True to a tradition he established during his White House years, Barack Obama once again shared his personal picks for 2025, revealing what stood out to him in books, cinema and music. Through social media posts, the former US president presented the lists that moved and inspired him during the year that’s coming to an end.
In his Instagram post, Obama noted, “As 2025 draws to a close, I’m continuing a tradition I started during my time in the White House: sharing my annual list of favorite books, movies, and songs. I hope you’ll find something new to enjoy, and please send me suggestions for me to check out too.”
Barack Obama and the books that stood out in 2025
His list of favorite books includes contemporary narratives as well as historical analyses, with special mention of Michelle Obama’s book, “The Look”. Specifically, Barack Obama chose the following books:
“Paper Girl”, Beth Macy
“Flashlight”, Susan Choi
“We The People”, Jill Lepore
“The Wilderness”, Angela Flournoy
“There is no place for Us”, Brian Goldstone
“North Sun”, Ethan Rutherford
“1929”, Andrew Ross Sorkin
“The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny”, Kiran Desai
“Dead and Alive”, Zadie Smith
“What We Can Know”, Ian McEwan
“The Look”, Michelle Obama
Barack Obama: Cinema and music with Oscar flair
His film choices are particularly interesting, which, according to USA TODAY, have a strong Oscar character. Among them are films like “Sinners” by Ryan Coogler, “One Battle After Another” by Paul Thomas Anderson and “Hamnet” by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao. The complete list of films includes:
“One Battle After Another”
“Sinners”
“It Was Just an Accident”
“Hamnet”
“Sentimental Value”
“No Other Choice”
“The Secret Agent”
“Train Dreams”
“Jay Kelly”
“Good Fortune”
“Orwell: 2+2=5”
In music, Obama ranges from pop and soul to hip hop and international collaborations. This year’s list includes songs like “Nice to Each Other” by Olivia Dean, “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga and “Sexo, Violencia y Llantas” by Rosalía, along with dozens of other choices from artists like Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Bruce Springsteen, BLACKPINK and Drake.
