Barack Obama shares his favourite books of 2023

Former US President Barack Obama took to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday to share his preferred literary picks of the year, continuing his tradition of spotlighting books, movies, and music that caught his attention in 2023. 

In his post, Obama expressed his usual enthusiasm for the season, stating, “As I usually do during this time of year, I wanted to share my favourite books, movies, and music of 2023.”

Among the notable reads on Obama's list were "The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese, "The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory" by Tim Alberta, and "The Vaster Wilds" by Lauren Groff. 

Encouraging his followers to explore these selections, he added, “If you’re looking for a new book over the holidays, try one of them. And if you can, shop at an independent bookstore or check them out at your local library.”

Known for his genuine interest in the recommended media, Obama has emphasised that his annual lists feature content he genuinely enjoys. 

In a previous interview with comedian Hasan Minhaj, he debunked assumptions about his music selection, stating, “So the fact that my lists are pretty incredible, people seem to think, ‘Wow, he must have had some 20-year-old intern who was figuring out, you know, this latest cut.’ No, man — it’s on my iPad right now.”

While maintaining his authenticity, Obama admitted to receiving music suggestions, sharing, “So typically, at the end of the year, folks will be like, ‘Man, you need to listen to this. This is good.’”