Former U.S. President Barack Obama will launch a six-episode podcast titled A Great Book with Barack Obama on September 24, 2026. Produced by Audible in collaboration with Higher Ground, the series features the former president discussing influential literature with guest thinkers.
Inside the Upcoming Audible Series
Former President Barack Obama is returning to the audio space with a new venture dedicated entirely to the printed page. His upcoming podcast, A Great Book with Barack Obama, is scheduled to premiere exclusively on Audible on September 24, 2026. Produced in partnership with Higher Ground—the media company founded by the former president and former first lady Michelle Obama—the six-episode program pairs Obama with invited guests to explore works that have left a lasting mark on his personal outlook and broader society.
The announcement arrives amid a busy stretch for the former president, who recently surprised players at the WNBA All-Star event at the Barack Obama Presidential Center, according to USA Today. While Obama maintains a well-known tradition of publishing semiannual and summer reading lists—featuring recent releases by authors like Tayari Jones and Colson Whitehead—his podcast selections turn back the clock to focus on twentieth-century classics and enduring literary milestones.
The Six Selected Masterpieces
Unlike his seasonal reading roundups that often highlight newly published titles, Obama’s podcast choices lean heavily into established mid-to-late 20th-century literature, with one exception published in 2004. Each episode of the six-part series dedicates its runtime to a single celebrated volume.
- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
- Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
- All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
- Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
- All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren
- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
Among these selections, Marilynne Robinson’s 2004 novel Gilead holds a particularly documented history with the former president. Obama struck up a correspondence with Robinson after inviting her to dinner at the White House during his presidency, later interviewing her for the New York Review of Books in Des Moines in 2015 and awarding her the National Humanities Medal in 2012.
“Great books have always helped me figure out who I am and what I believe. The six books featured in this series have stayed with me throughout my life, and each one has something to teach us about the human experience.”
Barack Obama, former U.S. President
What Executives Say About the Collaboration
The upcoming series represents a project born from the exclusive first-look production deal signed between Audible and Higher Ground in 2022. Leadership from both organizations emphasized the distinctive intimacy of the audio medium as an ideal vehicle for deep literary discussions.
Rachel Ghiazza, chief content officer at Audible, noted that the former president possesses a capacity for linking literature to fundamental questions about human identity and societal structure. Dan Fierman, head of audio at Higher Ground, highlighted that the conversations showcase Obama’s authentic passion for reading alongside guest luminaries whose identities remain under wraps ahead of the premiere.
Building on an Extensive Audio Catalog
Higher Ground has established a footprint in digital audio since moving away from a previous three-year podcast partnership with Spotify. Under the Spotify agreement, the production company released notable projects including Renegades: Born in the USA
featuring Bruce Springsteen and The Michelle Obama Podcast.
Since transitioning its primary audio home to Amazon-owned Audible, the media company has continued expanding its slate. Recent Higher Ground releases include Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast,
The Wonder of Stevie
hosted by Wesley Morris, the Peabody Award-winning Fela Kuti: Fear No Man,
and an eight-part Reconstruction era history series hosted by Malcolm Gladwell that featured contributions from Barack Obama himself.
Release Details and What Comes Next
Listeners interested in the series ahead of its debut can find A Great Book with Barack Obama through Audible. While the production companies have confirmed the six core literary works and the September 24 launch window, they have not yet disclosed the roster of guest thinkers, writers, and artists who will join the former president in the studio to dissect each title.
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