Barack Obama 2026 summer reading list: 11 books former US president recommends

Continuing a cherished seasonal tradition that has become a major event for the publishing industry, former President Barack Obama on Thursday shared his annual summer reading list, featuring 11 books that span fiction, social critique, technology, and natural history.

In a post published to his official X account on July 30, 2026, the former president invited his followers to join the literary conversation.

“It’s that time of year again: here are some of the books I’ve enjoyed this summer,” Obama wrote.

“If you’ve read any good ones, let me know!”

This year’s selection brings together an eclectic mix of celebrated novelists, Pulitzer Prize winners, and emerging voices.

Among the high-profile fiction entries are Kin by Tayari Jones, Whistler by Ann Patchett, Transcription by Ben Lerner, and Cool Machine by two-time Pulitzer winner Colson Whitehead.

Obama’s selections also lean into compelling non-fiction and investigative themes, featuring Michael Pollan’s A World Appears, Beverly Gage’s This Land Is Your Land, and Roopika Risam’s Data Empire.

Here is the complete 11-book summer reading list recommended by the former president:

1. Kin by Tayari Jones

2. The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

3. A World Appears by Michael Pollan

4. Whistler by Ann Patchett

5. This Land Is Your Land by Beverly Gage

6. Vigil by George Saunders

7. One Sun Only by Camille Bordas

8. Seek Immediate Shelter by Vincent Yu

9. Data Empire by Roopika Risam

10. Transcription by Ben Lerner

11. Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead

Since his time in the White House, Obama’s seasonal recommendations have routinely provided significant commercial boosts for authors and publishers, frequently propelling featured titles to bestseller lists nationwide.

You might also like

Celebrity

Michelle Obama opens up on special bond with her daughters

Celebrity

Barack Obama recalls his Kenyan relatives' first impression of Michelle