Philip K. Howard came to  Books at Noon to discuss his latest work, The Rule of Nobody.

When and where do you like to read?

I read at night and on the road.

What books did you like to read as a child?

I loved a series of childhood biographies, so much that I saved money to purchase them all. I still have them.

What books had the greatest influence on you?

Books that changed my thinking include: Tocqueville's Democracy in America, Jane Jacobs's The Life and Death of American Cities, Friedrich Hayek's The Constitution of Liberty, Vaclav Havel's essays and speeches, Isaiah Berlin's essays, much of Peter Drucker's work.  In fiction, Tolstoy and Dickens. I read all biographies by Ron Chernow, David McCullough and Jon Meacham.

Would you like to name some writers you feel deserve greater readership?

All good writers deserve greater readership!!  There are so many. Historian Amanda Foreman comes to mind.

What was the last book you recommended?

Chang-Rae Lee's dystopic novel, On Such a Full Sea.

What do you plan to read next?

Francis Fukuyama's new book.