Barack Obama names his 2017 favourite books, songs

Continuing the tradition of sharing his reading and playlists, former US President Barack Obama has named the books and songs that “moved” and “inspired” him in 2017.

The diverse list features ten books, including Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid’s “Exit West”, and has songs by rappers Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z picked by the 56-year-old Obama among his favourites.

“During my presidency, I started a tradition of sharing my reading lists and playlists. It was a nice way to reflect on the works that resonated with me and lift up authors and artists from around the world,” Obama wrote on his Facebook page yesterday.

“With some extra time on my hands this year to catch up, I wanted to share the books and music that I enjoyed most.  From songs that got me moving to stories that inspired me,” he said.

According to the list, the “best books” that Obama read in 2017 include “The Power” by Naomi Alderman, “Grant” by Ron Chernow, “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City” by Matthew Desmond , “Exit West” by Mohsin Hamid, “Five-Carat Soul” by James McBride among others.

American rappers Lamar’s “Humble” and Jay-Z’s “Family Feud” along with singer Harry Styles’ “Sign of the Times” are among the songs that Obama named as his favourites.

Obama was the 44th US president and held office between 2009 and 2017.