One Book Was 'Obviously' Obama's Favorite in 2018

Former president gives thumbs-up to his wife's 'Becoming,' plus other favorite books, songs, and films
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 28, 2018 1:43 PM CST
Barack Obama: My Favorite Books, Films, Songs of 2018
In this Dec. 12, 2018, file photo, former President Barack Obama accepts the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award at a ceremony in New York.   (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File)

Barack Obama on Friday offered on Facebook what has become a tradition for him: a list of his favorite books, songs, and movies for the year. Obama not only includes picks that he found "most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved"—he also places a spotlight on "authors, artists, and storytellers" who are both well-known and more obscure. Here, five of his top choices in each category:

Favorite Books

  • Becoming, by Michelle Obama ("obviously my favorite!")
  • How Democracies Die, by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt
  • Florida, by Lauren Groff
  • Arthur Ashe: A Life, by Raymond Arsenault
  • Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, by Max Tegmark
Read on for his favorite songs and movies.

Favorite Songs

Favorite Movies
  • Black Panther
  • The Death of Stalin
  • Roma
  • Won't You Be My Neighbor
  • BlacKkKlansman
Check here to see what other books, films, and tunes were tops for Obama. (Bill Gates recently pointed out his own favorite reads of the year.)
(More best of 2018 stories.)

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