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  1. Culture
26 August 2009updated 27 Sep 2015 4:07am

Books for Barack

Alternative suggestions for Obama’s reading list

By Seher Hussain

After the publication of Barack Obama’s holiday reading list, the Culture team has been pondering what else the US president might benefit from reading. Especially since, as the Daily Beast reported, Obama already read the Thomas Friedman polemic Hot, Flat and Crowded a year ago on the campaign trail.

We briefly considered The NHS Handbook and Simon Lee’s The Conservatives Under David Cameron. But, given the president’s taste for thrillers (there are books by the acclaimed crime writers George Pelecanos and Richard Price on his list), we heartily recommend Eric Ambler, whose 1930s spy novels were surveyed by Robert Hanks for the NS in June.

Then, if there’s any time left between rounds of golf, sets of tennis and these page-turners, we’d say take a look at our Red Reads feature, “50 books that will change your life”, with suggestions from Martin Amis to Naomi Klein.

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Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
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