So, this morning in Time online there was this interesting little article about Yann Martel and his campaign to send Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper a book every two weeks. The reason? Well, one, to protest against some cuts made in funding the arts. But, also, because “I’m not saying he has to read all of War and Peace in a week, but to never be engaged in the imaginative work that is fiction, to not go to museums, to concerts, to ballets, to plays, to not engage in cultural life at all, to me, it’s slightly scary.” Martel has even set up a website detailing the books and letters he’s sending Prime Minister Harper. Brilliant.
All of which got me wondering: do you think President Bush could benefit from something like this? If so, what would you send him?
The Book Nut 
George Orwell. First thing that came to my mind.
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Brilliant indeed! I read somewhere that he read 70 or so books last year. I seriously doubt this. Actually I want to see what books they were!
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A dictionary would have to be the first thing.
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wayne — which one? 1984’s what popped in my mind…70 books? I seriously doubt that, too.And quixotic, that’s too true.
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Brilliant!! I didn’t realize there was a website! As for what I’d send Bush. Loaded question. I’ll think about it and perhaps post a list on my blog.
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Hooked on Phonics. Is that too harsh?
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I would send him Michael Pollen’s The Ominvore’s Dilemna. Maybe then, just maybe, he’d start holding the FDA responsible. (yes, yes, I’m a one trick pony lately.)
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