正如一个国家的价值观打造了这个国家的书籍，一个国家最伟大的著作也终能塑造这个国家。

国会图书馆（Library of Congress）正在举办“塑造美国的书籍”（Books That Shaped America）图书展，重点展示那些对美国人产生过影响的书籍。

约翰·斯坦贝克（John Steinbeck）描写大萧条期间俄克拉何马州流动民工艰辛生活的作品《愤怒的葡萄》（The Grapes of Wrath，如图），促使国会通过了使农场工人受益的法律。其他一些作品也在美国重大的历史关头推动了关于种族主义的对话，例如哈丽雅特·比彻·斯托（Harriet Beecher Stowe）的《汤姆叔叔的小屋》（Uncle Tom’s Cabin）和理查德·赖特（Richard Wright）的《土生土长》（ Native Son）。

虽然参加书展的书目最初由国会图书馆的策展人和专家汇编而成，但网上进行的一项调查也鼓励公众推荐图书来扩充参展书目。

国会图书馆馆长詹姆斯·比林顿（James H. Billington）说：“这个书目旨在围绕美国人写的对我们的生活产生了影响的书籍激发一场全国性对话，无论这些书是否被纳入最初的书目。我们希望人们查看这个书目后会推荐其他作品。最后，我们希望人们将从书目中选择一些书来阅读和讨论，国会图书馆正在向全世界展示这些体现我国独特和非凡的文学传统的书籍。”

请登录国会图书馆网站查看这项网上调查。

The Library of Congress's exhibition Books That Shaped America shines a light on the books that influenced the way Americans think about their country.

As much as the values of a country shape its books, its greatest books end up shaping the country.

Books That Shaped America is an exhibition at the Library of Congress highlighting works that made a difference to Americans.

John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath (above), which portrayed the hardships of Oklahoma migrant workers during the Great Depression, inspired a movement in Congress to pass laws benefiting farm workers. Other books, such as Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Richard Wright’s Native Son, advanced the conversation about racism at crucial junctures in the country’s history.

While the initial list for the exhibition was compiled by the library’s curators and experts, the public is encouraged to nominate books that will be added to the exhibition by way of an online survey.

“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," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. "We hope people will view the list and then nominate other titles. Finally, we hope people will choose to read and discuss some of the books on this list, reflecting our nation’s unique and extraordinary literary heritage, which the Library of Congress makes available to the world."

See the online survey on the Library of Congress’ website.