While other US Presidents have been less notably
bookish, the mere mention of any title by the telegenic Barack Obama is enough to send it soaring up the
(Amazon) bestseller charts.
AbeBooks has kept track of his favourites while on the campaign trail, and the latest recipient of the
'Obama Book Club' magic is Joseph O'Neill's
Netherland. While news media and magazine book editors have always received thousands of books for review consideration, I wonder if the White House is now being deluged by publishers' publicity departments hoping to score the next hit.
I think that Americans are lucky to have such an articulate and literate President. While I'm sure other national leaders read for pleasure, they are much less-known for what's on their bookshelves (*cough*
Canada *cough*). Is Obama's super-stardom, intelligence, and
penchant for literature going to make other Presidents and Prime Ministers openly embrace their own bookishness? I hope so. I'd like my politicians to focus less on political point-scoring and empty talk and more on widening their minds.
Spex
Date: Wed May 06, 2009 09:53 AM GMT
I reckon that people wouldn't take any advice from non-fiction he recommends, but I think they might be more open-minded when it comes to fiction!
David Nolan
Date: Tue May 05, 2009 04:31 PM GMT
From what I read about him, I believe that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has read quite a lot, but given his current popularity (or lack of) I doubt that publishers will be rushing to get his endorsement in an effort to sell more books. I would like to think that politicians who read more would be better leaders as a result, though someone is bound to point out that at least one of the biggest tyrants in twentieth century history was also quite keen on books. I was pleased to discover that Mr Brown's predecessor Harold Macmillan regularly turned to Jane Austen to take his mind off the problems of running the nation.
Spex
Date: Tue May 05, 2009 04:28 PM GMT
All that said, I would like my prime minister (and senior minister, and minister mentor - guess where I'm from) to read: The Changeling (to give them another view of what poverty and charity means), The World According to Garp (to embrace difference and alternative lifestyles), and Sum (just to imagine the possibilities)!
