Controversial Bookish Topic: Books with Controversial Authors

It is the first Controversial Bookish Topic post of 2022! And we are starting off the year with a great topic. (I say that both sarcastically and seriously.) This is a topic that first came up in June 2020 with J.K. Rowling's controversial tweets that were both homophobic and transphobic. However, I think enough time has passed between then and now for me to be comfortable posting about this.

The whole idea of "controversial authors" really seemed to come into full force after Rowling's tweets and for good reason. I'm not going to list off every author that has been deemed "controversial" for one reason or another. There are so many that there can be no single, comprehensive list of controversial authors that makes everyone happy.

From what I have gathered in the bookish community, the main issues are:

1. Whether or not you should buy books from controversial authors
2. Whether or not you should buy merchandise of the controversial authors' books
3. If you own books or merchandise from controversial authors, should you keep it or get rid of it

Here is what I ultimately think of each of the above issues.

Should buy books from controversial authors? Once they are deemed "controversial," I think it really depends on you. Do you feel comfortable buying books by a controversial author, given why they are now controversial?

Should buy merchandise related to the controversial authors' books? Again, it's really what you're comfortable with.

Should you keep or get rid of the books or merchandise you own? I personally don't see the point of this, mainly because you already own them. If you can't separate the book from the author, then getting rid of the books and/or merchandise may be for the best. However, if you can separate the book from the author, then it can be okay to hold onto the items.

Controversies in Literature - Controversial Topics in Books and Controversial Authors

Both of these topics will be getting their own Controversial Bookish Topics posts in the future. I am also thinking about also having separate posts for these as "Bookish Dilemmas" as well, but I haven't fully decided. However, I wanted to take a post to discuss these two things together in broad, general terms.

These two topics - especially controversial authors - have been discussed to no end on the bookternet. Any aspect of the internet dedicated to discussions of books - booktube, bookstagram, book twitter, etc. - has had quite a few posts about this.

Here is my opinion on it all. If you decide to read a book that covers a controversial topic, then that's okay. If you decide to pick up a book by an author who's been deemed "controversial," that is also okay. It really all depends on your relationship with the book(s) or the author(s).

I can't say you won't be judged for choosing to read a controversial book or author. You most likely will be. What I will say, though, that it is ultimately your choice whether or not you, and you shouldn't feel pressured by others to make one choice versus another.