As if we didn’t already know Obama was the Reader-in-Chief, here’s further proof: recently, President Obama sent a fan letter to author Yann Martel. Galleycat reports:

Today novelist Yann Martel posted a piece of fan mail he received from President Barack Obama. The president wrote: “My daughter and I just finished reading Life of Pi together. Both of us agreed we prefer the story with animals. It is a lovely book–an elegant proof of God and the power of storytelling.”

Martel’s response?

If there was a way of tattooing it on my back, I would. What amazes me is the gratuity of it. As you would know, there is a large measure of calculation in what public figures do. But here, what does he gain? I’m not a US citizen. In no way can I be of help to President Obama. Clearly he did it for personal reasons, as a reader and as a father. And in two lines, what an insightful analysis of Life of Pi.

The blog What Is Stephen Harper Reading has a nice scan of the (handwritten!) note. But to me, the best part of this story is that Obama is reading this book with his daughter. What’s better than a Reader-in-Chief? A Reader-in-Chief — or any parent, really — who passes on a love of reading to the next generation.

All year I’ve been waiting for Obama to flex his narrative muscles, to tell the story of his presidency, of his Administration, to tell the story of where our country is going and why we should help deliver it there. A coherent, accessible, compelling story—one that is narrow enough to be held in our minds and hearts and that nevertheless is roomy enough for us, the audience, to weave our own predilections, dreams, fears, experiences into its fabric. [...] But from where I sit our President has not even told a bad story; he, in my opinion, has told no story at all. I heard him talk healthcare to death but while he was elaborating ideas his opponents were telling stories. Sure they were bad ones, full of distortions and outright lies, but at least they were talking to the American people in the correct idiom: that of narrative. The President gave us a raft of information about why healthcare would be a swell idea; the Republicans gave us death panels. Ideas are wonderful things, but unless they’re couched in a good story they can do nothing.

What do you think? Is Diaz on to something here? Is the lack of presidential narrative part of what’s hampering Obama?

Via.

On Slate, John Dickerson considers how Obama’s reading choices reflect on him. (Thanks to Anu for sending me this article.) Meanwhile, some critics — leaping on the fact that Obama had previously read and quoted from Hot, Flat, and Crowded, and that he later referred to it being “on his nightstand” — seem to think there’s something weird about reading a book twice, or reading it slowly over a long period of time while you RUN THE COUNTRY and have to read a million other things. **Sigh.**

At FWR, a number of our contributors and readers are poets (the out kind!), and I’m wondering if you’d take a few minutes to tell us:

What poets or new, recent, or classic books of poetry are you reading?

Poets (and fiction writers, too, if you’re game), please send any and all recommendations to either annestameshkin@gmail.com or fictionwritersreview@gmail.com; ideally, include a brief blurb of who the poet is or what the book is about–and why s/he or it is so grand). I’ll post your recommendations on the site, giving you credit (or hailing you as anonymous, should you wish to remain so).

For inspiration, take a look at one of our very first FWR features, “Poetry for Fiction Writers: Five Recommendations” from the fabulous poet Katie Umans.

And visit Starting Today: Poems for the First 100 Days, a website that lives up to its name, offering one Obama-themed poem every day for the first stretch of his first term. Co-creator-poets Arielle Greenberg and Rachel Zucker describe the project:

The day before the inauguration we sent out a call to poets we admire to write poems that respond, however loosely, to the presidency, the nation, the government or the current political climate. More than one hundred American poets responded immediately. The first 100 poets were each assigned one of President Obama’s first hundred days in office, and each will write a poem reflecting on the state of the nation and the world on that day. A new poem is posted every day.

Michiko Kakutani is thrilled (and aren’t we all!) that our new president is a bonafide, enthusiastic reader. Here’s to an era of empathetic, intelligent governance; all hail the book-loving chief!!

Much has been made of Mr. Obama’s eloquence — his ability to use words in his speeches to persuade and uplift and inspire. But his appreciation of the magic of language and his ardent love of reading have not only endowed him with a rare ability to communicate his ideas to millions of Americans while contextualizing complex ideas about race and religion, they have also shaped his sense of who he is and his apprehension of the world….

Mr. Obama has said that he wrote “very bad poetry” in college and his biographer David Mendell suggests that he once “harbored some thoughts of writing fiction as an avocation.” For that matter, “Dreams From My Father” evinces an instinctive storytelling talent (which would later serve the author well on the campaign trail) and that odd combination of empathy and detachment gifted novelists possess.

Also check out Jon Meacham’s essay “How to Read Like a President,” in which he discusses the reading habits of past presidents, Barack Obama, and John McCain. What do each candidate’s favorite books say about how he sees the world or might lead this country?

Now stop reading this, all you writers and readers; go out and vote for Barack Obama!!!

I prefer to discuss politics through my novels, but I am truly dismayed these days. Twice last week alone, speakers at McCain-Palin rallies have referred to Sen. Barack Obama, with unveiled scorn, as Barack Hussein Obama…What I find most unconscionable is the refusal of the McCain-Palin tandem to publicly condemn the cries of “traitor,” “liar,” “terrorist” and (worst of all) “kill him!” that could be heard at recent rallies. McCain is perfectly capable of telling hecklers off. But not once did he or his running mate bother to admonish the people yelling these obscene — and potentially dangerous — words. They may not have been able to hear the slurs at the rallies, but surely they have had ample time since to get on camera and warn that this sort of ugliness has no place in an election season. But they have not. Simply calling Obama “a decent person” is not enough.

After reading this, I visited Hosseini’s website, which features a recently updated blog and a number of short videos on topics like becoming a writer and using real people/events in fiction; he also speaks about conditions in Afghanistan. Hosseini devotes part of the home page to raising awareness about Afghanistan’s poor literacy rate and restricted access, even for the literate, to books and education. He points readers to Relief International’s Afghan Libraries Program, whose goal is “to create libraries that children can access easily and safely, allowing them to learn important life skills.”

Now Waldman is channeling some of that passion toward electing Barack Obama, who she first met in law school. She’s launched a Books for Barack fundraising drive. In a widely circulated email, Waldman called for writers to donate signed copies of their books, including rare collectibles and first editions, to offer as gifts for Barack donors. Here’s how it works: you donate $250 or more to Barack through her MyBarackObama page, forward your receipt by email to Ayelet, and she and Chabon will send you a signed book from this exciting (and still-growing) collection, as well as a Books for Barack tote bag. More than $140,000 has been raised so far. To that I say, Yes we can!