Former President Barack Obama’s favorites for 2022 are in. Obama on Friday posted on Instagram his annual reading and watch lists.
“I always look forward to sharing my lists of favorite books, movies, and music with all of you,” Obama wrote in the post.
First, the book list, along with a request for 2023. At the top, perhaps no surprise, his wife’s latest.
See Obama’s top picks to read for 2022 below:
- “The Light We Carry” by Michelle Obama (which President Obama says he is admittedly “biased” in choosing)
- “Sea of Tranquility” by Emily St. John Mandel
- “Trust” by Hernan Diaz
- “The Revolutionary Samuel Adams” by Stacy Schiff
- “The Furrows: A Novel” by Namwali Serpell
- “South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation” by Imani Perry
- “The School for Good Mothers” by Jessamine Chan
- “Black Cake” by Charmaine Wilkerson
- “Ducks Two Years in the Oil Sands” by Kate Beaton
- “An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us” by Ed Yong
- “Liberation Day” by George Saunders
- “The Candy House” by Jennifer Egan
- “Afterlives” by Abdulrazak Gurnah
Obama also listed his top picks of movies to watch from 2022:
- “The Fabelmans”
- “Decision to Leave”
- “The Woman King”
- “Aftersun”
- “Emily the Criminal”
- “Petite Maman”
- “Descendant” (which he also says he is “biased” toward because it was produced by Higher Ground, a production company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama)
- “Happening”
- “Till”
- “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
- “Top Gun: Maverick”
- “The Good Boss”
- “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy”
- “A Hero”
- “Hit the Road”
- “Tar”
- “After Yang”
The former president has previously shared his favorite books, movies, TV shows, and songs near the end of the year.