Aug 27, 2010 4:37pm
Obama Family Book Club
EmailFirst Lady Michelle Obama is reading an advance copy of “The Grace of Silence” by National Public Radio’s Michele Norris.
Norris set out to write a book about “the hidden conversation on race” in the US but as she did she learned a number of family secrets, including her father being shot by Birmingham police not long after his discharge from service in World War II.
Asked for reaction to the news that the First Lady is reading her book, Norris emailed “Wow.”
President Obama is still making his way through his advance reading copy of Jonathan Franzen’s “Freedom.”
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It’s good to know that the movers and shakers in this country are reading both fiction and non-fiction. Just think of how upset they might be if they read the economic news during their vacation.
Posted by: Mike, CO | August 27, 2010, 5:33 pm 5:33 pm
Gee, I wonder if “The Christmas Seater” children’s edition by Glenn Beck will make it into the Obama Family Book Club. In other words, I wonder if it’s an all inclusive type of book club.
Posted by: Noz | August 27, 2010, 5:41 pm 5:41 pm
Oops!
The Christmas Sweater is the proper title.
The Christmas Seater is about a Bicycle built for two meant to be rode in the early twentieth century Bahamas in December on Cable Beach.
Posted by: Noz | August 27, 2010, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
I like the example this First Family sets.
How many vacation days had Bush taken at this point?
Wasn’t he on vacation for the month of August 2001, arriving back in Washington just in time for the planes to hit the Twin Towers?
How long did it take them to scramble the jets again? A state of preparedness indeed.
Posted by: Stephen | August 27, 2010, 6:00 pm 6:00 pm
We would prefer Mr. Obama to read The Economic reports, instead of these novels.
Posted by: young_voter | August 27, 2010, 7:22 pm 7:22 pm
Stephen,I don’t think that Bush was stupid enough to be on vacation during a week when existing home sales dropped 27%,when new home sales dropped over 12% and GDP growth was revised down to 1.6%.I also don’t think that he was dumb enough to tell reporters to leave him alone because he was busy buying shrimp while new jobless claims were reported to be 473,000.Perhaps he should read “A Night to Remember”-it has a lot of similarities to his administration’s economic policies.
Posted by: Nephron | August 27, 2010, 8:11 pm 8:11 pm
How many vacation days had Bush taken at this point?
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three times more than Obama.
three times more.
Posted by: Kris | August 27, 2010, 10:42 pm 10:42 pm
Yes, yes as we all know Texas to be the garden spot of the world…if you consider spending a vaca in your home State doing maintenance work..as opposed to spending time in Europe…Hawaii…Martha Vineyard as equal..then your point has been made…..to some perhaps……
Posted by: Parallex View | August 28, 2010, 11:35 am 11:35 am
Must be nice to get advanced copies of books! Couldn’t read something already published, like the rest of us folk?
Good to see the president and first lady enjoy reading for pleasure, just like most of our recent first couples (including, yes indeed, GWB and Laura).
Posted by: moderate | August 28, 2010, 11:14 pm 11:14 pm
I wonder when Saddam Hussein watches a movie, does he root for the bad guys just as I wonder when Mr. Obama reads a book, does he root for a liar.
Posted by: young_voter | August 29, 2010, 1:59 am 1:59 am
Must be nice to get advanced copies of books! Couldn’t read something already published, like the rest of us folk?
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Advanced reading copies are very common. Booksellers and publishers always have them and pass them out. I would think you’ve had access to plenty over time, or would if you showed interest.
Posted by: Cara | August 29, 2010, 9:39 am 9:39 am
Everybody who can gets out of Washington in August, and have been doing so for 200 years.
Posted by: Jock59801 | August 29, 2010, 6:14 pm 6:14 pm
A spiteful bunch of people use this site. So easy to be nasty to others when you can hide behind the internet isn’t it? Would I see you in Church?
Posted by: elan | August 29, 2010, 7:37 pm 7:37 pm
President Obama, please read some Hayek or von Mises. It would show you why your stimulus is not working and why you’re bankrupting our country.
Posted by: DaveMN | August 30, 2010, 10:41 am 10:41 am
Bush spent 997 days in Crawford, Tx and Camp David….one third of his tenure!!!! This doesn’t count his other vacations, including Kennebunkport and Boca Grande.
Posted by: sarasand | August 30, 2010, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm
I think President Obama reads plenty of economic reports. He’s very well read and takes the time to study all facets of issues to keep himself informed.
Posted by: sarasand | August 30, 2010, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm