>Don't all administrations attempt to project a leader as a great intellectual figure? They
>invite painters, poets, and intellectuals to the White House to share their common
>interests. Just like all the sycophants write memoirs crediting presents with great
>wisdom. Carter seemed to do less of that than most of the others.
Carter did a lot of it, but it didn't seem so because Carter actually enjoyed those peoples' company and thus they weren't continually used as media fodder. Carter also has a fair amount of talent as a writer--about half his book of poetry is first-rate, and his writing about his personal life is engaging--and I imagine he has something to talk about if, say, David Garrow drops by his office. If I had his novel, I'd read it and I bet I'd enjoy it.
For what it's worth,
John A