Which book is on your nightstand right now?
It’s a book about [Randy] “Duke” Cunningham [R-Calif.] called The Wrong Stuff, written by the team of investigative reporters who followed the story. It’s an excellent exposé and something that everyone ought to read.
What magazines do you regularly read?
I’ve recently taken up golf, so I read Golf Digest. I don’t read other magazines regularly, but I read The Hill, Roll Call, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Marietta Daily Journal and The Wall Street Journal. That way I’m ready and prepared to discuss the issues. Every morning, I also try to read my Bible.
What’s your guilty-pleasure read?
I don’t have one. I stay on the straight and narrow.
Which books have most influenced your political philosophy?
The Conscience of a Conservative by Barry Goldwater. Back in 1963, 1964, I become a conservative Republican, when I started thinking about who I was. That book had a major influence on my political life.
Which book about Washington should every member read?
I would recommend Charlie Wilson’s War. It gives you a lot of information into the appropriations process. And Charlie Wilson, as a member of Congress, did some remarkable things. They’re making it into a movie and Tom Hanks is playing Charlie Wilson.
What are your favorite novels of all time?
Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities and Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. I read Hugo’s book before I saw the musical, which I’ve seen seven times.