Obama’s beach reads span climate change to race relations

EDGARTOWN, Mass, Aug 14:   The White House released a list of six books President Barack Obama will be reading over his vacation in Martha’s Vineyard. They span from novels to nonfiction books about climate change and race relations in the United States.    The list includes “The Sixth Extinction”, a nonfiction Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Elizabeth Kolbert about the effects of man-made climate change, and “Between the World and Me,” a personal exploration of life for black Americans by Ta-Nehisi Coates.    Both books touch on issues Obama has said are major priorities of the final years of his presidency.    In the past, Obama’s summer reading list has leaned heavily toward novels – perhaps to escape from the stress of the presidency – but this year’s selection offers an even split between nonfiction and fiction.    Other books on the list include: “All That Is,” a novel by James Salter; “All The Light We Cannot See,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Anthony Doerr; The Lowland, by Jhumpa Lahiri; and “Washington: A Life,” a biography of the first American president George Washington by Ron Chernow.    Obama may have enjoyed one of his summer reads on Thursday when, according to the White House, he spent the day at a private beach with family and friends.   (AGENCIES)