Barack Obama just revealed he is jumping back into the podcast game with a brand new series all about literature.
The 44th president announced on Monday that he will be hosting a six-episode audio show called "A Great Book With Barack Obama," which is set to premiere next month, according to reports. The series will spotlight half a dozen titles that Obama says played a significant role in shaping how he thinks about politics, race, religion, and the broader American experience.
And the reading list? It is absolutely stacked. We are talking James Baldwin's "The Fire Next Time," Toni Morrison's "Song of Solomon," Cormac McCarthy's "All the Pretty Horses," Marilynne Robinson's "Gilead," Robert Penn Warren's "All the King's Men," and John le Carre's "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy." That lineup covers everything from racial identity in America to Cold War spy thrillers to sweeping Western fiction.
Obama took to social media to promote the project, writing that in a world where fewer folks actually crack open a book anymore, it is crucial to recognize the joy and influence that reading can bring. He also noted that certain titles go beyond simply telling a story and actually transform how we perceive reality around us. Pretty lofty stuff for a podcast announcement, but that is Obama for you.
The former president also teased that he has invited some friends to join the conversations, though he kept the guest list totally under wraps. Not a single name has been dropped yet, which means the speculation machine is about to go into overdrive. Who is getting that coveted invite? Stay tuned.
Several of these authors wrote deeply about subjects that have been central to Obama's entire political career, including racial justice, political power, morality, and what it means to be American. Toni Morrison held a particularly special place in his life. He bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom upon the Nobel Prize winning novelist back in 2012 and later called her a close personal friend following her passing in 2019.
The show will land on Audible and comes courtesy of Higher Ground, the media empire that Barack and Michelle Obama founded back in 2018. That company has been on an absolute tear, churning out films, documentaries, and audio content at a serious clip. Their portfolio already includes Michelle Obama's "The Light Podcast," the acclaimed documentary "American Factory," the Netflix thriller "Leave the World Behind," and "Rustin," a biographical film centering on civil rights icon Bayard Rustin.
Obama has kept up a well known love affair with books ever since departing the White House in 2017, routinely releasing annual recommendation lists covering his favorite reads, films, and music. This new podcast essentially supercharges that tradition by giving him a full episode to dig deep into individual works rather than just tossing out quick suggestions on social media.
With the premiere slated for next month, the only remaining mystery is exactly who will be sitting across from the former president for these literary deep dives. The anticipation is building.
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