Xlibris Publishing is happy to share news regarding recent new inductees to the Library of Congress’ bookshelves. Attending the open event “America Reads,” the public directly chose 40 out of 65 books felt to have had a profound impact on American society and culture. In addition to the forty, an additional 25 were included from another list, also chosen by the public, created at the 2012 Library of Congress exhibition, “Books That Shaped America.” The final list of new additions is made up from a wide spectrum of books, ranging from children’s books, to science-fiction, to modern literary classics. In addition to sharing the list, Xlibris will describe a few of the stand-out selections.
Frank Herbert’s Dune
Set in a far distant future, Dune is steeped in political machinations and mysticism. In the novel, three great families of the Galactic Padishah Empire feud with each other in a dangerous game of intrigues and assassinations. Between these families is the desert planet Arrakis. Arrakis would be absolutely worthless were not the only source of Spice, a miracle drug capable of extending one’s lifespan and enabling faster-than-light travel. And there are giant sandworms.
Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat
What to do for fun when stuck inside on a rainy day? Two kids find that the answer involves a talking cat in a hat, a magic box, and a lot of whimsical rhyming and wordplay.
Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle
Upton Sinclair shocked the American public with his exposé of meat packing and transport industries. In horrific detail Sinclair reveals the appallingly poor conditions of ‘consumable’ meat, unsanitary handling and storage. Few things will galvanize the public into demanding industrial scrutiny and reform like reading about mountains of raw meat crawling with rats.
Alice Walker’s The Color of Purple
Alice Walker’s story follows the lives of two African-American women, Celie and Nettie in 1930s Georgia. The characters struggle with both racism and sexism, while also exploring gender roles and the disruption of said gender roles by the main characters. At the heart of The Color of Purple are the bonds of sisterhood between characters.
James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757
James Fenimore Cooper’s novel is one of the great American adventure stories. In The Last of the Mohicans, Natty Bumpo (Hawk-eye), alongside Uncas and Chingachgook, escort the two daughters of Lieutenant- Colonel Munro through the New York wilderness, during the French And Indian War. They are pursued by Magua, a Huron warrior with a personal vendetta against Colonel Munro and the English in general.
These are a but a few of books recently added to the Library of Congress’ shelves. You can find the complete list here.
Please make sure to check out the Xlibris Publishing site for more advice and blogs, and be sure to follow us on Xlibris Publishing Facebook and Xlibris Publishing Twitter.