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The Red and the Black
Stendhal

Available in the UK via Bookshop.org and Amazon.co.uk
Available in the US via Amazon.com

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’

In April 2026, Emmanuel announced an agreement between France and Poland to build a telecommunications satellite for the Polish military

He is passionate about encouraging families and individuals to spend time away from digital devices and reduce screen time: ‘No-Screen Day‘ (Journée sans écran) is a nationwide initiative to stay off phones, tablets and computers every Sunday. His ‘Offline Day‘ initiative, promoted in schools (such as in Villers-Cotterêts), focuses on promoting books and theatre as alternatives to digital media.

Book: Emmanuel Macron, Revolution
The bestselling memoir by France’s president

Available in the UK via Bookshop.org and Amazon.co.uk
Available in the US via Amazon.com

War and Peace
Leo Tolstoy

Available in the UK via Bookshop.org and Amazon.co.uk
Available in the US via Amazon.com

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’

In early 2026, Xi is focused heavily 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

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]
China’s leader is deliberately secretive, but this book offer clues about his back story

Available in the UK via Bookshop.org and Amazon.co.uk
Available in the US via Amazon.com