2. Barry Obama

Barack Obama, Dreams of my Father (Canongate, 2008)

This is a book that I claimed to have read at a party to impress a girl a while back. That probably tells you more about the kind of parties I go to and my attempts to chat people up that I usually care to let on.  I reveal it, though, as a reminder of how bad this book makes you feel.  Really bad.  It's a weird one to read, as it's a memoir wrapped in a series of introductions, first when BO was famous for being the president of a the Harvard Law Review, and then when he was  running for the senate.  I think he was about 12.  Actually, it's even worse - he was barely in his thirties.  And now of course, he's about to be president of the USA - President-elect, in the lingo.  This is a great thing.  And, after 33 pages, it's pretty clear he can write (if write a bit too much).  All marvelous.  But it's sure good at making you feel a little... inadequate.  Barack would have no trouble nattering to the aforementioned party girl.

I'll let you know how I get on.  Although I'm sure you've all already read it.

(Oh, and good work Canongate on snagging this for your small, but well-formed, quirky list)