We're handing the show over to you. The scary book people have nominated the books they want us to read for season 11, and we've narrowed it down to five finalists. All banned. All books someone doesn't want you to read. Now it's time to vote.

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.

The Five Finalists:

• Animal Farm by George Orwell
• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Vote now at bannedcamppodcast.com/soundoff Voting ends Sunday, May 17 at midnight. We'll announce the winning book on Tuesday, May 19.

Coming Up:

• Thursday, May 14: The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 24.2
• Tuesday, May 19: Chapter 25 begins (the penultimate chapter + season 11 book reveal)
• After we finish the book: "Catcher in the Crosshairs" — a special episode about the real-world murders connected to The Catcher in the Rye

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us!

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.