Books That Shaped America

[PinkSquirrel]

The Library of Congress posted a list of the books that shaped America. I've read a chunk of them, own a few that I haven't gotten around to reading and there are a few I have zero interest in reading (I'm looking at you Hemingway), but overall I think it's a pretty good list.

www.loc.gov/bookfest/books-that-shaped-america/

[writingwithheld]

That all looks pretty interesting. When I finish my list perhaps I will have to look back to this one for more inspiration.

[imoan]

This list is awesome! I may have to blog it!

[PinkSquirrel]

It looks like they're also taking input and recommendations on expanding the list a bit. The link is towards the top.

The books on the list I've read I really enjoyed and would love to revisit. There are a few that I've never properly completed like Silent Spring (I wrote an A paper on it, but saying I read it would be a half truth). Also, Our Bodies, Ourselves. I own 3 or 4 editions of it, but have never read it straight through. A few titles would be semi hard to read through like Joy of Cooking. I guess I could make it work and just read the informative sections and skip the recipes.

The more I'm thinking about it, the more I think I probably want to read through this list. I have a few books to read before I'll consider it, but talk to me in a month and it may be happening.

[aurora]

Jun 24, 2012 20:55:33 GMT -5 PinkSquirrel said:

...Also, Our Bodies, Ourselves. I own 3 or 4 editions of it, but have never read it straight through...

I read it and ended up feeling disappointed. It was like they were trying so hard to be all-inclusive that they lost all messages that were actually about our bodies.

[PinkSquirrel]

Jun 24, 2012 22:48:38 GMT -5 aurora said:

Jun 24, 2012 20:55:33 GMT -5 PinkSquirrel said:

...Also, Our Bodies, Ourselves. I own 3 or 4 editions of it, but have never read it straight through...

I read it and ended up feeling disappointed. It was like they were trying so hard to be all-inclusive that they lost all messages that were actually about our bodies.

What messages did you feel like they missed? Or did you feel like they missed messages all together?

I know OBOS well and that "world" is one in which you provide the information and try to be accepting of everything and don't provide your own commentary or messages. So, this is making me laugh my ass off. I'm not surprised at all.

[msmerymac]

I LOVE Catch-22 and Howl.

I'm surprised Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville isn't on the list.

[2curlydogs]

Interesting.

B owns A Snowy Day. It makes me happy.

I would put some of Graham Greene's works on there as influential (or at least prophetic, like "The Quiet American"), but he's not an American author so....

[lemondrop]

Jun 24, 2012 12:11:55 GMT -5 imoan said:

This list is awesome! I may have to blog it!

My first thought was that I might need to do an Imoan style challenge on my blog with this list.

I'm not a Hemingway fan at all, but I do see the impact he's had on America and American literature.

[trigal]

Thanks for the link! I will have to add some of those books to my reading list.