I’m not exactly sure why they chose 88 books, but the Library of Congress has generated a list of the 88 Books That Shaped America:
“This list of ‘Books That Shaped America’ is a starting point. 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 Americans that have influenced our lives, whether they appear on this initial list or not,” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. “We hope people will view the list and then nominate other titles. Finally, we hope people will choose to read and discuss some of the books on this list, reflecting our nation’s unique and extraordinary literary heritage, which the Library of Congress makes available to the world.”
It’s certainly an interesting list, but can anyone really trust list of the most important American books that doesn’t include Emerson?
