Obama to Launch New Podcast Ahead of Midterms

Former President Barack Obama is returning to podcasting with a six-part series devoted to literature, further expanding the media enterprise he and former first lady Michelle Obama have built since leaving the White House.

Obama announced Monday that “A Great Book With Barack Obama” will debut next month through Audible.

Each episode will examine one book that Obama says influenced his thinking about politics, race, religion, morality and American society.

“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,” Obama wrote on social media.

“And some books don’t just tell a story — they change the way we see the world,” he added.

Six Books Selected for Series

The podcast will feature the following titles:

• 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”
• John le Carré’s “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”

The selections cover several decades and genres, ranging from Western fiction and Cold War espionage to novels addressing race, faith and the corrupting influence of political power.

Each installment will explore why the featured book remains relevant and what modern readers can learn from it.

Obama said he will be joined by invited guests, although their identities have not yet been disclosed.

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

Books Reflect Obama’s Political Interests

Several selections focus on themes closely associated with Obama’s political career, particularly race, American identity, institutional power and morality.

Baldwin’s “The Fire Next Time” examines race and religion in America, while Warren’s “All the King’s Men” explores ambition, corruption and the moral compromises surrounding political leadership.

Robinson’s “Gilead” addresses faith, family and forgiveness. Le Carré’s celebrated espionage novel explores loyalty, betrayal and the hidden machinery of government institutions.

Obama also had a personal relationship with Morrison. He awarded the Nobel Prize-winning author the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012 and described her as a close friend following her death in 2019.

Higher Ground Continues Expanding

The series will be produced through Higher Ground, the media company the Obamas founded in 2018, in partnership with Audible.

Higher Ground has produced an expanding collection of podcasts, documentaries and films, including Michelle Obama’s “The Light Podcast,” the documentary “American Factory,” the Netflix thriller “Leave the World Behind” and “Rustin,” a biographical drama about civil-rights activist Bayard Rustin.

The company’s work has allowed the Obamas to maintain a substantial cultural and political presence years after leaving Washington.

Rather than disappearing from public life, the former president and first lady have built a media platform capable of shaping conversations through entertainment, documentaries, books and audio programming.

Podcast Expands Obama’s Reading Tradition

Obama has remained publicly associated with literature since leaving office in 2017.

He regularly releases lists highlighting his favorite books, movies and music. The new podcast expands that tradition by allowing him to dedicate a full episode to each selected work rather than simply publishing a recommendation.

The format also provides Obama with another avenue to discuss political and cultural questions without formally presenting the program as a political show.

Although the series is ostensibly about literature, the announced themes—race, political power, faith and American identity—ensure that its conversations will inevitably overlap with the ideological debates that defined Obama’s presidency and continue dividing the country.

The six-episode podcast is scheduled to premiere next month. Obama has not yet revealed which guests will join him.