If you could require all presidents to read one book, which would you choose?

[The Night Owl]

Go!

[Xipe Totec]

1. Machiavelli's The Prince n/t

[Raine1967]

2. The Federalist Papers.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

8. May I ask why? nt

[IdaBriggs]

38. Assuming your question is serious ...

"The Federalist Papers are a series of 85 articles advocating the ratification of the United States Constitution. Seventy-seven of the essays were published serially in The Independent Journal and The New York Packet between October 1787 and August 1788."

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalist_Papers to read more, or just google the name. It explains/justifies our entire system of government, and why it is important. I believe the person who said this was a "must read" for a President was saying so because it explains a) what the job entails; b) what the rest of the government is supposed to be doing; and c) what we (the people) are supposed to be doing, too.

Dictatorships are easier. (Yes, that is snark. LOL!)

[Sarah Ibarruri]

47. Yep, I know what it is. I merely asked why you like it so much. nt

[TexasObserver]

39. Agreed. It does more than convey knowledge of our constitution's birth.

It exemplifies the nature of thorough discussion of issues by top political minds in that era, which puts to shame the political minds of our era. The level of thought and analysis in the Federalist Papers is simply unseen in Washington today.

The dynamics which created the Bill of Rights and the history which compelled them are a sound basis for learning about the struggles that would follow in American history. It helps us remember the time when being a man, being a property owner, and being white were required for participation in the political process.

There are many good books, but few communicate so much useful information to an American politician as The Federalist Papers.

[graywarrior]

3. The People's History of the US by Howard Zinn

[burrowowl]

9. I second that!

[mzteris]

45. thirded! n/t

[MADem]

4. Useful for more than the obvious....

[dansolo]

5. "It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair Lewis

[boppers]

6. Wikipedia, english version.

All the talk pages included, so that's about 6 million web pages.

I like my presidents knowledgeable.

:evilgrin:

[camera obscura]

12. He'll know more about anime, soccer, and pro wrestling than any other world leader

[boppers]

16. ...along with scottish train stations, particle physics, chemical compounds,..

... world history, every freaking place the US took census records, and the complete discographies of every english-famous musician in the last 50 years...

Here's a fun link, their "List of unusual articles":
http://bit.ly/VfbaF
(Warning: may lead to a loss of several hours of time)

[Sarah Ibarruri]

7. The Handmaid's Tale nt

[MissWaverly]

10. Judgment at Nuremberg (DVD)

1961 movie about 1948 American trial for war crimes

Okay, so it's not a book, remember there are those who are proud that they don't read and listen
only to their gut.

[Chipper Chat]

11. The Ugly American

by Eugene Burdick

[citizen snips]

13. economics for dummies

[cali]

14. Only one? OK, I have to go with "Two cheers for democracy" by E.M. Forster

[FSogol]

15. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller n/t

[ruggerson]

17. Remembrance of Things Past, The Magic Mountain and Notes of a Native Son

I can dream, can't I?

[HopeOverFear]

18. Killers Of The Dream by Lillian Smith

[colbertforpresident]

19. The Shock Doctrine

.

[annabanana]

44. +1

[TankLV]

20. ...ummm..."My Pet Goat"...

I hear it's IMPOSSIBLE to put down once you start reading...

[MurrayDelph]

21. Amazing Fantasy 15

Origin of Spider-Man, where Peter Parker learns the simple lesson:

"With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility"

[proteus_lives]

41. +1

Excelsior!

[NYMountaineer]

22. One of my old favorites.

"All the King's Men" by R.P. Warren. Made into a mediocre film in 1949 and a lousy one a few years back.

The book, however, is one of the best, and most all-encompassing sociopolitical novels I've ever read.

[LWolf]

23. It wouldn't matter.

I sent Obama a book on election day, with a note congratulating him.

It, and the note, was returned unopened with a letter from somebody explaining that he couldn't take a "gift" from me.

I guess I should have put "Chavez" on the return address.

It wasn't a gift; it was a very positive examination of the state of my profession, opening the door to positive, constructive ways to reform.

I've thought about cutting it up and sending it to him a chapter at a time so it wouldn't be a "gift," but as long as Duncan's at the helm, it would be a waste of my time and energy, since Duncan is the antithesis of constructive reform of public education.

[valerief]

24. Foot Art is Good Art. Or Tall Buildings. nt

[snake in the grass]

25. Milton Mayer's "They Thought They Were Free". n/t

[taterguy]

26. Lost Highways by Peter Guralnick

Because they're probably already read all the Poli Sci / History tomes mentioned in this thread

[PassingFair]

27. The Stoic Philosophy of Seneca

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZETEJBEGL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg


Can't hurt!

[NYC_SKP]

28. Tolstoy's "War and Peace", Retroactive to 2000 as a Prerequisite to Inauguration.

Think of the trouble that would have saved us from!

:P

[Monk06]

29. Galbraith's the Age of Uncertainty. n/t

[saltpoint]

30. CAT'S CRADLE, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

- - -

“And I propose to you that if we are to pay our sincere respects to the hundred lost children of San Lorenzo, that we might best spend the day despising what killed them; which is to say, the stupidity and viciousness of all mankind.”

--Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Cat’s Cradle


- - -

[and-justice-for-all]

31. The God Delusion...nt

[masuki bance]

32. Captain Underpants

or if that won't work, De Rerum Natura

[unapatriciated]

33. The Pet Goat

[Frank Cannon]

34. "Johnny Got His Gun" by Dalton Trumbo

Should be bought in bulk and handed out at parties to right wingers who mouth off about "supporting the troops".

[Craftsman]

35. The Art Of War

By Sun Zsu

[BlooInBloo]

36. Hm. I dunno. Need to think about it.

[niceypoo]

37. Open Veins of Latin America

[OwnedByFerrets]

40. The Shock Doctrine

[TokenQueer]

42. "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins

:thumbsup:

[anonymous171]

43. The Bible. nt

[Orsino]

46. Howard Zinn's People's History of the United States. n/t

[Sebastian Doyle]

48. "Screwed: The Undeclared War Against the Middle Class

- And What We Can Do About It" by Thom Hartmann