Barack Obama's Reading List
The 6 books that shaped Barack Obama — 44th president of the united states.
A lifelong reader whose annual book lists have become cultural events, blending literature, history, and memoir.
Influential Books
Song of Solomon
Toni Morrison(1977)
Obama has said Morrison's work fundamentally shaped his understanding of the Black American experience.
Gilead
Marilynne Robinson(2004)
Obama interviewed Robinson about faith, democracy, and small-town America. He called Gilead "one of the most beautiful books I've read."
The Power Broker
Robert A. Caro(1974)
Obama studied Caro's masterwork on Robert Moses to understand how power actually operates in cities.
Self-Reliance
Ralph Waldo Emerson(1841)
A text Obama has returned to throughout his career for its insistence on independent thought.
The Remains of the Day
Kazuo Ishiguro(1989)
Obama has praised Ishiguro's restrained meditation on duty, regret, and the unlived life.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Gabriel García Márquez(1967)
A formative book for Obama, it showed him how storytelling could capture the sweep of history.