One of the best gifts we were given in recent memory was a Reader-in-Chief with former President Barack Obama. And we’re in luck each and every time he shares what he’s reading.
This week, Obama shared his favorite reads of 2020 and it’s an incredible mix of new books, old books, and a wide range of genres and styles. Take a gander:
Seventeen books grace his best reads of 2020:
- Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar
- Jack by Marilynne Robinson
- Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
- The Splendid and the Vile by Eric Larson
- Luster by Raven Leilani
- How Much of These Hills is Gold by C. Pam Zhang
- Long Bright River by Liz Moore
- Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey
- Twilight of Democracy by Anne Applebaum
- Deacon King Kong by James McBride
- The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo
- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
- The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
- Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker
- The Ministry for The Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
- Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn
- Missionaries by Phil Klay
Besides being a mix of styles and genres, the list showcases books that received big buzz, as well as quieter titles that pubbed throughout the year.
And, no surprise, this is such a fabulously diverse list of perspectives, voices, and showcases an on-going interest in current political realities. Note some subtle digs there at the current administration, too.
Want more of the former President’s book recommendations? You’re in luck! Here are all of Obama’s book recommendations throughout the years.
