TIM KAINE is a United States senator from Virginia and the Democratic nominee for vice president.

READING I just finished “Zeitoun” by Dave Eggers. It’s about a Syrian-American guy who chooses not to leave New Orleans after Katrina and instead stays and spends time in a canoe paddling around the city, feeding dogs left behind and rescuing people. But then, because of the way he looks, he is arrested. It’s one of the most powerful nonfiction books I’ve read in the past five years.

And I’m halfway through “The Saint and the Sultan” by Paul Moses. It’s a story about a little-known part of St. Francis’ life when he traveled into Egypt and tried to see if he could broker a peace deal during the Crusades with some of the key Muslim leaders in Egypt. It obviously has resonance today — the notion that we can be reaching out and trying to find ways to understand one another, which is something Pope Francis is trying to do as well.

LISTENING I taught myself to play the harmonica as a kid and always have it with me. I’m no pro, but over the years I’ve sat in with a lot of bands in Virginia and elsewhere and really have fun doing it. I can pretty much play anything if I hear it once. I love listening to and playing a variety of music: old-time country from the Carter Family; this guy Rubén Blades, who is a salsa guy from Panama, who also happens to be a politician; David Bowie; Alabama Shakes; and a new favorite is Lucy Dacus, an indie singer- songwriter.

WATCHING My wife, Anne, and I love AMC’s “Turn.” It’s based on this great book called “Washington’s Spies” about a spy ring George Washington had working for him on Long Island, but they chose to film it in Virginia. It’s got famous people like George Washington and Benedict Arnold, but it’s also got very obscure people.