• The Hub

    News, Notes, Talk

    How many of Obama’s favorite books of 2020 have you read?

    Dan Sheehan

    December 17, 2020, 4:46pm

    Barack Obama, the most powerful force in end of year book recommendations, has just dropped his 2020 favorites list. As we’ve come to expect from the most bookish president since John Adams (he was super into books, right?), it contains an eclectic mix of some of the year’s most acclaimed novels and nonfiction titles.

    While I don’t have the figures to hand, but I’m pretty sure that, next to a major award win or Oprah/Reese book club pick, no honor provides a bigger sales bump than an appearance on Obama’s Favorite Books of the Year list.

    With a week of last-minute Christmas shopping still ahead of us, it’ll be interesting to see how many of these books see a sales spike thanks to the Midas touch of our 44th president.

  • Become a Lit Hub Supporting Member: Because Books Matter

    For the past decade, Literary Hub has brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall. But our future relies on you. In return for a donation, you’ll get an ad-free reading experience, exclusive editors’ picks, book giveaways, and our coveted Joan Didion Lit Hub tote bag. Most importantly, you’ll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving on the internet.

    x