Books for Barack

By GottaLaff

Of course this would be appropriate only for the Obama campaign considering they can actually read:

[Ayelet] Waldman, the California novelist whose books include "Love and Other Impossible Pursuits" and the Mommy Track mystery series, is an ardent Obama supporter and is encouraging lovers of literature to contribute to his campaign in exchange for a "mystery bag" of books.

For a donation of $250 or more to the Democratic candidate through Waldman's MyBarackObama page, which is linked to the website, www.books4barack.com, participants will receive 10 signed copies from books donated by hundreds of contemporary American authors. Some are rare, first-edition or highly collectible — or all three.

Her website said that as of Monday, more than 1,000 signed books had been donated. The sets of 10 books are chosen at random and will begin arriving Friday in a canvas tote bag imprinted with "Books for Barack" to those who forward their e-mailed donation receipt and mailing address to Waldman.

Among the authors and books are Stephen King ("Hearts in Atlantis" and "Duma Key"); Judy Bloom ("Wifey"); Dave Eggers ("What Is the What"); Arthur Golden ("Memoirs of a Geisha"); Greil Marcus ("Dead Elvis"); Terry McMillan ("How Stella Got Her Groove Back"); Jodi Picoult ("Change of Heart"); Lemony Snicket (boxed edition of "A Series of Unfortunate Events"); Khaled Hosseini ("The Kite Runner); and Waldman's husband, Michael Chabon, ("The Yiddish Policemen's Union.")

Other authors include Connecticut residents Amy Bloom, Alice Mattison, Chandra Prasad, Sandi Kahn Shelton and Stewart O'Nan. Anne Tyler, Richard Price, Amy Tan, Mario Batali, Roy Blount Jr., Chris Bohjalian, Billy Collins, Anita Diamant, Nora Ephron, Garrison Keillor, Jonathan Lethem, Alice Sebold and George Saunders also donated books.

H/t: Chris