# Utah Governor Cox Promotes Book Amid Book Bans

> Utah's governor pushes book to sell while enforcing strict book bans.
- Title: Utah Governor Cox Promotes Book Amid Book Bans · Mother Jones
- Summary: Utah's governor pushes book to sell while enforcing strict book bans. Utah Governor Spencer Cox promotes his book on peacemaking while supporting statewide…
- Keywords: spencer cox, utah, book banning, off ramp, fidelity month, pride month, salt lake city, the kings english, ken sanders, moms for liberty, utah legislative session, first amendment
- Source: Mother Jones — https://motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/spencer-cox-utah-book-banning-gop-governor-wants-you-to-buy-his-book
- Author: Stephanie Mencimer
- Published: 2026-10-02T16:07:29+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: spencer cox, utah, book banning, off ramp, fidelity month, pride month, salt lake city, the kings english, ken sanders, moms for liberty, utah legislative session, first amendment
## Utah Governor Spencer Cox
Utah's Republican Governor Spencer Cox promotes his new book Off Ramp: How to be a peacemaker in an age of contempt.
## Book Banning Law
Utah passed a book banning law in 2024 that allows statewide removal of books from school libraries.
## 44 Books Banned
Since the law's passage, Utah has banned 44 books from public school libraries and AP classes.
## Book Bans Target LGBTQ Content
Most banned books are challenged for LGBTQ-related content or what book-banners call pornography.
## Salt Lake City Bookstore
Salt Lake City bookstore owner Ken Sanders displays a sandwich board saying 'We Buy Banned Books.'
## Book Promotion Backlash
The King's English bookstore canceled a promotion for Cox's book after customers complained it was contradictory.
## Cox's Book Title
Cox's book title 'Off Ramp: How to be a peacemaker in an age of contempt' contradicts his book banning efforts.
## Book Ban Law Mechanics
If three school districts or two districts and five charter schools ban a book, it is removed statewide.
## Davis County Bans
Davis County, a conservative area north of Salt Lake City, has banned books for LGBTQ content and racial harassment.
## Cox's Book Promotion
Cox promoted his book at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.
## Book Ban Law Origin
The book banning law originated from a 2022 law that allowed individual school districts to ban books.
## Cox's Stance
Cox signed the expanded book banning law in 2024 despite criticism from education advocates and civil liberties groups.
## Legal Challenge
Authors, the estate of Kurt Vonnegut, and students sued the state over the book banning law.
## Cox's Book Promotion
Cox promoted his book as if the book bans never happened, saying 'Civilization cannot continue if we can’t read.'
## Key takeaway

Utah Governor Spencer Cox promotes his book on peacemaking while supporting statewide book bans that have removed 44 public school books.