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A review by palliem
Twenty-Five Books That Shaped America: How White Whales, Green Lights, and Restless Spirits Forged Our National Identity by Thomas C. Foster
3.0
This book is perfect for a project my AP students do, which is why I picked it up. It was interesting--but the book cover says these are the books that helped shape our national identity, so I was more than a little disappointed that he didn't talk about that. At all. When discussing any of the books.
Yes, he talked about the "American-ness" of the books. Some he explained how they shaped future writers. But he never tackled what he promised--a discussion of how specifically each book created the myth of America and shaped our collective consciousness/identity. His essay on The Cat in the Hat came closest with its discussion of how Seuss shaped American childhood education and literacy. But that's hardly an identity.
Since that's what I was specifically looking for--to use as potential models for my students--I was a little let down.
Yes, he talked about the "American-ness" of the books. Some he explained how they shaped future writers. But he never tackled what he promised--a discussion of how specifically each book created the myth of America and shaped our collective consciousness/identity. His essay on The Cat in the Hat came closest with its discussion of how Seuss shaped American childhood education and literacy. But that's hardly an identity.
Since that's what I was specifically looking for--to use as potential models for my students--I was a little let down.