Obama’s Secret to Surviving the White House Years: Books

A profile of Barack Obama as a reader, which includes a link to Kakutani’s 3,015-word interview with the outgoing president. He  discusses his love for reading, some authors he loves–plus short stories he’s written.

Published: Jan 16, 2017
Length: 8 minutes (2,018 words)

The Art of Humor No. 1, Woody Allen

“A word about this interview. It was hard for me because I don’t like to aggrandize my work by discussing its influences or my themes or that kind of thing. That kind of talk is more applicable to works of greater stature. I say this with no false modesty—that I feel I have done no really significant work, whatsoever, in any medium.”

Published: Sep 1, 1995
Length: 28 minutes (7,205 words)

Laura Bush, a Lonely Texas Girl Far From Home

Laura Bush’s new memoir is really two books: an account of her youth in Texas, and a political autobiography.

Published: Apr 28, 2010
Length: 16 minutes (4,013 words)