The Books that Shaped America

I do not know about Hobbe's but I do know that Common Sense is on the list

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Originally Posted by PabloQ

It would be interesting to see how this list was determined and how they settled on 88. It's curious the number of items that I've never heard of, but I find it hard to believe that Wealth of Nations isn't a bit more influential in shaping America than, say, the Wizard of Oz.

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I think they stuck to strictly American works

I think some may be missing the idea of the list. It's "Books that Shaped America," not "Pieces of Literature that Shaped America." Just sayin'.

One book that came to mind that could have been on that list is L. Ron Hubbard's Dianetics. It's had an impact, for better or worse.

I think some may be missing the idea of the list. It's "Books that Shaped America...

I think the most obvious omission... if we are seeking "Books that shaped America..." and not merely "Books by Americans that Shaped America..." would have to be The Bible.

Yep. That one popped into my head, too. As did Everyone Poops, but that's by a Japanese woman.

The Book of Mormon probably should have been included if they were gonna put a religious text written by an American. Mormonism has at least had a significant impact on shaping Utah.

Edit: I also think the inclusion of Watson's self-aggrandizing cashing in on the publication of the double helix structure is a bit silly.

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Originally Posted by stlukesguild

I think some may be missing the idea of the list. It's "Books that Shaped America...

I think the most obvious omission... if we are seeking "Books that shaped America..." and not merely "Books by Americans that Shaped America..." would have to be The Bible.

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The list is meant to be books by American Authors that Shaped America.

... he said that.

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Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandis

... he said that.

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I guess I misunderstood. It was not clear to me if he was aware that it was books by American authors or not.

Also, I didn't see "The Jungle." I think that was fairly influential. They may have chosen "Red Harvest" of Hammets novels because it was the first one, the one that signified a new genre, that of the hard-boiled detective. Just a guess.

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Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandis

I think some may be missing the idea of the list. It's "Books that Shaped America," not "Pieces of Literature that Shaped America." Just sayin'.

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Would A Streetcar Named Desire really count as a book? If you're gonna have a play in there then I think it's just as legitimate to have a collection of poetry or of short stories.

I wasn't saying it's not legitimate to have literature in the list, just that it would be unrealistic to have the whole thing comprised of pieces of literature.

The Jefferson-Adams correspondence was highly influential. John Cheever should have been mentioned as well.
Edit: and Sinclair Lewis. Mencken argued that Babbit was one of the most American novels ever written and that it captured the essence of capitalist, patriotic, rambunctious America. And what about Mencken himself? He was, by far, the most famous journalist in the history of the nation.