The New York Public Library’s Books of the Century

In 1995, the New York Public Library celebrated its 100th anniversary. As part of the celebrations, librarians were asked to identify the books which, in their opinion, had helped to “shape and define” the last 100 years. Their answers produced the popular exhibition entitled Books of the Century, 1895‐1995, for which this book is the companion volume. Over 150 works are arranged within 12 themed chapters, such as “Women rise”, “Nature’s realm” and “Protest and progress” but, while most of these themes are so general as to be universally applicable to at least modern history and not just this century,...