature What happens when a book is considered too powerful to stay on the shelf? 52 Banned Books is a reading guide designed for curious, thoughtful readers who want to explore the stories that have been...
Benedict L. Morgan
Benedict L. Morgan writes about literature, censorship, and the complex relationship between storytelling and power. He studied English Literature and Linguistics, where his fascination with banned and contested books first began—not just as controversies, but as moments that reveal how societies define truth, morality, and authority.
He is the author of the 52 Banned Books series, an international project exploring literary restriction across different countries and historical periods, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia & the Soviet Union. His work blends historical research with clear, accessible analysis, tracing how censorship evolves over time—from obscenity trials and state suppression to school removals, legal designations, and modern regulatory pressure.
Having lived in both Europe and Canada, Morgan brings an international perspective to questions of intellectual freedom and cultural debate. His books are not simply works of literary criticism; they are invitations—encouraging readers to look more closely at the social norms, legal frameworks, and power structures that shape what is permitted, challenged, or silenced.
He writes for readers who care about literary history, free expression, and the enduring tension between culture and authority.




