Obama reveals his top books of 2019

Obama reveals his top books of 2019
BY MARINA PITOFSKY
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Former President Barack Obama released a list of his favorite books of 2019 Saturday, ranging from novels to nonfiction works and sports reads.

“Over the next few days, I’ll be sharing my annual list of favorites — books, films, and music — with all of you. This has become a fun little tradition for me, and I hope it is for you, too. Because while each of us has plenty that keeps us busy—work and family life, social and volunteer commitments—outlets like literature and art can enhance our day-to-day experiences,” Obama shared Saturday on Instagram.

“They’re the fabric that helps make up a life—the album that lifts us up after a long day, the dog-eared paperback we grab off the shelf to give to a friend, the movie that makes us think and feel in a new way, works that simply help us escape for a bit. To start, here are the books that made the last year a little brighter for me. Most of them came out in 2019, but a few were older ones that were new to me this year. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.”

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As we wind down 2019, I wanted to share with you my annual list of favorites that made the last year a little brighter. We’ll start with books today — movies and music coming soon. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did. pic.twitter.com/l5qTGkAPok

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 28, 2019
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The former president’s choices began with “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power” by Shoshana Zuboff, which delves into the relationship between society and the “digital future,” according to its description on Amazon.

Other picks in included “How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy” by Jenny Odell, “Normal People” by Sally Rooney, “The Orphan Master’s Son” by Adam Johnson and “Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion” by Jia Tolentino.

Obama also shared a list of books he recommended earlier in the year, ranging from the collected works of the late Toni Morrison to former Obama administration officials books, such as “Finding My Voice” by former Obama White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, “Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For” by former national security adviser Susan Rice and “The Education of an Idealist” by former Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power.

Obama regularly shares lists of his favorites songs, books and other media. He began sharing his top picks during his time in office.