Barack Obama is letting the world see a side of him that rarely appears in political speeches: the reader behind the president, through the books that challenged his thinking, influenced his beliefs, and stayed with him for decades.
The former U.S. president is launching a new podcast titled “A Great Book with Barack Obama,” a six-episode series where he will explore the books that have had a lasting impact on his life and discuss why their messages continue to matter today. The podcast will premiere on Audible on September 24, 2026, through a partnership between Audible and Higher Ground, the media company Barack and Michelle Obama founded.
For Obama, the project is not about creating a simple reading list. It is about opening a personal window into the stories that influenced how he views identity, leadership, society, and the human experience.
“Great books have always helped me figure out who I am and what I believe,” Obama said, explaining that the six books featured in the series have remained important throughout his life, and each carries lessons that go beyond the pages.
The Six Books Obama Says Stayed With Him
The podcast will focus on six carefully selected works that cover themes of race, politics, morality, ambition, faith, and personal identity.
The books featured in the series are:
- “Song of Solomon” by Toni Morrison
- “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin
- “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” by John le Carré
- “All the Pretty Horses” by Cormac McCarthy
- “Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson
- “All the King’s Men” by Robert Penn Warren
Each episode will feature Obama discussing one of the books with a guest, though the guests have not yet been announced.
The choices reveal a wide range of interests. Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon explores family, identity, and the search for belonging. James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time examines race and America’s ongoing struggles with equality. Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men looks at power and political ambition.
Other selections explore loyalty, personal growth, faith, and the difficult choices people face. Together, the books create a picture of the questions Obama has spent years thinking about.
Why Obama Is Sharing His Reading List Now
The podcast stems from a habit Obama has maintained for years: using books to understand the world beyond his own experiences.
During and after his presidency, Obama became known for sharing his favorite books through annual summer reading lists and year-end recommendations. Those lists often sparked conversations among readers curious about what influenced one of the most recognizable political figures of modern times.
However, this podcast takes a different approach. Instead of highlighting recently released books, Obama selected works that have remained meaningful for years.
Most of the books chosen were published in the 20th century, with Gilead by Marilynne Robinson being the only selection originally published after 2000.
The focus is not simply on what Obama reads. It is on the stories that stayed with him.
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From Politics to Personal Storytelling
After leaving the White House, Obama has increasingly turned to storytelling to connect with audiences beyond politics.
Through Higher Ground, the production company he founded with Michelle Obama, he has worked on films, documentaries, and audio projects centered around culture, history, and personal experiences.
This is also not Obama’s first time hosting a podcast. In 2021, he teamed up with musician Bruce Springsteen for the podcast “Renegades: Born in the USA,” where the two discussed their backgrounds, music and their views on America.
But “A Great Book with Barack Obama” moves in a different direction. No campaign speeches, policy debates, or political discussions sit at the center. Instead, listeners will hear Obama talk about characters, authors, and ideas that influenced his personal journey.
The Stories Behind the Leader
For many people, the most interesting part of the podcast will not be the books themselves, it will be discovering why these particular stories mattered to Obama.
A person’s favorite books often reveal the questions they carry throughout life. The stories someone returns to can show what they value, what challenges them, and what lessons they keep searching for.
For Obama, literature has often been connected to understanding people with different backgrounds and experiences. The selected books reflect themes that have appeared throughout his own writing and public life, including race, democracy, responsibility and human relationships.
The podcast offers listeners a chance to explore the ideas behind the public figure.
A Push to Bring People Back to Reading
Obama’s new project also arrives as many people question whether reading can compete with the constant distractions of modern life.
The former president has spoken about the importance of making time for books and the unique experience of sitting with a story long enough for it to change the way someone thinks. Unlike short online content that can be consumed in seconds, books often require patience.
They ask readers to consider unfamiliar viewpoints and sit with complicated ideas. That is part of what Obama hopes the podcast will encourage. Not just listening to his recommendations, but discovering books that might change the way people see themselves and others.
The Conversation Obama Wants Readers to Have
The biggest question coming from the podcast may not be which books Obama chose, it may be which books changed the lives of the people listening.
A great book often becomes personal. One reader may see a family story. Another may see a lesson about leadership. Someone else may find a message that helps them through a difficult moment.
Obama’s new podcast turns his personal bookshelf into a larger conversation about the power of stories.
After years of being known for speeches, decisions, and historic moments, he is now sharing something quieter but equally revealing: the books that helped shape the way he thinks.
What book has changed the way you see the world, and would it make your own list of stories that shaped who you are?
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