Over the years we have come to anticipate President Obama’s reading lists and this year is no different.
Every year since his presidency his book recommendations have been insightful and inspiring and to mark the end of 2020, Obama gave us his latest book list.
Here are the books the former president thinks are some of the most important this year.
 
      
      
        
        Swedish library creates censorship talking point with double-bound edition of 1984
        
                
        
          
          
          
          
        
      
      
      
        
    BBDO Nordics and the Dawit Isaak Library in Sweden have created a powerful talking point…
         
      
      
        
        Carol Ann Duffy writes scathing poem about Trump’s UK visit
        
                
        
          
          
        
      
      
      
        
    
            September 20, 2025            
          
          Carol Ann Duffy writes scathing poem about Trump’s UK visit
Former poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, has penned a new poem entitled ‘STATE/BANQUET’ in response…
         
      
      
        
        The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists and Why It Still Matters
        
                
        
          
          
        
      
      
      
        
    
            September 12, 2025            
          
          The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists and Why It Still Matters
By Nicky Blewitt When I first picked up The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists in 1985, I’ll…
         
      
      
        
        Bookstore owner refuses to continue selling children’s book after spotting LGBTQ+ characters in the illustrations
        
                
        
          
          
        
      
      
      
        
    
            February 24, 2025            
          
          Bookstore owner refuses to continue selling children’s book after spotting LGBTQ+ characters in the illustrations
Lindsey Vroegindewey, who owns the children’s bookstore Big Sky Life Books, has been called out…
         
      
      
        
        Authors & major publishing houses sue over Florida book ban laws
        
                
        
          
          
        
      
      
      
        
    
            September 14, 2024            
          
          Authors & major publishing houses sue over Florida book ban laws
A federal complaint was filed at the end of August in Orlando against Florida’s Department…
         
      
      
        
        Study finds over 50% of UK school libraries asked to removed LGBTQ+ books
        
                
        
          
          
          
          
        
      
      
      
        
    A six-month study carried out by Index of Censorship, shared with The Independent, found that…
         
				 
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
          