On Friday morning, keeping with tradition, former president Barack Obama shared a few of his favorite things. The tradition began in 2015, and judging by social media’s response, America is loving it.
Exemplifying his love for books, Obama listed his favorite reads written by the likes of Esi Edugyan, Lisa Halliday, Zadie Smith and Max Tedmark. Some of the movies mentioned include Roma, Black Panther, Eighth Grade and Won’t You Be My Neighbor? As for favorite songs, Obama lists music by Prince, Cardi B., Brandi Carlile and the late Nancy Wilson. One could say the 44th U.S. president is “all over the place,” with diverse cultural interests. Obama said this before sharing his lists on Facebook:
“As 2018 draws to a close, I’m continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists. It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books, movies, and music that I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved. It also gives me a chance to highlight talented authors, artists, and storytellers – some who are household names and others who you may not have heard of before. Here’s my best of 2018 list - I hope you enjoy reading, watching, and listening.”
Follow these links to learn more about some of his favorites!
Favorite books of 2018
American Prison, Shane Bauer
Asymmetry, Lisa Halliday
Feel Free, Zadie Smith
Immigrant, Montana, Amitava Kumar
The Largesse of the Sea Maiden, Denis Johnson
Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Max Tegmark
There There, Tommy Orange
Washington Black, Esi Edugyan
Favorite movies of 2018
Blindspotting
Burning
Eighth Grade
Leave No Trace
Minding the Gap
The Rider
Support the Girls
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Favorite songs of 2018
”Bad Bad News,” Leon Bridges
”Ekombe,” Jupiter and Okwess
”Every Time I Hear That Song,” Brandi Carlile
”I Like It,” Cardi B (ft. Bad Bunny and J Balvin)
”Kevin’s Heart,” J. Cole
”King For a Day,” Anderson East
”Mary Don’t You Weep” (Piano and a Microphone 1983 version), Prince
”Nina Cried Power,” Hozier (ft. Mavis Staples)
The full lists, posted below, include more favorite songs, movies and books including Becoming by Michelle Obama, which the 44th President calls his “favorite” (well, of course).
Barack Obama’s favorite books, which he read this year:
Becoming by Michelle Obama (obviously my favorite!)
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Broken Ladder: How Inequality Affects the Way We Think, Live, and Die by Keith Payne
Educated by Tara Westover
Factfulness by Hans Rosling
Futureface: A Family Mystery, an Epic Quest, and the Secret to Belonging by Alex Wagner
A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong’o
A House for Mr Biswas by V.S. Naipaul
How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt
In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History by Mitch Landrieu
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
The New Geography of Jobs by Enrico Moretti
The Return by Hisham Matar
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
Why Liberalism Failed by Patrick Deneen
The World As It Is by Ben Rhodes
Barack Obama’s “other favorite books” of 2018:
American Prison by Shane Bauer
Arthur Ashe: A Life by Raymond Arsenault
Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday
Feel Free by Zadie Smith
Florida by Lauren Groff
Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight
Immigrant, Montana by Amitava Kumar
The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson
Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark
There There by Tommy Orange
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Barack Obama’s favorite movies of 2018:
Annihilation
Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
Blindspotting
Burning
The Death of Stalin
Eighth Grade
If Beale Street Could Talk
Leave No Trace
Minding the Gap
The Rider
Roma
Shoplifters
Support the Girls
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Barack Obama’s favorite songs of 2018:
“Apes••t” by The Carters
“Bad Bad News” by Leon Bridges
“Could’ve Been” by H.E.R. (feat. Bryson Tiller)
“Disco Yes” by Tom Misch (feat. Poppy Ajudha)
“Ekombe” by Jupiter & Okwess
“Every Time I Hear That Song” by Brandi Carlile
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere” by Ashley McBryde
“Historia De Un Amor” by Tonina (feat. Javier Limón and Tali Rubinstein)
“I Like It” by Cardi B (feat. Bad Bunny and J Balvin)
“Kevin’s Heart” by J. Cole
“King For A Day” by Anderson East
“Love Lies” by Khalid & Normani
“Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monáe
“Mary Don’t You Weep” (Piano & A Microphone 1983 Version) by Prince
“My Own Thing” by Chance the Rapper (feat. Joey Purp)
“Need a Little Time” by Courtney Barnett
“Nina Cried Power” by Hozier (feat. Mavis Staples)
“Nterini” by Fatoumata Diawara
“One Trick Ponies” by Kurt Vile
“Turnin’ Me Up” by BJ the Chicago Kid
“Wait by the River” by Lord Huron
“Wow Freestyle” by Jay Rock (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
And in honor of one of the great jazz singers of all time, who died this year, a classic album: The Great American Songbook by Nancy Wilson
Obama highlights talented authors, artists and storytellers who are both household names and relatively unknown. It’s safe to say that anyone mentioned on any of his lists will be feeling good going into the new year, knowing they just received a shoutout from one of the greatest world leaders of our time.