11. Last Exit To Brooklyn - Hubert Selby Jnr (1964)
Written in a harsh, no holds barred manner, Hubert Selby's portrait of 1950s Brooklyn is very confrontational and explores several taboo subjects such as pregnancy out of wedlock, homosexuality, gang rape, prostitution, extreme violence, alcoholism and transvestitism. Marion Boyars and John Calder acquired the rights to the book in Britain in 1966. The Department of Public Prosecutions - DPP - were aware of the book but did not pass judgement on it. Sir Cyril Black, a Conservative MP, initiated a private prosecution against the book before Marlborough Street Magistrate's Court. The public prosecution made their move too. Boyars and Calder had copies seized from their office. Many academics and writers stood in defence of Last Exit to Brooklyn but the jury - advised that it may cause embarrassment to women having to read about homosexuality - found the case guilty. The book was not banned for long. Writer and lawyer John Mortimer appealed the ban in 1968 and the ruling was over turned. It was a massive case in the history of British censorship.