In keeping with his yearly ritual, former President Barack Obama took to Instagram on Saturday to post a list of his favorite books of 2019. A total of 17 titles made the cut, with two additional titles included “for the sports fans.”
In his lengthy caption, Obama wrote, “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. 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.”
He continued to write, “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.”
Among the varied titles was the novel Normal People by Irish author Sally Rooney, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power by Shoshana Zuboff and Trust Exercise by Susan Choi.
On the second page of his post, Obama noted the books that he recommended people to read this year, including Finding My Voice by Valerie Jarrett and Toni Morrison’s collected works.
In the coming days, Obama will be posting lists of the films and albums he enjoyed most this year.
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