Gov. Mitch Daniels on Monday pitched his last annual Christmas book list, full of titles that are nowhere near light reading.

He noted he had a lot of extra time to read after withdrawing from political activity due to his upcoming job as president of Purdue University.

Here is the list:

• Coming Apart, by Charles Murray - Has the facts, insight and heart to examine the national condition.
• Eisenhower in War and Peace, by Jean Edward Smith - a new favorite on an American hero.
• Homage to Catalonia, by George Orwell - A young Orwell starts the journey to 1984.
• The Dark Valley, by Piers Brendon - So packed with detail and insight you will feel like you lived in the 1930s.
• On China, by Henry Kissinger - The most important country to our future.
• The Making of the Masters, by David Owen - An authoritative and objective unveiling of Augusta National Golf Club and its intriguing history.
• Destiny of the Republic, by Candice Millard - Embarassed that he didn't know more about James Garfield's fascinating history.
• The Icarus Syndrome, by Peter Beinart - The author challenges foreign policy assumptions of past eras and leaders.
• The Great Game, by Peter Hopkirk - It was Britain vs. Russia in Central Asia with India as the prize.
• Energy for Future Presidents, by Richard Muller - a primer on the energy issues of the day by a friend and Berkeley physicist.

Daniels also added Game Six by Mark Frost and Nearing Home by Billy Graham since he felt the list lacked sports and faith.

To contact Niki Kelly email her at nkelly@jg.net or follow her on Twitter @nkellyatJG.