Obama Drops His Summer Reading, Music Lists

With the year's warmest weather heading into its final stretch, former President Obama has dropped his summer song and reading lists. "With summer winding down, I wanted to share some songs that I've been listening to lately—and it wouldn't be my playlist if it didn't include an eclectic mix," Obama wrote on X, per Variety. "I hope you find something new to listen to!" As for the books he's been leafing through, the former president shared some of his faves and asked for further recommendations, per the Hill. Here, 10 of his top tunes (old and new) and tomes:

Songs

• "365," Charli XCX
• "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free," Sting
• "Chihiro," Billie Eilish
• "Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)," Bob Marley and the Wailers
• "Process," HER
• "Silvio," Bob Dylan
• "Texas Hold 'Em," Beyonce
• "The People," Common
• "Golden," Jill Scott
• "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," Rolling Stones

More here.

Books

• James, by Percival Everett
• Help Wanted, by Adelle Waldman
• Memory Piece, by Lisa Ko
• There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension, by Hanif Abdurraqib
• Headshot, by Rita Bullwinkel
• When the Clock Broke: Con Men, Conspiracists, and How America Cracked Up in the Early 1990s, by John Ganz
• Beautiful Days, by Zach Williams
• The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
• Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
• Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It, by Richard Reeves

More picks here. (More Barack Obama stories.)