Here’s the news straight from the publisher:

On August 24, 2011, a New Jersey school district announced that it was removing from it’s summer reading list the novel Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, published by Vintage Books in 2000. Citing objections from parents about inappropriate language and graphic sex, the school board withdrew its original approval of the novel, which had been placed on the list by its own committee of area teachers, librarians, and school administrators.

In response to this action, Knopf has issued the following statement:

“We are disheartened to learn about the action by a New Jersey school district to remove a book from its required reading list due to objections from a group of concerned parents. The novel, NORWEGIAN WOOD by Haruki Murakami, was originally selected for the list based on suggestions by teachers, librarians, and administrators within the district, and the list was approved by the board of education. It is unfortunate the parents felt the need to dismiss such an important work of fiction and regrettable the school district would succumb to such pressure and disregard the recommendation of its own professional educators.”

I went to Goodreads.com to get some perspective on the complaints drawn by this novel, particularly from positive reviews. The top of the list had a review which cautioned against steamy content. Elsewhere I saw that a character recalls her sexual experience with a 31-year-old woman, herself at age 13.

The specifics don’t really matter though. The point for one side is that once a teacher, librarian, or school admin has approved a book never shall it be unapproved by parental complaint. The point for the other side is that if a school intends to educate their children, they should uphold their values. And for both sides, sexuality is the main battleground.

Here at Brandywine Books, we want to tell those who cry censorship over things like this to check their dictionaries again, because the government is not killing the publication of this or any other book. A school board has merely taken it off of a reading list. That’s it. Maybe it has been taken out of the school library. Who cares? It isn’t censorship.