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Life of Pi author Yann Martel: Leaders must read fiction

Life of Pi author Yann Martel sent the former Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, 101 books over the course of four years to encourage him to read more.

Having heard the PM no longer read fiction, the writer sent him a book every two weeks - but never got a reply.

Martel says however, US Prime Minister Barack Obama is a fan of Life of Pi:

"He and his daughter had read Life of Pi and so he wrote me a little note, a handwritten note".

This clip is originally from Afternoon Edition on Monday 15 February 2016.

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