R.L. Dabney, in On Dangerous Reading, writes "that under the name of dangerous books," I "mean now to attack particularly the usual kinds of fictitious narratives, novels, impure sentimental poetry, and biographies, whether accurate or not, of criminal and degraded characters."

Dabney also notes that "novel reading is the murder of time," (a violation of the first and sixth commandments) and on that basis alone should be rejected in favor of wholesome and edifying literature.

Many of the principles set forth in this book can easily be applied to other forms of recreation and amusement -- ungodly television, movies, music, being the most obvious.