Former President Barack Obama has chosen wife Michelle’s book “Becoming” and the Spike Lee movie “BlacKkKlansman” as among his favorites of 2018.
In a posting on Facebook, Mr. Obama said sharing his year-end lists is “a favorite tradition of mine.”
“It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books, movies, and music that I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved,” he said.
He cited his wife’s best-selling memoir as “obviously my favorite!” Among other books on his list were “An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones, “Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “How Democracies Die” by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, “In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History” by Mitch Landrieu, “Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela, “Why Liberalism Failed” by Patrick Deneen and “The World As It Is” by former Obama aide Ben Rhodes.
Among Mr. Obama’s favorite movies are “Annihilation,” “Black Panther,” “BlacKkKlansman,” “The Death of Stalin,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “Leave No Trace,” “Minding the Gap,” “Shoplifters,” “Support the Girls” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor.”
Among the songs Mr. Obama listed are “Apes—t” by The Carters, “Bad Bad News” by Leon Bridges, “I Like It” by Cardi B (feat. Bad Bunny and J Balvin), “My Own Thing” by Chance the Rapper (feat. Joey Purp) and “One Trick Ponies” by Kurt Vile.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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