Barack Obama Makes New Project Announcement, Fans Call It ‘Great Initiative’
Barack Obama Makes New Project Announcement, Fans Call It ‘Great Initiative’
Morning Honey Staff Tue, August 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM UTC
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Barack Obama plans to start a new podcast. (Image Credits: Flickr/Gage Skidmore)
Former President Barack Obama has always been an avid reader, and much of who he is has been shaped by the books he has read over the years. To share his love for books, he has launched his next book-related venture with his supporters, announcing a podcast featuring six books he has handpicked.
While making the announcement, he reflected on the joy of sitting down with a book. The announcement impressed people online, with some reflecting on why they had stopped reading in the first place.
Barack Obama’s New Podcast Announcement Earns Praise
On August 10, Barack Obama posted on X that he was launching his new podcast, A GreatBook with Barack Obama, which will premiere on September 24 in collaboration with Audible and HG Media. “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,” he captioned the post.
He emphasized that some books do not merely tell a story; rather, they “change the way we see the world.” He continued that this belief has motivated him to come up with his own podcast, and he had revisited some books that had made an impact on him, influencing his opinion on family, faith, race, politics and America.
The former president namedropped the six books: 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, and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré.
“I invited some friends to explore why these books resonate, how they can shape our understanding of ourselves and each other, and why literature matters now more than ever,” Obama added. “I hope you’ll check it out starting September 24 on Audible and discover or rediscover books that stay with you long after you read them.”
Last month, he had shared his 2026 reading list on his Instagram, featuring books by Tayari Jones, George Saunders, Elizabeth Strout, Ben Lerner, and many more writers. As of now, he has not shared the guests who will be joining him for his new passion project.
During an interview with Variety, Rachel Ghiazza, Audible’s chief content officer, said that the former president has a “remarkable ability to connect books to the questions of who we are and how we see the world.” Likewise, Dan Fierman, head of audio at Higher Ground, called him a “champion of reading,” praising his genuine passion for literature that appears to be both “personal” and “accessible.”
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Online Users Show Excitement
The 44th president’s post spread like wildfire on the internet, with fellow readers expressing excitement about the announcement and explaining why reading is essential. Some even used this opportunity to call out the Trump administration and ridicule their supporters.
A user tweeted, “Great initiative, Mr. Obama. He is not an extraordinary leader but also a brilliant writer whose words always inspire.” Another user added, “Very true. Reading is a place where we go when reality cannot.”
“100% books are great to learn from; they are actually essential. We learn more from books than videos, and AI may be here, but you need to have built up knowledge, wisdom and be intelligent to get the most out of anything,” a user noted.
“Obama makes an important point here. We didn’t stop reading simply because we got busier. We live in an economy designed to compete for our attention every second. Social media rewards seconds. Books demand hours,” a user explained. “When information was scarce, knowledge was power. When information is infinite, sustained attention becomes power. That may be why reading matters more, not less, in the age of AI.”
A user shared, “Great initiative, thank you, President Obama. My sister suffered a stroke and has listened to audiobooks throughout her recovery, because she lost the ability to read due to Aphasia.” A user mocked the MAGA supporters, writing, “Most of the red hat MAGA crowd have a 5th grade reading level. Since they can’t read words with multiple syllables, they rely on Fox News to tell them what to believe.”
Another user said, “I yearn for the days where our president could, you know, read…” A user suggested, “Don’t restrict the podcast to books written in the US. Please introduce books across the world.”
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
