美国大学生必读书[1]

1. Walden; Or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau – A remarkable account of a man seeking a more simple life by living in harmony with nature. 2. On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin – The book that revolutionized the natural sciences and every literary, philosophical and religious thinker who followed. 3. The Iliad by Homer – The Iliad is one of the two great epics of Homer, and is typically described as one of the greatest war stories of all time. 4. Selected Poems of Emily Dickinson – The perfect volume for readers wishing to explore the works of one of America‟s first poets.

5. The Art of War by Sunzi – A book which should be used to gain advantage of opponents in the boardroom and battlefield alike. 6. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli – Its essential contribution to modern political thought lies in Machiavelli‟s assertion of the then revolutionary idea that theological and moral imperatives have no place in the political arena. 7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – A superb evocation of a time and place;Â a complex, detailed character study; a believable and compelling plot; and, more than anything else, a magnificent love story. 8. A Tales of Two Cities by Charles Dickens – This story of the French Revolution brings to life a time of terror and treason, and a starving people rising in frenzy and hate to overthrow a corrupt and decadent regime. 9. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain – Perhaps the best-loved nineteenth-century American novel, Mark Twainâ ™s tale of boyhood adventure overflows with comedy, warmth, and slapstick energy. 10. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – One of the greatest tales of revenge of all time. 11. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy – A s Napoleonâ ™s army invades, Tolstoy brilliantly follows characters from diverse backgroundsâ ”peasants and nobility, civilians and soldiersâ ”as they struggle with the problems unique to their era, their history, and their culture. 12. Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson – The writings featured here show Emerson as a protester against social conformity, a lover of nature, an activist for the rights of women and slaves, and a poet of great sensitivity. 13. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte – One of literatureâ ™s most disturbing explorations into the dark side of romantic passion. Heathcliff and Cathy believe theyâ ™re destined to love each other forever, but when cruelty and snobbery separate them, their untamed emotions literally consume them. 14. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare – Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world‟s preeminent dramatist. 15. Apology, Crito, and Phaedo of Socrates by Plato – The trial and condemnation of Socrates on charges of heresy and corrupting young minds is a defining moment in the history of Classical Athens. In tracing these events through four dialogues, Plato also developed his own philosophy, based on Socrates‟ manifesto for a life guided by self-responsibility. 16. Symposium by Plato – Plato explores, through a series of speeches, the nature and origins of love and passion. 17. The Divine Comedy by Dante – A moving human drama, an unforgettable visionary journey through the infinite torment of Hell, up the arduous slopes of Purgatory, and on to the glorious realm of Paradise-the sphere of universal harmony and eternal salvation. 18. Paradise Lost by John Milton – Considered to be the greatest epic poem in English literature. Its roots lie in the Genesis account of the world‟s creation and Adam and Eve‟s expulsion from Eden. 19. Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw – A perceptive comedy of wit and wisdom about the unique relationship between a spunky cockney flower-girl and her irascible speech professor. 20. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman – “The most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet contributed.” â ” Ralph Waldo Emerson. 21. The Works of Aristotle – Aristotle‟s views on the physical sciences profoundly shaped medieval scholarship, and their influence extended well into the Renaissance. 22. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer – The tales, some of which are originals and others not, are contained inside a frame tale and told by a collection of pilgrims on a pilgrimage from London Borough of Sout Canterbury. 23. The Devil‟s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce – Bierce was an iconoclastic literary genius and this compilation of definitions (written for a satirical magazine during the 1880s) is a true American classic. Some may find Bierce sexist, nationalist and racist, but most readers will enjoy his malevolent scepticism and underlying rage against hypocrisy. 24. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne – A group of men set sail to solve the mystery of a sea monster in this amazing underwater adventure. 25. Moby Dick by Herman Melville – A masterpiece of storytelling and symbolic realism, this thrilling adventure and epic saga pits Ahab, a brooding sea captain, against the great white whale that crippled him. 26. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad – Exploring the workings of consciousness as well as the grim realities of imperialism, Heart of Darkness tells of Marlow, a seaman and wanderer, who journeys into the heart of the African continent to discover how the enigmatic Kurtz has gained power over the local people. 27. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson – This dark psychological fantasy is also a product of its time, drawing on contemporary theories of class, evolution, criminality, and secret lives. 28. Voltaire‟s Philosophical Dictionary – A series of short, radical essays – alphabetically arranged – that form a brilliant and bitter analysis of the social and religious conventions that then dominated eighteenth-century French thought. 29. Candide by Voltaire – In the story of the trials and travails of the youthful Candide, his mentor Dr. Pangloss, and a host of other characters, Voltaire mercilessly satirizes and exposes romance, science, philosophy, religion and government. 30. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo – An epic tale of beauty and sadness, The Hunchback of Notre Dame portrays the sufferings of humanity with compassion and power.