Best Books of the Year
Menu

Barack Obama

Barack Obama's Favorite Books 2018

Barack Obama's Favorite Books 2018 names 40 books across 2 categories. 16 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Favorite Books

  1. A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong'osource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaulsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. American Prison by Shane Bauersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichiesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. An American Marriage by Tayari Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Arthur Ashe: A Life by Raymond Arsenaultsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Asymmetry by Lisa Hallidaysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Becoming by Michelle Obamasource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Educated by Tara Westoversource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Factfulness by Hans Roslingsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Feel Free by Zadie Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Florida by Lauren Groffsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blightsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Futureface: A Family Mystery, an Epic Quest, and the Secret to Belonging by Alex Wagnersource (opens in a new tab)
  15. How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblattsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Immigrant, Montana by Amitava Kumarsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History by Mitch Landrieusource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmarksource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandelasource (opens in a new tab)
  20. The Broken Ladder: How Inequality Affects the Way We Think, Live, and Die by Keith Paynesource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The New Geography of Jobs by Enrico Morettisource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Return by Hisham Matarsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The World As It Is by Ben Rhodessource (opens in a new tab)
  25. There There by Tommy Orangesource (opens in a new tab)
  26. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebesource (opens in a new tab)
  27. Warlight by Michael Ondaatjesource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Washington Black by Esi Edugyansource (opens in a new tab)
  29. Why Liberalism Failed by Patrick Deneensource (opens in a new tab)

Summer Reading

  1. A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong'osource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaulsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichiesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. An American Marriage by Tayari Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Educated by Tara Westoversource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Factfulness by Hans Roslingsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandelasource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Return by Hisham Matarsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The World As It Is by Ben Rhodessource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Warlight by Michael Ondaatjesource (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)

The most recommended books of 2018