This week’s edition of Entertainment Weekly has a short blurb on the books people read as teens that were considered “forbidden” reads. In other words, those books you borrowed from the library or friends…and then hid from your parents. The ones you talked about with your friends and felt sooo mature giggling over at the lunch table.
Speaking of giggling, the list made me chuckle because it proves some things are universal. Here it is:
1. Flowers in The Attic by V.C. Andrews - I read this (and a few that came after) with an odd mixture of “isn’t that cool” and “ewww, what are they doing?” going on in my head. A reader explained it best by saying: “I was…enthralled and floored and weirded out at the same time.” Yep. Me too.
2. Forever by Judy Blume - I’m pretty sure I read all of the Blume books, but this one was the one I remember thinking I probably shouldn’t be reading, which made me love it all the more.
3. The Godfather by Mario Puzo - Okay, this one was not a “forbidden read” for me. I read it. Saw the movie(s). Don’t think I had to hide it, but maybe I’m wrong.
4. Chances by Jackie Collins - I don’t think I’ve ever read Collins. I do have some vague memory of a book - I think it was by Sydney Sheldon - where a guy used a fish… Have no idea what that was, but remember a bunch of us passing it around the library. Not that our school library carried it. Someone brought it in and we all wanted to see it and the library seemed like a good place as any to check it out. Whatever that book was, I’d put that one here on my list.
5. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel - This is another one I read but don’t remember needing a brown wraper to get it in the house. my good friend Missy loved it. I thought it was meh. More than likely whatever book it is I’m thinking about in #4 changed forever my views on “forbidden” books and Auel no longer made the list.
What about you? Do you remember reading books as teens that you thought were so grown-up to be considered forbidden. Other EW readers talked about titles by Judith Krantz, Stephen King and others. Did you have any? If so, have you read them since you were a teen? I’m just wondering if, by today’s standards, these “forbidden” reads seems as forbidden.
Post a response and I’ll pick someone from those commenting to win a $20 Amazon gift certificate via email.
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I read “F in the A” and the Judy Blume books, and the Blume books, though straightforward, didn’t really feel like forbidden fruit. More like reality. FitA was weird, very ewww, but that didn’t stop me or a few of my friends from reading them. Now I look back on them and ask why I read, like, 15 of VC Andrews’ (or the ghostwriters’) books. Sick puppy LOL
One book that really stands out for me is “Whispers” by Dean Koontz. Reading it under the age of 15 was definitely not something I’d recommend. It was disturbing, in a sexual way, and in a stalker way too. I haven’t read it in over 20 years, and I don’t know that I’d want to either. I think some books definitely should wait for adulthood.
by Stacy ~
on February 27th, 2007 at 6:33 am
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I remember my friend sneaking out Harold Robbins books from her mother for us to read.
by Maureen
on February 27th, 2007 at 6:50 am
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I remember sneaking around to read Ian Fleming’s James Bond Books and Jacqueline Susan’s Valley of the Dolls.
I haven’t reread any of them and would probably consider them tame considering all the erotica that’s available now. Times have changed a lot!
by Laurie G
on February 27th, 2007 at 7:07 am
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As a teen, reading “forbidden books” not really. But I remember seeing Lady Chatterly’s Lover in my aunt’s basement on her bookshelf and flipping the pages and being shocked. LOL.
In my early late teens/2o’s read The Carpetbaggers and all of Harold Robbins books and thought them very spicy.
by Pat L
on February 27th, 2007 at 7:28 am
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Meant to say late teens/early 2o’s. Sorry.
by Pat L
on February 27th, 2007 at 7:29 am
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As a teen I was allowed a lot of freedom in reading but there were those books of course that my parents prefered I not read and that I read anyway behind closed doors or out of sight. I see alot of the same ones mentioned on here but I will add my list anyhow. I snuck around and got to read any and all of Dean Koontz’s books, all of Jean Auel’s books, all the Judy Blume books, The Entity by Frank De Felitta and The Bad Seed by William March. I also remembering secretly peeking into and reading bits out of dating books and all kinds of romantic passages in any romance books my friends and I would find. And those books were always so much harder to hide with the beautiful, sensually posed couples on the covers. I appreciate the beautiful covers now but as a kid, the sexier the cover, the more nervous my friends and I were about having to hide it or die of embarrassment from the folks or a curious brother finding it.
by April
on February 27th, 2007 at 8:09 am
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I read Flowers in the Attic. I did read a few books that my mom would have considered forbidden. I was paranoid the whole time I was reading that she would catch me. :grin:
by Crystal B.
on February 27th, 2007 at 8:10 am
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I remember reading Forever. I also remember sneaking The Other Side of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon, and a couple of Kathleen Woodiwiss.
by Sandy L
on February 27th, 2007 at 8:50 am
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I remember coming accross books that my Grandma had “tucked away” - Lady Chatterly’s Lover, Lolita, Valley of the Dolls, The Stepford Wives and Rosemary’s Baby. I was fascinated!
I also remember sneaking one of them to school (high school) and reading it - I also remember my teacher calling my parents and telling them what I was reading. ;-)
When my Grandma passed away a few years ago and we were cleaning out her house, I found all of these books in the bottom of a cabinet with a false bottom! I thought it was hilarious - my Mother and my 3 Sisters were mortified. Needless to say - I kept all of the books.
by Christy
on February 27th, 2007 at 9:41 am
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Oh, it was definitely Judy Blume for me.
by Lisa W
on February 27th, 2007 at 9:53 am
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I think what was considered Forbidden in the past is certainly not that anymore…more like the erotic romance books are are now considered “forbidden”.
by Deborah
on February 27th, 2007 at 9:54 am
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I read quite a bit in my teens but I don’t think anything that would have been forbidden.
by Shuck Ying
on February 27th, 2007 at 9:57 am
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I read Flowers in the Attic when I was 10. For some reason there was a battered copy of it in the library piule of my classroom. Iread it and was like Whoa!
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Sadly, I was not an active reader when I was younger…you would probably have found me outside playing anything and everything. However, I have since made up for that time w/o books..and then some :) :)
by Kathleen
on February 27th, 2007 at 10:06 am
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I read all of the D.H. Lawrence novels as well as Thomas Hardy which I enjoyed thoroughly.
by alissa
on February 27th, 2007 at 10:06 am
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I read Flowers in the Attic and that whole series. I also remember reading Forever and being stunned. My mom flipped to a page in that and promptly took it from me, thankfully I had finished reading it. Other books were It by Stephen King, a couple of John Saul books and few Dean Koontz. But I do really remember my friends and I getting into the Flowers in the Attic series.
by Crystal F
on February 27th, 2007 at 10:33 am
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I remember reading The Other Side of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon and Fear of Flying by Erica Jong. And the whole time feeling so guilty I didn’t even enjoy them! 
by Susan
on February 27th, 2007 at 10:36 am
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I remember stealing my mom’s harlequin books. I remember reading the sex parts and thinking that I would never do that. My mom would have killed me if she found out about me reading them, but it gave me an earlier education. Now if my daughter read them, I would kill her. LOL
by Patty L.
on February 27th, 2007 at 10:46 am
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The only one that comes to mind is Stephen King. I’ve been reading him since I was 12. I used to read a lot of horror novels when I was young. I don’t ever recall my parents taking any books away from me. I pretty much read what I wanted.
by Janet
on February 27th, 2007 at 10:48 am
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The only time I recall my parent’s forbidding a book was when I was 11, and “The Exorcist” had just come out. I begged and pleased and whined to no avail.
Years later, when I finally read the book, I realized at that age I had already read “way worse” stuff than that— so I made it a point never to censor my son’s reading.
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just the vc andrew books, my friend says here read it, it is creepy, but i watch the movie first lol.
by kim h
on February 27th, 2007 at 11:26 am
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I didn’t read any forbidden books while I was still at home. They all came later! lol I really have enjoyed all of Jean M. Auel books and Flowers in The Attic was very good, too.
by Carol
on February 27th, 2007 at 11:37 am
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I remember sneaking Wifey by Judy Blume and reading it in the dark.
by Vivi Anna
on February 27th, 2007 at 11:40 am
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Jacqueline Susan’s Valley of the Dolls would be the one I read. We were secluded on the farm, no library at the school and therefore, not much opportunity to read anything other than what was at home. I now make up for it.
by RobynL
on February 27th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
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I think I only have one memory of any forbidden book, my parents really didn’t care what I was reading (Jackie Collins, Danielle Steele, Grisham, Crichton). But when I was in grade 6 I was at my best friend’s house, drinking smog (coke and fruit juice) while she read us the racy scenes from this little hardcover book which she promptly hid the moment her mom’s car pulled up lol
by Lis
on February 27th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
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This brings back memories - sitting with friends and reading passages of some of these. Totally makes me laugh since my parents were pretty open about the books I read and probably would not have said anything, but still I thought I was doing something naughty. And I see I’m not alone…
Amazing how many of us read VC Andrews. But how did I miss the Flowers in the Attic movie. Really? A tv movie? I had no idea.
by HelenKay
on February 27th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
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1956 - Peyton Place!! I was 15 and read it (so did my mom!) But my father was mortified and threw it in the fireplace…
by Karen B
on February 27th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
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I remember reading Wifey and Forever as a teenager and thinking they were naughty. I laugh thinking back on it now.
by Cherie Japp
on February 27th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
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I read a few Danielle Steele books in my early teens. I thought they were very grown up
by Aisling
on February 27th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
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Yes I read all these books as a child. I was not restricted as to what I was allowed, I think my parents loved it when they knew I was reading. I read all the V.C. Andrews books. Some Judy Blume books and I absolutely love Clan of the Cave Bear. Was so happy years later when they made it into a movie with Darryl Hannah.
by Teresa W.
on February 27th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
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The only “forbidden” book that I remember reading as a teen was Lady Chatterly’s Lover which I started but never finished.
by Linda F
on February 27th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
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Nope, never had to hide anything from the parents. But on a related note, I read plenty from those so called banned lists back in high school. And I went to a Catholic school too! LOL :)
Lois
by Lois
on February 27th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
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I also read Judy Blume in my pre-teens so reading Wifey was an eye opener.
by Sue A.
on February 27th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
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Anything by HP Lovecraft..they seemed so adult to me because they are hard to read
by Jeanette Jackson
on February 27th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
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My parents accepted that I was an avid reader and I can’t remember any book being forbidden by my parents.
by Joyce
on February 27th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
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I have been reading romance novels since my teens, and while my tastes now run more towards erotic romance, I could only remember a couple of the more risque titles: Wifey, Valley of the Dolls, and The Other Side of Midnight.
by Cathy
on February 27th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
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I remember reading V C Andrews and my est friend and I used to sneak her grandma’s Harlequins. I used to read a lot of horror novels back in the day…like the Exorcist. That was as forbidden as it got for me…
by Angie T
on February 27th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
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Forever by Judy Blume was mistakenly purchased for the library at my Catholic School and it was in circulation for about two weeks before one mom got wise to what we were reading and it was removed. But the damage had already been done. My mom let me read whatever I got my hands on and actually bought me a copy of Forever!
I was an avid reader in my teens of romance novels. I can remember reading the very first Harlequin Intriques and Americans and of course those Loveswepts. They were so good.
Kathy :)
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I read Forever when I was about 12 and I couldn’t believe it, I had thought Judy Blume was as clean as you could get, so did I mother.
by Mary J
on February 27th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
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I read Flowers in the Attic. When I was 13, my aunt gave me my first historical romance and got me hooked on reading romances.
by Amy S.
on February 27th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
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Ah, memories…Lots of familiar titles here, but one I never really thought of as being forbidden is Clan of the Cave Bear. Maybe its just been too long.
by Lee
on February 28th, 2007 at 12:26 am
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I remember reading my mothers Sidney Sheldon books. They felt pretty ‘forbidden’ at the time :)
by Marie
on February 28th, 2007 at 2:01 am
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I borrowed a copy of Forever by Judy Blume from a friend of mine who had snuck it out of her brother’s room. I was 12 then and it was the first book I had read like that and I did keep it away from my Mom, knowing she wouldn’t have let me read it if she had simmed through it. I remember my friend’s brother found out she had it just as I finished reading it and she had to get it back to him quickly before he told their parents she had it.
by Karen
on February 28th, 2007 at 8:32 am
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i read some of those listed and romance novels but i don’t remember anything specific. its so funny to see things mentioned that seemed “forbidden” at the time b/c it is nothing compared to how it is today.
by Melissa V
on February 28th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
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I used to pick up my mother’s True Story Mags. and read them years ago when I was a young teen. I am so hooked on Romance books (all types) now, I haven’t picked up one of those mags. in years.
by Tammy G.
on February 28th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
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I have been reading romances since I was 13 or 14 years old, which were considered forbidden by many. My first romance was definitely an eye-opener…didn’t know they did that in books…LOL. I remember that I had to put post-its on the covers of some of the more risque books so I wouldn’t get in trouble at school. However, our high school library had some romances…I remember reading one by Heather Graham and I think Rexanne Becnel there. It was quite surprising that they did…I remember being excited, but suprised when I saw them on the shelf. I saw nothing wrong with reading romance, but many did.
I have read almost every Judy Blume book…and remember reading Forever. I have Flowers in The Attic by V.C. Andrews, but don’t think I have ever read it…did see the movie.
by Jennifer Y.
on February 28th, 2007 at 7:24 pm
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any winner
by kim h
on March 8th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
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I swear I thought I posted a winner. :oops: To make up for my lateness, I’m naming two winners and each gets a $20 Amazon gift certificate. The folks randomly chosen by my husband using the “pick a number” method are:
April (comment #6) and Jeanette Jackson (comment #34)
Congrats ladies - please email me.
by HelenKay
on March 16th, 2007 at 11:34 am
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Congratulations ladies!!!
by Tammy G.
on March 16th, 2007 at 11:43 am
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wtg ladies
by kim h
on March 16th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
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thank u helen
by kimh
on March 18th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
