Steal Your Summer Reading List From Hillary Clinton

Lauren Schwartzberg

Yesterday, the Cut reported that during a speech at the American Library Association conference, Hillary Clinton listed all of the books she’s been reading with her unexpected time off since November, saying that besides for going on hikes and drinking white wine (relatable), she’s been consoling herself by “going back to the familiar experience of losing myself in books.” As such, there are lots of novels and mystery stories and some uplifting poetry, all of which we’ve gathered below.

My Brilliant Friend: Neapolitan Novels, Book One by Elena Ferrante

Hillary Clinton Is Reading a Lot of Mystery Novels and You Should Probably Join Her

A complete breakdown of the whodunits, sagas & poetry volumes helping the former Secretary of State through this difficult time

Patricja Okuniewska

There are many admirable qualities about former Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and her penchant for reading (not just the news and briefings) is one of them. Now that she a bit more free time on her hands, without having to run an entire campaign and all that, she’s seized the opportunity by revisiting old favorites and and discovering a few new books, too. Yesterday, at the American Library Association conference, Clinton indulged the audience with how she likes to spend her free time these days, giving a very relatable answer of drinking wine, hiking, and reading. Sounds about right. She also listed a number of books that have made their way across her nightstand of late, so keep adding to your summer reading lists because she’s named some good ones, and let’s be honest, you want to form a book club with Hillary Clinton. Two glasses of wine in, think of the stories.

1. My Brilliant Friend, by Elena Ferrante

Clinton said that she finished all four of Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels, which revolve around two female friends who grow up in post-war Italy, and which detail the coming-of-age of not only a strong relationship but of a city and a country. Also focusing on themes such as class and power, these books definitely sound right up our former Secretary of State’s alley. And everyone’s, frankly. There’s a reason why they’re an international sensation.

Here Are All the Books Hillary Clinton Has Time to Read Now

By Claire Landsbaum

June 27, 2017

Hillary Clinton has some unexpected free time on her hands these days, and as she told the audience at the American Library Association conference on Tuesday, she’s been filling it with things like hikes, white wine, and reading.The former presidential candidate said that after her election loss, one of the ways she found solace was by “going back to the familiar experience of losing myself in books.”

Then she ticked off what she’s read since November: “I finished Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels, I devoured mysteries by Louise Penny, Donna Leon, Jacqueline Winspear, Charles Todd,” she said. She continued, “I reread old favorites like Henri Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son, the poetry of Maya Angelou and Mary Oliver. I was riveted by The Jersey Brothers and a new book of essays called The View From Flyover Country, which turned out to be especially relevant in the midst of our current health-care debate.” (The last is a self-published book of essays by Missouri-based journalist Sarah Kendzior.)

Congratulations to Hillary, who now has more time to read than a person who lives in Washington Heights and commutes to Ditmas Park.

Here’s How Hillary Clinton Likes To Get Lost These Days – Hint: It’s Not In The Woods