Books That Shaped America

In conjunction with the National Book Festival, the Library of Congress mounted an online exhibition called Books That Shaped America. These are books by Americans that have had some influence on the way Americans live their lives.

As the Librarian of Congress, James H. Billington, points out, "It is not a register of the 'best' American books -- although many of them fit that description. Rather, the list is intended to spark a national conversation on books written by American that have influenced our lives, whether they appear on this initial list or not." (Library of Congress web site).

The list is not intended to be definitive, and you can give your input and contribute to future lists by following the link to the survey just above the beginning of the list. Check out the list at http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/books-that-shaped-america/ and visit the online exhibition at http://myloc.gov/exhibitions/books-that-shaped-america/pages/default.aspx.