He crows with delight over letters that Godfrey Cabot Lowell, one ofīOOK REVIEWS Banned in Boston: The Watch and Ward Societyâs Crusade against Books, Burlesque, and the Social Evil. Miller lost me with his own insensitive misunderstanding of the Watch and Wardâs sexual politics. Unfortunately, Miller attacks the Watch and Ward members for their alleged pettiness and hypocrisy rather than delving into the period-speciï¬c rationales for their efforts.

Miller describes the âgentlemenâs agreementâ that the association established with Bostonâs booksellers to keep certain titles off their customersâ shelves, but he also includes a welcome discussion of the Watch and Wardâs campaigns against prostitution, gambling, and political corruption. The ï¬rst half of Banned in Boston treats the New England Watch and Ward and its diverse efforts to ï¬ght public immorality. Instead, Miller has produced a cliche-riddled book that specialists will appreciate for its archival work but that generalists will ï¬nd intellectually lacking. $26.95.) Despite its overly alliterative title, I had hoped Neil Millerâs Banned in Boston: The Watch and Ward Societyâs Crusade against Books, Burlesque, and the Social Evil would cover its broad topic with critical Â´ thoughtfulness. Banned in Boston: The Watch and Ward Society's Crusade against Books, Burlesque, and the Social Evil Banned in Boston: The Watch and Ward Society's Crusade against Books, Burlesque, and the Social EvilīOOK REVIEWS Banned in Boston: The Watch and Ward Societyâs Crusade against Books, Burlesque, and the Social Evil.

Banned in Boston by Neil Miller