"It's that time again: Here are some of the books I've enjoyed this summer. If you've read any good books, let me know", writes former U.S. President Barack Obama (64) in a post on Instagram. With this, he presents his annual reading recommendations.

From History to Fiction

Obama's list features a diverse mix ranging from historical books to fiction page-turners. At the top, he mentions Tayari Jones's "Kin", which is described as "a novel about mothers and daughters, friendship and sisterhood, and the complexity of being a woman in the American South".

Elizabeth Strout's "The Things We Never Say", which is promoted as "a moving meditation on loneliness, friendship, parenthood, and the importance of truth in a world gone awry", he places next.

Third place goes to "A World Appears" by Michael Pollan.

More Books on the List

Additional books on the list include "Whistler" by Ann Patchett, "This Land is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History" by Beverly Gage, "Vigil" by George Saunders, "One Sun Only" by Camille Bordas, and "Seek Immediate Shelter" by Vincent Yu.

Also making it into the top eleven is: "Data Empire: The Power of Information to Organize, Control, and Dominate" by Roopika Risam, "a groundbreaking new perspective on human history that argues information has always been the seed of power".

He also mentions "Transcription" by Ben Lerner, which is also a bestseller in Germany, and "Cool Machine" by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead.

The Complete List

  • "Kin" by Tayari Jones
  • "The Things We Never Say" by Elizabeth Strout
  • "A World Appears" by Michael Pollan
  • "Whistler" by Ann Patchett
  • "This Land is Your Land" by Beverly Gage
  • "Vigil" by George Saunders
  • "One Sun Only" by Camille Bordas
  • "Seek Immediate Shelter" by Vincent Yu
  • "Data Empire" by Roopika Risam
  • "Transcription" by Ben Lerner
  • "Cool Machine" by Colson Whitehead