Van der Bellen and Obama Share Summer Reading Lists

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen has joined the tradition of sharing summer reading recommendations, offering a diverse list that includes a suspense novel, a book on Palestinian history, and a collection of Polish stories.

Van der Bellen shared his picks via a video from the Hofburg, admitting he hadn't read all the suggested books but found them noteworthy. His recommendations range from Dror Mishani's "The End of the Beginning" to Soraya Antonius' "The Lord," and Joanna Bator's "The Bear's Flight," which he described as "not easy to take." He also plans to read Radka Denemarková's "Contribution to the History of Joy" and highlighted a Scandinavian fairy tale collection, "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," as a personal favorite.

“

A few of these books I know, others I don't.

This practice echoes that of former U.S. President Barack Obama, who annually releases a highly anticipated summer reading list. Obama's list, released in late July, includes Tayari Jones' "An American Marriage" (titled "Kin" in the U.S.) and Elizabeth Strout's "The Things We Never Say." The influence of these presidential recommendations is significant, with Obama's lists often leading to a notable increase in book sales, a phenomenon dubbed the "Obama bump."

While Obama actively shares his literary tastes, former President Donald Trump is rarely known for public literary recommendations. The article briefly mentions Trump's alleged praise for Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" as an exception.

“

not easy to take