Reading Copy

Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With the Wind, and Martin Luther King had a lot in common says the Daily Telegraph.

Popularity: 31% [?]

After 49 years in power, Cuban president Fidel Castro has officially stepped down leaving his brother Raul to continue in his place.

While his politics differ greatly from the American presidents he shadowed, some things are quite similar. They have all written lots and lots of books. Some of Castro’s contributions include:
History will Absolve me (1959),
Revolutionary Struggle (1972),
Fidel Castro: Nothing Can Stop the Course of History (1986),
Cuba: Against Terrorism and Against War (2001),
Fidel Castro: My Life (2008).

And that’s just a few… Castro has seen 10 US presidents come and go, from Eisenhower, JFK, Nixon, to both Bush’s, and everyone else in-between.

Love him or hate him that’s a long history.

Popularity: 14% [?]

US primaries are in full force today, with 24 states voting. Obama and Clinton are in a dead heat on the Democrat side, and for the Republicans McCain has the edge right now but either Romney or Huckabee could make a move today with so many states voting.

Here’s how it would turn out if book prices were votes…

Popularity: 12% [?]

I am being drawn further and further into the US presidential primaries by the day. But I’m not the only one, lots of collectors have been picking up signed copies of Barack Obama books from AbeBooks.com. Overnight, we had a rush on signed first editions of Audacity of Hope, his second book. Audacity of Hope is still affordable with signed firsts priced less than $500. It’s a different story with Obama’s debut book - his 1995 memoir, Dreams From My Father. Last year AbeBooks sold signed first editions of Dreams From My Father for $1,798 and $1,299 respectively and prices have been rising steeply as his campaign to become the 44th president gathers momementum.

Popularity: 15% [?]

Straight-talking Nobel Prize winner Doris Lessing sticks it to the Americans over their reaction to September 11.

Popularity: 13% [?]

Author Martin Amis certainly knows how to make friends and influence people in the Islamic world.

Popularity: 13% [?]

In this Sunday’s New York Times two new biographies published about the outspoken Venezuelan president, and friend of Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez have been featured. The first ¡HUGO! is written by former AP correspondent and Newsday reporter Bart Jones and the second is by Venezuelan journalists Christina Marcano and Alberto Barrera Tyszka and is simply titled Hugo Chavez.

Donald Rumsfeld likened him to Hitler, Chavez likens himself to Christ. Love him or hate him I think either of these would be an interesting read, though The Times seemed to like Jones work better.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Today, I very much like this poetry about the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Link from Bookslut).

My biggest mistake - not putting $100 on Mister Pip to win the Booker Prize when its odds were 40-1. Today, it’s the 2-1 favourite.

Last night someone bought a signed copy of Bill Clinton’s Giving book for $235. That’s the sort of Giving I like. The book was only released on Tuesday.

Popularity: 11% [?]

So Bill Clinton released a book yesterday entitled Giving: How Each Of Us Can Change The World. There is a single signed copy on AbeBooks.com at the moment but it will cost you $400.

Popularity: 9% [?]

One of my favourite websites is WorldChanging - an organization that looks at the world and ways of making it better - the tools, models and ideas for building a better future lie all around us.

They have posted a list of books that have inspired and informed their ideas and thinking. There are lot of great books in there to help anyone start changing the world.

Popularity: 19% [?]

It seems British politicians like reading books about….. other British politicians, reports The Scotsman. Most popular choice? William Wilberforce: The Life of the Great Anti-Slave Trade Campaigner by William Hague MP.

Popularity: 9% [?]

With Tony Blair bidding goodbye today, The Guardian blogs about literary farewells.

Popularity: 13% [?]

Gordon Brown, the prime minister to be of the UK, is a very bookish person. Yesterday, he appeared on BBC Radio’s Open Book programme and revealed his five favourite books. Will we see him carry particular books around with him? Something George Bush tends to do?

The PM-in-waiting’s selections included The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler - clearly a choice from a father who reads at bedtime. I’d also like to recommend Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson - it’s a very easy-to-read book that my four-year-old daughter loves.

Popularity: 10% [?]

When anyone remotely famous dies, a book is usually published. If they are very famous, then a lot of books are brought out - see this example regarding a lady once called Diana Spencer. Publishers Weekly reports how the ‘Dead Celebrities’ Bill could change that.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Some of the prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay will publish a book of poetry in August, reports today’s Wall Street Journal on its front page.

Popularity: 10% [?]