Former President Barack Obama is officially getting into the podcast business, announcing this week that he will host a new show centered around one of his longtime interests: books.
Obama revealed the new project Monday in a post on X, announcing “A Great Book with Barack Obama,” a podcast from Audible and Higher Ground Media.
The former president said the show will focus on the importance of reading and the impact certain books can have on the way people understand the world around them.
“At a time when fewer people are able to sit down with a book, it’s important to remember the joy and power that can come from reading,” Obama wrote.
“And some books don’t just tell a story – they change the way we see the world,” he continued.
Obama said that idea was behind his decision to launch the new podcast, expressing his excitement about sharing the project with listeners.
In a subsequent social media post, the former president offered a glimpse into the type of literature that has influenced him over the years and could help shape the conversations featured on the program.
Among the works Obama highlighted were “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin, “Song of Solomon” by Toni Morrison and “All the Pretty Horses” by Cormac McCarthy.
Obama said the new show will feature conversations with friends about books and the reasons certain works have continued to make an impression.
The former president said he and his guests will “explore why these books resonate.”
Listeners will not have to wait too long to hear Obama’s first venture into hosting his own book-focused podcast.
The first episode of “A Great Book with Barack Obama” is scheduled to be released on September 24.
The project puts the former president alongside his wife, Michelle Obama, in the growing podcast realm.
The former first lady has already established her own presence in the format.
Michelle Obama has hosted “IMO With Michelle Obama” alongside her brother, Craig Robinson, since last year.
Barack Obama’s new show, however, will specifically revolve around literature and the books that have influenced him throughout his life.
The announcement also gives Obama another platform through Higher Ground Media, which is involved in producing the upcoming podcast alongside Audible.
For the former president, the premise centers on something he says is becoming increasingly difficult for people to find time to do: simply sitting down and reading a book.
Obama’s announcement emphasized both the enjoyment that can come from reading and his belief that certain books are capable of doing far more than entertaining their readers.
Now, he plans to bring those discussions into the podcast format, sitting down with friends to examine the books that have stuck with him and discussing why their stories and ideas continue to resonate.
“A Great Book with Barack Obama” will make its debut September 24.
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