Gov. Jay Inslee Talks Reading

— by Valerie Easton for Crosscut.com —

Jay Inslee is a home-grown governor. His Dad was a biology teacher at Garfield and Sealth high schools, and Inslee’s first foray into public service was when he fought for a new public high school during the years he lived near Yakima. Our 23rd governor went to Ingraham High School and the University of Washington, then attended Willamette University to earn his law degree. He lives on Bainbridge Island.

Are you able to find time to read for pleasure now you’re the governor?

Not nearly as much as I’d like. I try to read before I go to bed, and am usually able to finish about three pages before falling asleep.

Any books open on your nightstand right now?

H is for Hawk, a memoir by Helen Macdonald. It’s taking me a while, but I always enjoy reading books that have some tie to nature.

Have you read a truly great book you’d unhesitatingly recommend to friends and colleagues?

Two books come to mind, both of them read some time ago: Dirt, the Erosion of Civilizations, by David R. Montgomery, and Eating the Sun: How Plants Power the Planet, by Oliver Morton. They’re both fascinating books that will make you think differently about the world around us.

Do you read mostly fiction or non-fiction?

Non-fiction, no question. I usually read historical or science-based books.

Is there a political/civic book you hope every citizen of Washington would read?

I’m not sure about a specific book, but for a well-balanced diet of ideas I’d suggest reading columnists like Paul Krugman, David Brooks and David Horsey.

(To read the full article (Lots of Moby Dick!) , go to crosscut.com/2015/07/book-city-gov-jay-inslee-talks-reading )