The West Wing reading log

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The Making of the President 1972 by Theodore White.

Well that's finished the series! This book in my opinion was the most disappointing of the series. I'm not surprised that White decided after this not to continue with more books. Maybe the reason I didn't enjoy this book as much was because it was clear Nixon was always going to win. But I felt White wasn't really on the ground, with the press during this campaign. He didn't have as many anecdotes as he usually had in the rest. He relied a lot on vague stories and issues.

The most interesting chapter was that on 'Watergate', as this issue had been simmering underneath the surface during the Presidential campaign, and I thought it was fascinating to read how those living through 'Watergate' viewed it, before the help of hindsight. If anyone is interested in the 1972 Presidential Campaign I would highly recommend either The Boys on the Bus by Timothy Crouse or Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 by Hunter S. Thompson. I would give both of these 5 stars as opposed to The Making of the President 1972 which I will give :pac::pac: and a half/5.

The next book I've started to read is Gilead by Marilynne Robinson which is the book of the month for the Boards bookclub. The little bit I've read so far is impressive so I've high hopes for this.

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Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

This was a superb book. I wouldn't have picked this up normally if it wasn't for the book club but I'm glad I did. It appealed to me in so many ways. It contains a lot of theology but don't let that put you off as it is weaved into the story seamlessly. The main character really 'spoke' to me and I could relate, though I'm much younger. I can see why it is listed as one of Barack Obama's favourite books. (He must have good taste:p) This is getting :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5. Highly recommend it if you are looking for something thought-provoking but accessible.

Now onto something of which I'm sure will be as thought-provoking, All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. This was very kindly sent to me by Eliot Rosewater as a part of World Book Night. I've wanted to read this for a long time so I'm glad I finally have a chance!

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All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque.

This has been another superb book and a great way to spend a Monday of a bank holiday. This truly is a story, and an unforgettable one at that! Though I've studied both history and politics at university, military history and stories never appealed to me. I'd far rather read about the high politics involved in war rather then read the nitty gritty details of life in the trenches.

This book however, had me gripped from the start and I just couldn't put it down. I even missed a prior engagement just so I could keep reading until the end. I really felt part of the trenches and I felt for every boy who was fighting and dying. It really made war feel real to me and I could visualise it with ease. I would highly recommend this book. I had thought that I would pass it on in the spirit of World Book Night, but alas I'm keeping it as I know I'll refer to it and pick it up many more times. It easily deserves :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5.

(P.S. For added drama I'd recommend reading it while listening to Yo-Yo Ma's The Cello Suites; Inspired by Bach, as I did. It's the perfect compliment to the book as it adds to the drama and sorrow perfectly.)

Well with the weekend that was in it, I felt it was only proper to try and read something about the Royal Family, so next up to read is On Royalty by Jeremy Paxman. I'm not expecting a whole lot from this book as from looking at the blurb it seems it's just full of funny facts but I'm sure it'll be enjoyable enough.

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On Royalty by Jeremy Paxman.

This was a very enjoyable book. Personally I love Paxman but I know he's not to everyone taste. However in the book I found him both informative and balanced. This book doesn't just deal with the British royal family, it deals with monarchy in general and thus has a good mix of anecdotes and facts from monarchies all over the world.

Someone on Amazon put forward this review:

There is a good deal of analysis throughout, giving an historical perspective on the purpose of monarchy and how it was perceived from early times. He points out that, while there is no logical argument for a monarchy in Britain, its appeal has been largely undiminished throughout the centuries and that the majority still prefer to keep the Royals where they are. He examines why this is the case and puts forward some reasonable theories for it.

I would agree wholeheartedly with this review and I think it sums up a lot of the book well. As someone with only a limited knowledge of the the British Royal family I found this book very accessible and would recommend it to people who may just want to have a peek into their lives. It has certainly piqued my interest in the Royal Family and I'll probably purchase more books about the subject. I'll also probably buy more of Paxman's books as I like his writing style. I'd give the book :pac::pac::pac::pac: and a half/5.

I'm looking forward to my next book, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? by Horace McCoy as I've been meaning to read this for an awfully long time. I've never seen the movie so I've no idea what the plot is, but my mother often speaks about it so I have a personal interest in it.

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They Shoot Horses, Don't They? by Horace McCoy

This is a very interesting novella and one that I was really engaged in. It's the story of two down-on-their luck actors in Hollywood during the Great Depression--Gloria who, abused her entire life, has lost almost all hope for a happy and meaningful life and the narrator who still holds to his dreams. Together, the starving couple enters a marathon dance contest for the promise of steady meals (the contest strings on for months), for exposure to the viewing crowd of Hollywood execs, and the possibility of a payday at the end. In the months that follow, the couple is exposed to the abuse and absurdity of the meaningless, dehumanizing, ongoing dance, and both are changed.

The book shows the desperation that people endured just to survive and also deals with the empty miserable lives people live. I found this novella had many layers and dealt with a variety of themes such as depression, loneliness, physical endurance of man and death.

Though it was a depressing read, I loved it for the fact that I could feel the emotion on every page, sense the grittiness of the characters lives. For anyone who enjoyed Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath I believe that this book reflects a similar dark side of the American Dream.

Even though this book was written in 1935, I believe it is still incredibly relevant to today and therefore I would recommend it. I'm going to give it :pac::pac::pac::pac: and a half/5.

With Steinbeck on the brain, my next book to read is Cannery Row by John Steinbeck.

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Cannery Row by John Steinbeck.

This, in my very humble opinion, is one of Steinbeck's best works. I loved it as a judgement on humanity and for me Steinbeck created some very memorable characters that will stay with me for a long time. It is beautifully written, with vivid descriptions of both the characters and Cannery Row, so that the street came alive in my eyes. I've seen it described as a Tragicomedy, and I think this is an accurate portrayal of the book. I enjoyed how all the characters are slightly eccentric yet lovable. When I started reading the novel I couldn't see how Steinbeck was going to link all the characters together and I really couldn't guess where the story was going but it all came together beautifully. Also I think this book contains one of the best quotes of all time:

Two generations of Americans knew more about the Ford coil than about the clitoris, about the planetary system of gears than the solar system of stars. With the Model T, part of the concept of private property disappeared.

This is another :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5. Would highly recommend it to those who enjoy a well told story about complex characters.

I've just started reading The Audacity to Win: How Obama Won and How We Can Beat the Party of Limbaugh, Beck, and Palin by David Plouffe. I'm reading it for two reasons, one to compare modern day Presidential campaigns to the campaigns Theodore White covered and see the differences and similarities between both. And second I'm reading it in to mark Obamas visit to Ireland. Always like to read something topical.

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The Audacity to Win: How Obama Won and How We Can Beat the Party of Limbaugh, Beck, and Palin by David Plouffe.

So President Obama is about 12 hours away from touching down in Ireland. If you want to read about how he managed to win the White House, this is the book for you! It was really enjoyable and a pleasure to read.

Plouffe was Obama's presidential campaign manager and in the book he shows how they set up their campaign, managed it and took on both Hillary and McCain. It's fascinating how modern campaigns are run. It's a two year long non-stop campaign with the possibility of losing everything. After reading this account I don't know how any sane person gets involved in Presidential campaigns (And I include Obama in this).

What I liked about this book was that Plouffe was very honest about where the campaign sometimes faltered and he was also able to show how both Hillary and McCain missed key opportunities to seal their win.

The book also showed what a huge impact 'new media' had on the campaign and I believe this book will become the textbook on how to use social media as a tool to win elections. It was amazing how many people the Obama team could reach through a simple email or text message, and how many people would actually respond and contribute both financially and through actual manpower. I believe this truly was the first grassroots Presidential campaign for a very long time.

Obama's campaign was a complete other world when compared to the campaigns Theodore White reported on. Campaigning is now 24hour non-stop, compared to the much more relaxed state Kennedy and Nixon found themselves in. And really I don't know if this is a good thing. It means non-stories like 'Joe the Plumber' get blown out of the water (no pun intended) instead of everyone taking a breath and moving on. How future campaings will deal with the ever intrusive traditional and social media will be interesting. Look at it this way, had 24-hour media been around during JFK's election, there is no way a womanising and man in such poor health could have made it out of the primaries. What an awful waste that would have been.

If you are interested in learning about the logistics of a modern campaign or just want to know more about how Barack really is 'No Drama Obama' I would highly recommend this read. :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:/5.

As Obama hasn't touched Irish soil yet I'm going to continue with the Obama theme and read The Promise: President Obama by Jonathan Alter. This book deals with President Obama's first year in office. From the look of it, it seems pretty heavy so I'm sure it's going to take me a lot longer to read then the 24 hours Obama will be in Ireland :D.

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Well this thread died an unremarkable death, as too did my reading. In around July of last year I moved to a different county and within another month had moved back to Dublin to pursue a Masters. I've always found that when I'm in full-time education, my enjoyment of reading drops and I go months, sometimes years not reading anything of interest.

However now that my thesis is the only thing between me and graduation I now have more time to devote to my neglected love, reading.

I never finished The Promise: President Obama by Jonathan Alter. I got about hundred pages into it and though I was really enjoying it, I left it down and never returned. Possibly later on this year I will.

Instead this week I read Moleskin Joe by Patrick MacGill. Patrick MacGill's books written in the first decades of the twentieth century are chiefly concerned with the social conditions in Donegal, the plight of migrant workers in Britain and the horrors of the Great War in which he fought as a soldier of the London Irish Rifles. His books Children of the Dead End and The Rat Pit are his two best known works. The MacGill Summer School which takes place every year in Glenties, Co. Donegal was founded to celebrate the writer.

I had picked up this book by chance the last weekend I had been home. My mother, a native of Donegal has often cited his works as some of her favourite. Moleskin Joe was an enjoyable read. It's a love story where all the main characters are interlinked in some way. At times I found the plot to be incredibly far-fetched however the writing is exquisite and this more then makes up for the plot. The way MacGill describes scenes and characters is remarkable and he has such a beautiful way with words. My only other gripe with the book is that the dialogue at times can be difficult to understand, however it is easy to understand the gist of the conversation. I'm looking forward to reading more of MacGills work in the future. I would give this book :pac::pac::pac: and a half/5.

Up next on my ever increasing list of books to read is White House Diary by Jimmy Carter. I have been looking forward to reading this for a long time as I've always had a soft spot for Carter.

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White House Diary by Jimmy Carter.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I have always had a soft spot for President Carter and I enjoyed reading his take on events as he progressed through his presidency. What struck me most was his intense disdain for the media and the similar problems that he encountered that President Obama now faces. I loved the fact that he added in commentary to parts of the diary entries to further explain or update about events/issues/people. This gave a real insight to his mind. Some have said that the book was at times tedious. It's a diary and it goes through his day-to-day affairs. I didn't expect to be on the edge of my seat while reading it, instead I hoped to appreciate the time and issues that he faced/ It gives a great glimpse into the late 1970s and the state of America and the World. It was interesting for me to see how the Cold War played out in those years before Reagan and I also wanted to gain more insight to the Camp David Accords. I would recommend this book to anyone he wants to gain a greater understanding of the Carter Presidency, rather then someone who is looking for an autobiography. I would give this book :pac::pac::pac::pac:/5.

Looking at my shelves I have accumulated quite a few English Monarchy books over the past twelve months. With the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in full swing I am going to make a dent in these books over the next while. First up will be At Home with the Queen by Brian Hoey. This is a relatively short book about life in the Royal Household. It shouldn't be too taxing a read and will provide me with a break after the heavy issues dealt with in Carter's diaries.

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At Home with the Queen by Brian Hoey.

This was an interesting and mildly amusing look at life in the Royal Household. I enjoyed it as it wasn't a taxing read but there was lots of information and anecdotes to keep me interested. At times it was a bit fact heavy, do I really need to know down to the penny exactly how much someone working for the Queen is paid? But nonetheless there was plenty of juicy gossip about the goings on in the the world of the Queen's Household. I would recommend it to anyone interested in getting a behind the scenes look at the people who run and manage the Royal Household, more-so than people who want to know more about the Queen herself.

I'm currently half way through two other books and have started a third, (I have a tendency to do this when travelling and with the beautiful weather I can't help but just pick up a book and sit in the sun) so I'm not sure which I'll have finished first.