# Bibilophiles! Need advice on buying 30K of American literature **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 17, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532 "2004-07-17T02:22:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/21 "2004-07-17T17:54:42Z")
**Winesburg, Ohio** - Sherwood Anderson **The Complete Stories** - Flannery O’Connor **Generation X** - Douglas Coupland (Canadian author, but set in the US) **Cold Mountain** - Charles Frazier **Tom Watson: Agrarian Rebel** - C. Vann Woodward (acknowledged by many historians as the finest biography around) **The Autobiography of Malcolm X** - Alex Haley **Company Aytch** - Sam Watkins (memoirs of a Confederate foot soldier) **Personal Memoirs** - Ulysses S. Grant **Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?** - Phillip K. Dick **Earth Abides** - George Stewart **A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett of the State of Tennessee** - David Crockett (Davy Crockett) **Run with the Horsemen** - Ferrol Sams **Civil War, Vol. I-III** - Shelby Foote **Sketch Book** - Washington Irving (includes **Rip van Winkle** and **The Legend of Sleepy Hollow** ) **On the Road** - Jack Kerouac **Last of the Mohicans** - James Fenimore Cooper **USA** - John dos Passos **E E Cummings: Complete Poems 1904-1962** e e cummings **The Poetry of Robert Frost: The Collected Poems** - Robert Frost **Undaunted Courage** - Stephen E. Ambrose (history of Lewis and Clark expedition) **To Purge This Land With Blood: A Biography of John Brown** - Stephen B. Oates **Farenheit 451** - Ray Bradbury ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/22 "2004-07-17T18:21:58Z")
**Roll Jordan Roll: The World the Slaves Made** - Eugene Genovese **Of Mice and Men** - John Steinbeck **Travels with Charley: In Search of America** - John Steinbeck **East of Eden** - John Steinbeck **Little House on the Prairie** - Laura Ingalls Wilder **A Confederacy of Dunces** - John Kennedy Toole **Andrew Jackson: The Course of American Freedom, 1822-1832 (Andrew Jackson)** - Robert V. Remini **Son of the Morning Star** - Evan S. Connell **Red Badge of Courage** - Stephen Crane **Words that Changed America** - Alex Barnett (collected American speeches) **The Federalist Papers** **Words That Make America Great** - Jerome Agel (collects the great documents of American history) **American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson** - Joseph J. Ellis **Profiles in Courage** - John F. Kennedy ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/23 "2004-07-17T18:36:10Z")
**Superman, the Complete History: The Life and Times of the Man of Steel** - Les Daniels (Why not? Superman is one of the icons of American literature, no?) **Batman: The Complete History** - Les Daniels (ditto Batman) **The Amazing Spider-Man Masterworks (Amazing Spider-Man, No. 1-5)** - Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (also the three following volumes) (Collects the early Spider-Man stories.) **The Wizard of Oz** - L. Frank Baum **Dr. Seuss** - all his books, naturally ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/24 "2004-07-17T19:02:49Z")
Not too much humor listed so far . . . Anita Loos’ **Gentlemen Prefer Blondes** , Patrick Dennis’ **Little Me** , J.P. McEvoy’s **Hollywood Girl** and/or **Show Girl** , almost anything by Milt Gross. Also, don’t forget the forgotten! Terrific, once-popular writers who have fallen off the charts: Tiffany Thayer, Olive Higgins Prouty, Booth Tarkington, Christopher Morley . . . ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/25 "2004-07-18T02:15:59Z")
I would also sugest, \*Alas, Babylon \* by Pat Frank. Many American students read this work during the cold war. Also, _A Seperate Peace_, by John Knowles. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/26 "2004-07-18T03:18:04Z")
I just realized, no one’s mentioned Moby Dick! I can’t say I reread it regularly, but it is a great work of American literature. ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/27 "2004-07-18T03:50:02Z")
I will add the poet **Robinson Jeffers** , who wrote beautiful and profound poetry using the imagery around Monterey California. Really, folks, pick him up and read him. Also, the stories of **James Thurber, Dorothy Parker** , and the essays of **E. B. White** and **Amy Vowel**. All four are very good reflections of some of the faces of America (or should i say the U.S.?), White and Vowel especially, both are keen observers of their age, both the big picture and small details. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/28 "2004-07-18T04:01:47Z")
Paper books or ebooks? If ebooks are Ok there are CDs with hundreds of seminal older American authors that are not that expensive. The [Gutenberg Project](http://www.gutenberg.net/) also has thousands of free books. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/29 "2004-07-18T04:28:09Z")
> [@](#): > > I wouldn’t include Emerson or Thoreau, because while they’re important books, I haven’t reread either, and feel no need to do so. I read a lot of Emerson and Thoreau and sometimes carry one or the other with me. Gandhi was strongly influenced by Thoreau as were many non-violent protestors in the 1960’s. These two old friends from Concord continue to put things into perspective for a lot of us. To each his own. **False God** , for your purposes I would include: **Black Elk Speaks** **Blue Highways** by William Leastheat Moon The plays of Thornton Wilder The poems of Carl Sandburg **Spoon River Anthology** by Edgar Lee Masters **The Deerslayer** by James Fenimore Cooper **Cold Sassy Tree** by Olive Burns (These are in addition to the excellent lists already provided.) ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/30 "2004-07-18T04:48:33Z")
> [@Lamar Mundane](#): > > [aside] Hey, welcome back![/aside] Hey, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/31 "2004-07-18T05:38:46Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > I read a lot of Emerson and Thoreau and sometimes carry one or the other with me. Gandhi was strongly influenced by Thoreau as were many non-violent protestors in the 1960’s. These two old friends from Concord continue to put things into perspective for a lot of us. To each his own. Yup. And I’d meant only that I wasn’t going to include them on my lists. Not that I felt they shouldn’t be in the library **False God** is assembling. Also, I’d like to second the recommendation for ebooks, if you’re allowed to use them. Only one publisher of works currently under copyright has a reasonable ebook policy, but for things like The Federalist Papers, and other vital texts in the public domain, you would be able to loan those out in multiple copies for a single investment. ---
**Author:** ![finette6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@finette6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/finette6)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/32 "2004-07-18T07:44:02Z")
Some dopers have already suggested comics titles- I have a few picks that go beyond the superheroes: _Love and Rockets_ by Jaime and Gilbert (and Mario) Hernandez- there are a bunch of collections out anything by Dan Clowes, especially _Ghost World_ and _Caricature_ _Jimmy Corrigan_ by Chris Ware One of Lynda Barry’s collections- all about growing up in the modern USA Check out [www.fantagraphics.com](http://www.fantagraphics.com) for sources and more titles ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/33 "2004-07-18T20:36:44Z")
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. Brings the immigrant experience to life and shows the situations that underlie many of our laws, especially labor laws, today. I think this book would fit very well with your purpose. For nonfiction, I’d recommend some Studs Terkel, probably “Working” or “Coming of Age.” ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/34 "2004-07-18T22:26:19Z")
[Johnny Got His Gun, by Dalton Trumbo.](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0553274325/qid=1090189145/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-2786779-5987200?v=glance&s=books&n=507846#product-details) I’m not sure how it ranks on the “Greatest Literature of all Time” list, but it’s a powerful read with some importance in American history. And if you buy it, you’re gauranteed to make a hippy smile somewhere. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/35 "2004-07-18T23:50:30Z")
> [@OtakuLoki](#): > > I just realized, no one’s mentioned Moby Dick! I can’t say I reread it regularly, but it is a great work of American literature. Moby Dick was mentioned in post 4. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/36 "2004-07-19T00:05:22Z")
As you’re outfitting a collection, I wonder if it’s worth having the books custom-bound so they’ve all got uniform hardback covers with the title of the book and the name of the collection on it? Makes the books less stealable too. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/37 "2004-07-19T00:13:49Z")
> [@qts](#): > > As you’re outfitting a collection, I wonder if it’s worth having the books custom-bound so they’ve all got uniform hardback covers with the title of the book and the name of the collection on it? Makes the books less stealable too. Can you do that with paperbacks? Does it make financial sense? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/38 "2004-07-19T00:27:09Z")
Do you know of any library that does such a thing? I don’t. Do you know how much it costs to have a book rebound? Stamping the library’s name on one of the page ends of the book, and inside the covers, and putting magnetic tattler tags inside the spine is how you make a book less stealable. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/39 "2004-07-19T00:35:35Z")
> [@AbbySthrnAccent](#): > > Moby Dick was mentioned in post 4. Ooops. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532/40 "2004-07-19T00:38:12Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Can you do that with paperbacks? Does it make financial sense? I don’t know about making the books all uniform size, but I do know that binding paper backs into hardcovers happens fairly regularly on the college level. OTOH I’d imagine the cost is about 3/4 the cost of purchasing another copy of the book. So barely economical for a paperback book that is seeing a lot of use, but not for others. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bibilophiles-need-advice-on-buying-30k-of-american-literature/255532.md?page=3)