What’s Obama Reading?

President Obama is leaving for vacation, and the white house released a list of the books he checked out to take with him. Here’s his summer reading list:

• The Way Home by George Pelecanos
• Lush Life by Richard Price
• Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Tom Friedman
• John Adams by David McCullough
• Plainsong by Kent Haruf

Obviously, having the president pick up your book is a major publicity boost. I’m sure that these publishers are jumping up and down with excitement.

Now, I’m guessing that Obama doesn’t get a ton of time to read, which is unfortunate. Hell, I barely have time for pleasure reading, and my job isn’t nearly as intense. More interesting than what books he is reading, though, is whether or not he liked them. Book sales on these titles are bound to jump, but is it justified?

I can’t imagine the enormous amount of pressure to choose good books for your vacation when you’re the president. When people are critiquing the light reading you take to the beach, you know you’re an important guy.

Ok, so if you were leaving for the beach right now, what five books would you take? In other words, what are you reading right now or what is on your reading list that you’re dying to actually sit down and read? My five:

1. Zombie00 by Brad Gooch (I’m actually almost done with this one)
2. Boom! by Tom Brokaw (Read the preface, but not far into the actual book)
3. The Girls by Lori Lansens (This has been calling my name from the bookshelf for about a year now)
4. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace (I’ve started and put down this book a million times)
5. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (This is one of my favorite book of all time, and I haven’t reread it in a few years, so I’m due)

Your turn – leave a comment with your five picks.

Picture via Amazon.