What Obama Should Read

Washington Monthly | Jan. 19, 2009 (Opinion)

A president who is a serious reader is of course likely to be shaped by what he reads, and we know a bit about what has been on Obama’s list so far. From interviews, we know that Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls made an impression on him as a young man. His campaign reading list—or at least the books he chose to be seen with on the trail—included Jonathan Alter’s The Defining Moment, Larry Bartels’s Unequal Democracy, Steve Coll’s ... Full Story »

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by Derek Hawkins - Jan. 27, 2009

Offering Barack Obama some book recommendations as he enters office is a subtle and interesting way of critiquing his leadership. The contributors' picks reflect what issues he should focus on in the coming term and where his weaknesses as a leader may lie. Washington Monthly took care to select people from a range of backgrounds and viewpoints.

I have two problems with this piece, one serious and one not-so-serious. First, serious: I have never thought highly about George W. Bush -- not least because of the flamboyant anti-intellectualism at the core of his political philosophy -- but many people like me have forgotten to be wise about their criticisms of the (almost) former president. Washington Monthly is guilty here. The editors poke fun at Bush's gaffe about reading The Stranger a couple years ago, and the slightest ... More »

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