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Barack Obama's Favorite Books 2019

Barack Obama's Favorite Books 2019 names 33 books across 2 categories. 23 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Favorite Books

  1. A Different Way to Win by Jim Rooneysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Furious Hours by Casey Cepsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristosource (opens in a new tab)
  4. How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odellsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luisellisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Lot: Stories by Bryan Washingtonsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Normal People by Sally Rooneysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefesource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Solitary by Albert Woodfoxsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboffsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Anarchy by William Dalrymplesource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuersource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Sixth Man by Andre Iguodalasource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Topeka School by Ben Lernersource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broomsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentinosource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Trust Exercise by Susan Choisource (opens in a new tab)
  19. We Live in Water by Jess Waltersource (opens in a new tab)

Summer Reading

  1. American Spy by Lauren Wilkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Beloved by Toni Morrisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Exhalation by Ted Chiangsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. How to Read the Air by Dinaw Mengestusource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Inland by Téa Obrehtsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Lab Girl by Hope Jahrensource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Maid by Stephanie Landsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Men Without Women by Haruki Murakamisource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Sula by Toni Morrisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Shallows by Nicholas Carrsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantelsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Barack Obama's Favorite Books

Obama shared his first list, summer reading, in 2015; his first posted year-end list came in 2017. Year-end lists are category Favorite Books and summer lists Summer Reading. There is no 2016 year-end, 2017 summer, or 2020 summer list. Sources are Obama posts (Facebook, Medium, obama.org) where they load, otherwise news pages quoting the full list. A year-end list that repeats summer picks keeps them, so each list is complete as posted. Books only.

Organization: Barack Obama. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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