1. The censor's dilemma; 2. Anthony Comstock: professional anti-vice crusader; 3. Comstock's legacy: a dilemma is born; 4. The Comstock playbook; 5. Seduction of the innocent: the comic book menace; 6. Ya got trouble: censorship and popular music; 7. The vast wasteland; 8. New age Comstockery: the indecency wars; 9. The anti-free speech movement; 10. Freedom of speech and the spirit of liberty.
The book explores the importance of free speech in America by telling the stories of its chief antagonists – the censors.
Robert Corn-Revere is a leading First Amendment lawyer whose career has spanned over thirty-five years. He has argued cases in the Supreme Court, defeated the FCC in the Super Bowl 'wardrobe malfunction' case, and obtained a posthumous pardon for the late comedian Lenny Bruce from the Governor of New York.
'Corn-Revere's extraordinary The Mind of the Censor and the
Eye of the Beholder offers a riveting review and astute
analysis of the evolution of free expression - and censorship of
free speech - in the US through the eras of Anthony Comstock,
'offensive' comic books, porn rock, the FCC's regulation of the
'vast wasteland,' fleeting expletives, and the indecency wars of
the twenty-first century. Corn-Revere brings to life the
absurdities of censorship and the dangers such views pose to
American liberty and democracy. This original work is informative,
insightful, and often wildly entertaining.' Geoffrey R. Stone,
Professor of Law, University of Chicago and author of Sex and
the Constitution (2017)
'As a longtime student and advocate of free speech, it is a rare
joy to encounter a new work that so greatly enhances my
understanding and appreciation of this precious freedom, providing
renewed encouragement and ammunition for continuing the
never-ending efforts that are required to resist constant censorial
pressures. Regardless of how much or how little you know or
care about free speech when you begin this book, you will be
enlightened, inspired, and galvanized by every page!' Nadine
Strossen, immediate past President, American Civil Liberties Union,
and author of HATE: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not
Censorship (2018)
'Bob Corn-Revere has written a book of stunning originality and
importance. By tracing the efforts at censorship in American
history, Corn-Revere shows us the temptations for censorship exist
in every generation. Inevitably, the censors self-righteously
think that they are doing good for society by stopping harmful
speech. And inevitably, in hindsight, we realize that the efforts
at censorship were a huge mistake. Corn-Revere's engagingly written
book provides a powerful defense of freedom of speech and of
freedom of thought.' Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean and Jesse H. Choper
Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley
School of Law
'Bob Corn-Revere is my friend and I love this book. I'm not saying
I love this book because Bob's my friend - he's my friend because I
love this book. A lot of what's good about Bob is in this book. It
tells great stories. It's smart, funny, knowledgeable, honest,
freedom-loving, and works for truth, justice, and the American way.
This book will prove to you that Bob is as groovy as Superman,
without the stupid cape. Shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker,
motherfucker, tits! Read it.' Penn Jillette, the taller, louder
half of Penn & Teller
'Somebody once said: 'Censorship is the strongest drive in human
nature; sex is a weak second.' Everybody who wants to get a better
understanding of this powerful force of human nature should read
Corn-Revere's brilliant book. It's funny, well written, and is a
superb guide to the mechanisms of censorship in the Land of the
Free. Corn-Revere's insightful exploration and deconstruction of
the censor's mind will equip the reader to see through the
rhetorical fog of arguments for shutting down unpopular speech.
It's the best available medicine against any pandemic of
censorship.' Flemming Rose, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and
former editor at Jyllands-Posten
'Philosophy, psychology, sociology, and history set the backdrop
for an arresting narrative and a profound exploration of the law of
free speech. The result is a thought-provoking book destined to
have a long shelf life and an even longer digital one. A momentous
contribution to First Amendment literature!' Ronald K. L. Collins,
co-author of We Must Not Be Afraid to Be Free and The Trials of
Lenny Bruce
'We would all do well to learn about the nature of censorship, and
Robert Corn-Revere's new book is a most valuable step in that
direction.' Floyd Abrams, Founding Sponsor, The Floyd Abrams
Institute for Free Expression at Yale Law School (from the Foreword
to the book)
'… entertaining, enlightening, and timely …' Stephen Rohde, Los
Angeles Review of Books
'Corn-Revere has written an enjoyable, compelling, and necessary
defense of free speech . . . [A] primer on the value of free speech
and the danger of censorship that should be handed out in every
high school, college campus, faculty meeting, town council, PTA
meeting, hospital waiting room, grocery store, barber shop,
political debate, house of worship, social media platform, state
legislature, and especially the halls of Congress… [An]
entertaining, enlightening, and timely book.' Stephen Rohde, Los
Angeles Review of Books
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