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CultureActive · 33h

Barack Obama launches 'A Great Book' podcast on Audible

Former president to host six-episode series discussing literary classics from Morrison, Baldwin, and McCarthy.

31 items274 engagement12 comments PressMastodonGoogle NewsBlueskyMemeorandum
Barack Obama launches 'A Great Book' podcast on Audible
theguardian.com

Conversation activity · last 34 hours peak 14/30m

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4 PMAug 118 AM4 PMnow · 9:07 PM

Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 31 items across 5 sources · 9h ago. Quotes are verbatim.

Barack Obama is launching a six-episode podcast called A Great Book with Barack Obama on Audible, set to debut on September 24, 2026. Each episode will feature Obama discussing one classic novel with a guest, focusing on works including Song of Solomon, The Fire Next Time, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, All the Pretty Horses, Gilead, and All the King's Men. The podcast is produced by Audible in collaboration with Higher Ground, Obama's production company.

  • Obama's podcast features six literary classics spanning the 20th century (except Gilead from 2004), focusing on works by Morrison, Baldwin, McCarthy, le Carré, Robinson, and Warren.
  • The series launches September 24 on Audible and pairs Obama with guest speakers to discuss each book's relevance to understanding the human experience.
  • Obama has a documented history of sharing reading lists publicly; this marks his formal entry into podcast hosting through Higher Ground Productions.

How it unfolded

  1. Reaction Social media amplification

    The announcement was shared across Bluesky, Mastodon, and other social platforms, reaching early adopters and book enthusiasts.

  2. Report Podcast announcement published

    The Guardian and multiple news outlets report that Barack Obama will host a new podcast about books that have shaped his worldview, launching September 24 on Audible.

    “Great books have always helped me figure out who I am and what I believe. The six books featured in this series have stayed with me throughout my life.”

    Barack Obama · Bluesky ↗
  3. 6 weeks quiet
  4. Event Obama publishes summer reading list

    Obama shared his 2026 summer reading list in late July, which included recent titles like Kin by Tayari Jones and Vigil by George Saunders.

What people are saying verbatim

“Great books have always helped me figure out who I am and what I believe. The six books featured in this series have stayed with me throughout my life.”

Barack Obama, Former US president, podcast host · The Guardian ↗ · Aug 9

“For this podcast, I invited some friends to explore why they resonate, how they can shape our understanding of ourselves and each other, and why literature matters now more than ever.”

Barack Obama, Former US president, podcast host · The Guardian ↗ · Aug 9

“I hope listeners will be inspired to discover or rediscover books that change the way they see themselves and the world.”

Barack Obama, Former US president, podcast host · The Guardian ↗ · Aug 9

Voices from the web unedited

  • Former president Barack Obama, an avid reader, will host a new podcast on Audible starting next month. “At a time when fewer people are able to sit down with a book, it’s important to remember the joy and power that can come from reading,” he said.

    washingtonpost.comBluesky22h ago143▲view on Bluesky ↗

  • #BarackObama launches #podcast about #books that ‘shaped his worldview’ The former US president will host six episodes of A Great Book for Audible, discussing work from Toni Morrison and John le Carré to James Baldwin @theguardian.com #booksky

    loudmouthkid62.bsky.socialBluesky1d ago9▲view on Bluesky ↗