The Empty Gesture of Banned Books Libraries The launch of Dua Lipa's Manifesto Library, a collection of banned books housed in Livraria Lello, has garnered praise for its social conscience.
However, beneath the veneer of glamour and activism lies a more complex reality: the freedom to read is being touted as a solution to a problem that has become detached from the ground reality of access to books.
The library's selection of 100 titles "that challenge power, censorship, exclusion, and dominant narratives" is impressive. Yet, what exactly does it mean for these books to be "banned"?