Beach Reading with President Barack Obama

Like any good overachieving, obsessive reader, President Barack Obama is bringing a stack of five books on his vacation trip to Martha’s Vineyard.

According to Time Magazine, the list includes: “Hot, Flat and Crowded” by Tom Friedman, “John Adams” by David McCullough, “Lush Life” by Richard Price, “Plain Song” by Kent Haruf, and “The Way Home” by George Pelecanos. Earlier this year, the literary president was caught reading books by novelist Colson Whitehead and Joseph O’Neill.

Here’s a hardboiled excerpt from “Lush Life,” one of this GalleyCat editor’s favorite reads from the list: “The Quality of Life Task Force: four sweatshirts in a bogus taxi set up on the corner of Clinton Street alongside the Williamsburg Bridge off-ramp to profile the incoming salmon run; their mantra: Dope, guns, overtime; their motto: Everyone’s got something to lose.” (Via Book Bench)

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