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The Red and the Black
Stendhal

Recommended by:
Emmanuel Macron – President of France
Emmanuel says: ‘It’s one of my favourite books. I have a fondness for romantic, ambitious heroes who venture into the unknown’

Available in the UK via Bookshop.org

• “No-Screen Day” (Journée sans écran): A nationwide initiative led by Macron to encourage families and individuals to spend time away from digital devices and reduce screen time.
• “Offline Day” Initiative: Promoted in schools, such as in Villers-Cotterêts, this initiative focuses on promoting books and theatre as alternatives to digital media.
• Book: Revolution – Emmanuel Macron
• Latest project: France and Poland will build a telecommunications satellite for the Polish military

War and Peace
Leo Tolstoy

Recommended by:
Xi Jinping – President of the People’s Republic of China
Xi says: ‘Dostoevsky is the deepest Russian writer, while Tolstoy is the widest. Comparing the two of them, I prefer Tolstoy’

Available in the UK via Bookshop.org

Latest project: Early 2026, heavily focused on accelerating the development of the Xiong’an New Area, a high-tech “city of the future” designed to relieve Beijing of non-essential functions and act as a model for sustainable urban development

Promoting Traditional Culture: Xi emphasizes “cultural confidence” and the rejuvenation of traditional Chinese culture to boost national cohesion and provide an alternative to Western influence.

Book: Xi Jinping: The Governance of China Volume 1: [English Language Version]