You would imagine that being at the helm of affairs in the world's most powerful nation may leave little time to read for pleasure. Not for the three men who held the office of the United States President for the last 24 years.
This week we take a look at the eclectic list of books that Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Barack Obama read and recommend.
Bill Clinton
President Clinton, whose term lasted between 1993 and 2001, came close to being impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives over an extramarital affair with a 22-year-old White House intern. However, his approval rating soared to 73 percent after the proceedings, and he left office with an approval rating of 65 percent – the highest for any outgoing president since Harry Truman. Here are some of his favourite books, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBS).
1. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
First published in 1952, the book is recognised as an American classic. The book is a funny and yet horrifying tale of racial discrimination faced by an unnamed black man during his journey across the U.S.
2. Four Quartets by TS Eliot
Four poems, named after four locations, spread over six years; it was published as one single book only in 1943. Eliot called it his best work. The poems explore the nature of life, with references to both Eastern and Western philosophy.
3. King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild
The author explores the exploitation of the Congo Free State by King Leopold II of Belgium. While Leopold systematically looted and plundered the country and murdered its people, he portrayed the image of a reformist humanitarian who was in Africa to bring their people out of poverty and ignorance. It also speaks of a few brave men and women from Europe and America who stumbled on to the truth, strove to fight Leopold and tell the world the real story.
George W Bush
President Bush became Commander-in-Chief under controversial circumstances and with very slender margins. A statewide recount of ballots in Florida was stopped by the U.S. Supreme Court and many believe that Al-Gore who contested may have won the election. Bush ordered the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, which followed the worst terrorist attack on America on September 11, 2001. Here are some of his favourite books, according to favobooks.com and the Amazon book review.
1. The Case For Democracy by Natan Sharansky
Written by an Israeli politician and activist who suffered in a Russian Gulag for dissidence, for close to a decade, the book discusses how to defeat fascism and extremism in the world by bringing democracy to totalitarian states. Bush was so impressed by the book that it lead to a personal meeting with the author at the Oval office.
2. Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase For Lincoln's Killer by James Swanson
The book takes the reader through a riveting, wild chase by law enforcement agencies for President Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth.
3. Prisoner Without A Name, Cell Without A Number by Jacobo Timerman
The critically-acclaimed book is a memoir penned by the Ukrainian born Jewish author and journalist who moved to Argentina and founded two outspoken magazines, championing human rights and press freedom. It tells of his arrest, imprisonment and torture by the Argentinian government.
Barack Obama
In 2009, Barack Obama became the first African American president of the U.S. He was also the first president to support same-sex marriage and is remembered for his trademark reform in the country's health insurance system, dubbed Obamacare. He is also credited with passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This resulted in $787 billion being pumped into the economy to lift it out of a recession. Here are some of his favourite books, according to the Telegraph.
1. The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
The protagonist in this book keeps four different coloured notebooks, each signifying a certain facet of her life. A romance threatening insanity leads her to meld all four notebooks into one golden notebook.
2. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
One of many books on the acclaimed president, the book offers an insightful and poignant narrative focusing on his relationship with three political opponents who Lincoln chose to add to his cabinet.
3. Fates And Furies by Lauren Goff
This 2015 novel tells of superficial successful marriage between a glamorous couple, from both the husband and the wife's side , and the mismatch between the two narratives is the key theme .
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