Show notes
🎉 Season 11 begins Tuesday, June 9th — The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.Three high-profile crimes. One banned book. Mark David Chapman shot John Lennon with a copy of The Catcher in the Rye in his pocket. John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan with a copy in his hotel room. Robert John Bardo murdered actress Rebecca Schaeffer with one in his backpack — and threw it on a rooftop while running from police. This is the episode where Dan and Jennifer try to figure out what actually happened, and whether J.D. Salinger's novel deserves any of the blame.Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — and occasionally go down rabbit holes that make us question everything we thought we knew about literature, murder, and Yoko Ono.Things To Listen For:The inscription Mark David Chapman wrote on his copy of the book the morning of the murder — and what he did with it at sentencingWhy one of the three cases may have had nothing to do with the book at all — and everything to do with Jodie FosterThe letter John Hinckley Jr. wrote to Jodie Foster the morning he shot Ronald ReaganWhy Robert John Bardo threw the book onto a rooftop while fleeing police — and what that says about his actual connection to itThe quote from J.D. Salinger biographer Kenneth Slawenski that explains the whole thing in one sentenceA fact about Strawberry Fields and the Dakota building that will make you see this book differently foreverRobot gets stuck. Dan has a rug. Beatrix has already been blamed.Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? This episode gets at the real answer — the same instinct that blamed this book for three high-profile crimes is the same instinct that removes it from school libraries. It's always easier to point at the object than to look at the person holding it. The book didn't make anyone do anything. That's the part that actually matters.Source: Much of the research for this episode comes from a great A&E Crime and Investigation piece: Did 'The Catcher in the Rye' Really Inspire Real-Life Killers? — worth reading after you listen.Banworthy to Bingeworthy If you liked Banned Camp, check out these podcasts we think you'll enjoy:Good News for Lefties and America — Positive news stories for progressive listeners, every day of the week. Because no matter how disturbing the headlines might be, there's always hope to build on. One million downloads and counting. Listen at goodnewsforlefties.com or wherever you get your podcasts.Why Is This Happening? The AI End Game — Chris Hayes speaks with leading experts about artificial intelligence, what it is, what it isn't, and what the end game looks like. A special miniseries from MS Now.Here's the Scoop: Supreme Court Edition — NBC News senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett talks to legal experts about the biggest Supreme Court cases still left to be decided this term, from citizenship to presidential power. New episodes every Saturday from NBC News.Rate, Review, & Follow 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 QuestionsWhy was The Catcher in the Rye banned? The Catcher in the Rye has been one


