Popsugar Entertainment Summer Entertainment Barack Obama's Book Recommendations Barack Obama Has Recommended Summer Books Over the Past Decade — Here Are All 51 23 August 2019 by Brea Cubit Image Source: Getty / Alex Wong As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work. Barack Obama has offered some top-notch Summer book recommendations over the past 10 years, and we're steadily making our way through all of them. His most recent compilation features the work of Toni Morrison, as well as Ted Chiang and Haruki Murakami. But his picks from years past — including Michael Ondaatje's Warlight and Paula Hawkins' The Girl on the Train — are also worth a read. If you're looking to expand your book collection, we've assembled every captivating title from all of the former president's Summer reading lists! Related: POPSUGAR Book Club Readers Share Their Favourite Books of the Summer, So Grab Your Beach Bag! 1 Aug. 2009 — The Way Home by George Pelecanos Image Source: Amazon What it's about: After walking away from a dark past and getting his life together, Christopher Flynn chooses whether he wants to return to his old ways when a new temptation arises. But regardless of his decision, his former life is coming back to haunt him. The Way Home by George Pelecanos ($12) The Way Home by George Pelecanos $12 from amazon.com Buy Now 2 Aug. 2009 — Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Tom Friedman Image Source: Amazon What it's about: Friedman details the urgent need for environmental conservation and renewal while explaining the historical causes that have threatened the planet's stability and well-being. Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Tom Friedman ($14) Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Tom Friedman $14 from amazon.com Buy Now 3 Aug. 2009 — Lush Life by Richard Price Image Source: Amazon What it's about: Cafe manager Eric Cash's life suddenly turns upside-down when he witnesses the murder of his friend and is arrested for the crime. Told in a series of vignettes, this story peels back the layers of each main character and encourages the reader to see things from different perspectives. Lush Life by Richard Price ($13) Lush Life by Richard Price $13 from amazon.com Buy Now 4 Aug. 2009 — Plainsong by Kent Haruf Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Set in Colorado, Plainsong follows the stories of several characters with a common thread. Through their respective struggles and experiences, you learn about the importance of family, community, and redemption. Plainsong by Kent Haruf ($15, originally 16) Plainsong by Kent Haruf $15 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 5 Aug. 2009 — John Adams by David McCullough Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: This biography recounts the life and work of Founding Father John Adams. John Adams by David McCullough ($16, originally $20) John Adams by David McCullough $16 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 6 Aug. 2010 — Freedom by Jonathan Franzen Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: A married couple's relationship and lifestyle undergo drastic changes as they're forced to confront their pasts and hope for a better future. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen ($17, originally $18) Freedom by Jonathan Franzen $17 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 7 Aug. 2010 — Tinkers by Paul Harding Image Source: Amazon What it's about: An old man on his deathbed transcends the physical realm and into a hallucination in which he reconnects with his late father and revisits his upbringing. Tinkers by Paul Harding ($17) Tinkers by Paul Harding $17 from amazon.com Buy Now 8 Aug. 2010 — A Few Corrections by Brad Leithauser Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: A narrator with questionable motives uncovers information about a deceased man named Wesley Sultan. While Wesley's obituary paints a specific picture of him, the narrator reveals a different side to him. A Few Corrections by Brad Leithauser ($16) A Few Corrections by Brad Leithauser $16 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 9 Aug. 2011 — The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: This book tells the story of America's Great Migration and the Second Great Migration, particularly African Americans' relocation from the South to the Midwest, Northeast, and West. Taking place between 1915 and 1970, the book details the cultural occurrence while highlighting the biographies of three people. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson ($15, originally $18) 10 Aug. 2011 — Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Twin brothers Marion and Shiva Stone were born of a secret union between an Indian nun and a British surgeon at a mission hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. After the death of their mother and disappearance of their father, they experience a major rift in their relationship that forever changes their lives. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese ($14, originally $17) Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese $14 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 11 Aug. 2011 — Rodin’s Debutante by Ward Just Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Lee Goodell's endeavour to become a successful sculptor in Chicago leads him down an emotional path of love, understanding, and finding oneself. Rodin's Debutante by Ward Just ($16) Rodin's Debutante by Ward Just $16 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 12 Aug. 2011 — To the End of the Land by David Grossman Image Source: Amazon What it's about: A mother must deal with the consequences of her son's dedication to serving in the military when his unit in the Israeli army launches an invasion against the Palestinians of the Second Intifada. To the End of the Land by David Grossman ($10) To the End of the Land by David Grossman $10 from amazon.com Buy Now 13 Aug. 2011 — The Bayou Trilogy by Daniel Woodrell Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Detective Rene Shade is uncompromising when it comes to cracking down on crime. But his job is hardly cut-and-dry as he takes on hit men, porn kings, and ex-cons while dealing with his own shady past. The Bayou Trilogy by Daniel Woodrell ($16, originally $17) The Bayou Trilogy by Daniel Woodrell $16 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 14 Aug. 2014 — A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: After 8-year-old Havaa watches Russian soldiers abduct her father and set fire to her home, she's rescued by her neighbour, Akhmed. Havaa is then taken to a doctor named Sonja, who tends to wounded refugees. As their relationship develops, it becomes clear that Havaa and Sonja's fates are tied together. Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra ($16, originally $17) Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra $16 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 15 Aug. 2014 — The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan Image Source: Amazon What it's about: Dorrigo Evans is an Australian doctor who's troubled by a love affair with his uncle's wife. He eventually decides to go on his own journey that takes him through the caves of Tasmanian trappers, a deteriorating prewar beachside hotel, a Thai jungle prison, and other fascinating sites. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan ($13) The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan $13 from amazon.com Buy Now 16 Aug. 2014 — The Laughing Monsters by Denis Johnson Image Source: Amazon What it's about: When Roland Nair reunites with his old friend Michael Adriko, he's introduced to his pal's fiancée. The three begin a trek to visit Michael's clan in the Uganda-Congo borderland, and the expedition begins to unveil secrets that all of them have hidden from one another. The Laughing Monsters by Denis Johnson ($15) The Laughing Monsters by Denis Johnson $15 from amazon.com.au Buy Now 17 Aug. 2014 — Nora Webster by Colm Tóibín Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Nora Webster, a recently widowed Irish woman, struggles to take care of herself and her children while grieving the loss of her husband, Maurice. Nora Webster by Colm Tóibín ($6, originally $16) Nora Webster by Colm Tóibín $6 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 18 Aug. 2014 — Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: This nonfiction piece by Gawande, a practicing surgeon, explores the adverse effects some medical procedures have on saving lives. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande ($14, originally $17) Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande $14 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 19 Aug. 2014 — Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth and Faith in the New China by Evan Osnos Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Evan Osnos, the Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker from 2005 to 2013, outlines China's social, political, and economic upheavals as citizens and the Communist Party fight for control. Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth and Faith in the New China by Evan Osnos ($15, originally $16) Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth and Faith in the New China by Evan Osnos $15 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 20 Aug. 2015 — All That Is by James Salter Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: The book follows the life of Philip Bowman from his time as a junior Naval officer near the end of World War II to his career as an editor at a New York publishing house. All That Is by James Salter ($17) All That Is by James Salter $17 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 21 Aug. 2015 — The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Kolbert, a science writer for The New Yorker, investigates the effects of global warming and warns of devastating effects that could take place within the century. The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert ($15, originally $18) The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert $15 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 22 Aug. 2015 — Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Coates discusses the intricacies of the black experience in America by writing this book in the form of a letter to his son. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates ($16, originally $26) Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates $16 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 23 Aug. 2015 — The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Two close brothers drift apart by one's commitment to the Naxalite movement in India. The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri ($15, originally $16) The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri $15 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 24 Aug. 2015 — All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: During the World War II era, a blind French girl named Marie-Laure LeBlanc crosses paths with a German boy named Werner Pfennig, who is training to become a Nazi. What starts off as a mission to kill Marie-Laure for sending illegal radio transmissions from occupied France leads to an unexpected bond. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr ($12, originally $17) All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr $12 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 25 Aug. 2015 — Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: This biography about the first commander in chief, George Washington, delves deep into the historical figure's contributions to forming federal government and establishing the U.S. presidency. Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow ($18, originally $22) Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow $18 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 26 Aug. 2016 — Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: On the surface, Finnegan's memoir centres around his adventures as a surfer, riding the waves of various coasts around the world. But as you get deeper into the story, it becomes clear that his adventures in Australia, Africa, the South Pacific, and Asia go far beyond his saltwater exploits. Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan ($15, originally $18) Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan $15 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 27 Aug. 2016 — H Is For Hawk by Helen Macdonald Image Source: Amazon What it's about: Following the sudden death of her father, author and falconer Macdonald decides to adopt Mabel, a goshawk, to cope with her loss. Although that particular bird species is known to be fierce and untamed, Macdonald feels connected to Mabel for that very reason. This memoir documents the year she spent training the powerful animal. H Is For Hawk by Helen Macdonald ($6) H Is For Hawk by Helen Macdonald $6 from amazon.com Buy Now 28 Aug. 2016 — The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins Image Source: amazon.com What it's about: This psychological thriller — which was turned into the 2016 film led by Emily Blunt — tells the story of Rachel, an alcoholic still reeling from the end of her marriage to Tom. But the two are hardly out of each other's lives as Rachel becomes involved in a tragedy that not only affects Tom and his new family, but also uncovers devastating details about their failed marriage. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins ($10) The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins $10 from amazon.com Buy Now 29 Aug. 2016 — Seveneves by Neal Stephenson Image Source: amazon.com What it's about: Survivors of the apocalyptic disintegration of the moon fight to save humanity and create a new civilization. Seveneves by Neal Stephenson ($13) Seveneves by Neal Stephenson $13 from amazon.com Buy Now 30 Aug. 2016 — The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Image Source: amazon.com What it's about: Cora and Caesar, two slaves in 19th century Georgia, make a run for freedom by following the Underground Railroad. Already with a target on their back, things get even more complicated after Cora kills a young white boy who tries to detain her. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead ($10) The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead $10 from amazon.com Buy Now 31 July 2018 — Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Protagonist Okonkwo Achebe is a wrestling champion in the fictional Nigerian clan of Umuofia. The story details his life and family history and how everything changes following the late nineteenth century arrival of British colonialism and Christian missionaries. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe ($11, originally $13) Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe $11 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 32 July 2018 — A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong’o Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: During Kenya's fight for independence from Britain in the late-1950s, A Grain of Wheat laces together various stories amid the Mau Mau Uprising. A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong'o ($16, originally $17) A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong'o $16 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 33 July 2018 — Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela Image Source: Amazon What it's about: The late civil rights leader writes about his life and the 27 years he spent in prison. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela ($12) Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela $12 from amazon.com Buy Now 34 July 2018 — Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: This novel tells the tale of Nigerian woman Ifemelu and her experience of moving to the United States to attend college, bridging cultures, and falling in love. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ($13, originally 16) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie $13 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 35 July 2018 — The Return by Hisham Matar Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Matar's memoir focuses on his 2012 return to Libya and his investigation surrounding the disappearance of his father — a notable political insurgent of the Gaddafi government. The Return by Hisham Matar ($16, originally $17) The Return by Hisham Matar $16 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 36 July 2018 — The World As It Is by Ben Rhodes Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Rhodes — Obama's former adviser — opens up about what it was like working as a White House staffer during the 44th president's two terms. The World As It Is by Ben Rhodes ($17, originally $18) The World As It Is by Ben Rhodes $17 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 37 Aug. 2018 — Educated by Tara Westover Image Source: Amazon What it's about: Westover gets open and honest about her abusive childhood with survivalist Mormon parents and how she escaped through education. Educated by Tara Westover ($25) Educated by Tara Westover $25 from amazon.com Buy Now 38 Aug. 2018 — Warlight by Michael Ondaatje Image Source: Amazon What it's about: After World War II, siblings Nathaniel and Rachel are left in the care of a mysterious figure named The Moth. Initially fearing they were abandoned by their parents, they begin to believe there's more to the situation. Warlight by Michael Ondaatje ($13) Warlight by Michael Ondaatje $13 from amazon.com Buy Now 39 Aug. 2018 — A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaul Image Source: Amazon What it's about: Inadvertently causing the death of his father (and fulfiling a prophecy given at birth), Mohun Biswas moves from house to house in search of stability and a sense of belonging. A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaul ($12) A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaul $12 from amazon.com Buy Now 40 Aug. 2018 — An American Marriage by Tayari Jones Image Source: Amazon What it's about: The lives of newlyweds Celestial and Roy are suddenly upended by a tragic incident, leading to a decade of strained love, tension, and heartbreak. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones ($14) An American Marriage by Tayari Jones $14 from amazon.com Buy Now 41 Aug. 2018 — Factfulness by Hans Rosling Image Source: Amazon What it's about: Rosling challenges the normalized view of the world and the perception that some countries aren't "developed." He explains how the world is actually getting better instead of worse. Factfulness by Hans Rosling ($12) Factfulness by Hans Rosling $12 from amazon.com Buy Now 42 Aug. 2019 — The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Two boys are forced to attend a hellish reform school called the Nickel Academy in Jim Crow-era Florida. Based on the real-life Dozier School for Boys — which shut down in 2011 — the they are exposed to horrid living conditions, torture, sexual abuse, and more. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead ($15, originally $25) The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead $15 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 43 Aug. 2019 — Exhalation by Ted Chiang Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: In this collection of sci-fi stories, Chiang explores the meaning of humanity and hypothesizes the existence of alternate universes. Exhalation by Ted Chiang ($21, originally $26) Exhalation by Ted Chiang $21 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 44 Aug. 2019 — Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: This fictionalized biography chronicles Thomas Cromwell's rise to power within Henry VIII's English court in the early 16th century. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel ($16, originally $18) Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel $16 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 45 Aug. 2019 — Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Men recount times in which they've lost a woman to another man, death, or other circumstances. Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami ($14, originally $16) Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami $14 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 46 Aug. 2019 — American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Marie Mitchell is a young, black intelligence officer working with the FBI. Though brilliant, she's often undervalued and underestimated. So when an opportunity comes to flip the script, she takes it. American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson ($24, originally $27) American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson $24 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 47 Aug. 2019 — The Shallows by Nicholas Carr Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Carr digs deep into the consequences of the internet and how it affects our ability to read and think. The Shallows by Nicholas Carr ($14, originally $16) The Shallows by Nicholas Carr $14 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 48 Aug. 2019 — Lab Girl by Hope Jahren Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Jahren's memoir follows the process of her research in botanical biology and how it connects to her personal life. Lab Girl by Hope Jahren ($13, originally $16) Lab Girl by Hope Jahren $13 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 49 Aug. 2019 — Inland by Téa Obreht Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: The stories of two characters — Nora, a frontierswoman who is awaiting the return of lost family members, and Lurie, a man haunted by ghosts — intertwine during their respective expeditions through the Arizona Territory. Inland by Téa Obreht ($20, originally $27) Inland by Téa Obreht $20 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 50 Aug. 2019 — How to Read the Air by Dinaw Mengestu Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Yosef and Mariam, a young Ethiopian couple, move to Illinois to raise a family. Decades later, their son sets out to retrace their family history and gain a better understanding of where he comes from. How to Read the Air by Dinaw Mengestu ($14, originally $15) How to Read the Air by Dinaw Mengestu $14 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now 51 Aug. 2019 — Maid by Stephanie Land Image Source: barnesandnoble.com What it's about: Land's memoir traverses through her experiences working as a maid while examining the issues of poverty in America. Maid by Stephanie Land ($22, originally $27) Maid by Stephanie Land $22 from barnesandnoble.com Buy Now Summer EntertainmentBook LoversBooksBarack Obama