What books changed Barack Obama? He launches new podcast

In an Instagram post, Obama announced A Great Book with Barack Obama, a podcast produced with Audible and Higher Ground Media. The series will explore books that had a lasting impact on him, particularly works that shaped his thinking about family, faith, race, politics and America.

Obama highlighted six books that influenced him as a young man:

– The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

– Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

– All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

– Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

– All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren

– Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré.

He said he invited friends to discuss why the books continue to resonate, how literature can shape people's understanding of themselves and one another, and why reading remains important.

The podcast will debut on Audible on September 24. Obama said he hopes listeners will discover or rediscover books that remain meaningful long after they are finished.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the Booker Prize announced the 13 novels competing for its 2026 award.