What Are You Reading?

There's been some attention lately to Presidential reading habits.



In a December Wall Street Journal article, former Bush political advisor Karl Rove told of a competition he and the President had to see who could read the most books in a year. It offers a revealing look at what George Bush has been reading the last few years.

Most recently, President-elect Barack Obama's reading list has received some press. An NPR radio story last week commented on his reading habits and book interests. An author himself, Obama can appreciate a good book.


Since we read and discussed both of these authors in class, you may be interested to note that Obama has recently read one of Thomas Friedman's books. And, as you can see from the picture, the President-elect has also recently read the work of Fareed Zakaria.

In what is similar to the economic effects of Oprah's Book Club, these stories note that when a President is photographed with a book, or it becomes know what book the President is reading, sales of that book jump dramatically.



Now, if only I can figure out a way to get Holy Mavericks: Evangelical Innovators and the Spiritual Marketplace in Obama's hands....







[I thank my friend and fellow historian and blogger John Fea for the article leads and inspiration for this post.]