Barack Obama launches Audible podcast exploring six influential books
Developing story first seen 4 hours ago
Barack Obama is set to host a new podcast, "A Great Book with Barack Obama," produced by Audible and Higher Ground, the media company he runs with Michelle Obama. The series will see the former US president discuss six books that have shaped his outlook alongside six as-yet-unnamed guests, forming part of an ongoing exclusive content deal between Audible and Higher Ground.
The podcast debuts exclusively on Audible on 24 September 2026 and marks the sixth release under the companies' first-look agreement. Obama's chosen books are 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," and John le Carré's "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy." The guests who will join him to discuss each title have not yet been revealed, though the companies describe the conversations as exploring themes of identity, power, memory and culture.
- Obama to host Audible podcast on six books that shaped him
- Series launches 24 September 2026 via Higher Ground
- Guests discussing each book will be announced later
New here? Start with this
Barack Obama, the former US president, is launching a new podcast called "A Great Book with Barack Obama." It is being made by Audible, the audiobook and podcast service owned by Amazon, together with Higher Ground, the production company Obama runs with his wife, Michelle Obama, which has previously made films and podcasts including some Oscar-winning documentaries.
The programme forms part of an existing arrangement between Audible and Higher Ground under which Audible gets first rights to release the company's new audio projects. In each episode, Obama will discuss one of six books that have influenced him, joined by a different guest each time, with the conversations expected to touch on subjects such as identity, power and culture.
The project is one of several ventures through which Obama has stayed engaged in media and public life since leaving office, and it adds to a growing list of celebrity-fronted book and culture podcasts on streaming platforms.
More coverage
- The Hollywood Reporter — President Obama’s New Podcast Is Focused on the Books That Shaped Him
- Deadline — President Barack Obama Loves Books & Lists, So He’s Combining Them For A New Audible Series
Business Companies Government Politics
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Variety as “Barack Obama to Host Podcast Digging Into Six Books That ‘Helped Me Figure Out Who I Am and What I Believe’”.