The Library of Congress has created a list of 88 books that they feel has shaped America.
As Librarian of Congress James H. Billington stated on the Library of Congress website: “This list 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.” What is missing in your opinion?
For this list, I have added the following to the list to identify my own personal experience with the books on the list…in other words, I am slowing working on it.
Key
- * : Read
- **: Reading
- ***: Read in parts
****All the links in the title of the books should be active.
I’ve already stated that I love to read but haven’t enough time to do it and that I have a poor record of reading the classics. Well, here is yet another list of books you should read and the Library of Congress is looking for your suggestions of what else to add to the list, which you can find more information about here.
Additionally, because it is high summer reading time: The Huffington Post and Stephen Prothero just shared the 10 Things You Need To Read Before the 2012 Election, the canon which Prothero calls “the American Bible”. He states that, “these speeches, songs, and sayings are the holy writ of our public life, and the conversations and controversies they provoke are the rite of our republic.” There are a few duplicates!!
livingtheamericandreamineurope.com 
I’m teaching To Kill a Mockingbird next year so I’m very excited to see it on the list. YAY!
I am really thinking that I should use these lists when the ‘what to read’ question comes up. It’s a no brainer.