Lafayette College Library

Which books have most altered the intellectual and social terrain of America? This is the question that Jay Parini grapples with in his 2008 book, Promised Land: Thirteen Books that Changed America, and that is the subject of Skillman Library’s fall exhibit in the Simon Room. Parini’s “thirteen” include some expected choices (The Federalist Papers, Uncle Tom’s Cabin) as well as surprises (How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care). The exhibit features various editions of the works with commentary from Parini’s book.