CRYPTONYM

There has been much talk about what Barack Obama has been spotted reading lately or should be reading in his new presidential position. But no one has turned their attention to Michelle to make suggestions for a First Lady reading list. As one of the most prominent women in America, she has quickly become a trend-setter and taste-maker. Her role as First Lady cannot be underestimated, and speculations about her initiatives in domestic and policy issues are now being offered. In order to prepare Michelle for her new responsibilities, this publicist provides some reading recommendations from our distributed presses.

For maintaining her unique style and staying strong under the scrutinizing eyes of the fashion police:

Fashion: A Philosophy dives into the world of style, exploring the myths, ideas, and history that make up haute couture, the must-have trends over the centuries, and the very concept of fashion itself.

For redecorating the White House:

The Modern Interior examines the work of such designers as Marcel Breuer, Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles and Ray Eames, and Mies van der Rohe, and draws upon design examples from the United States and Europe to reveal that, unlike the designed exteriors of buildings and institutions, the idea of the "interior" has been a largely abstract conception promoted through exhibitions, retail stores, and mass media.

For cultivating the White House Rose Garden:

And perhaps starting a White House Vegetable Garden to promote sustainable and healthy eating (an initiative I'd personally like to see).

From Yard to Garden explores how the history of the American home garden is fundamentally intertwined with our national culture and character. The garden means more to Americans than simply the plants it contains: It is a gathering place, a retreat from the demands of daily life, and an extension of the family home.

For issues of social policy related to families in a fully global multi-ethnic society:

The family lives of immigrants and ethnic minority populations have become central to arguments about the right and wrong ways of living in multicultural societies. The Family in Question uses international case studies to examine how those in public policy often dangerously reflect the popular imagination, xenophobically stereotyping immigrants and their families, rather than recognizing the complex changes taking place within the global immigrant community.