Barack Obama’s 5 Favorite Historical Fiction Books Are Perfect for Your TBR
From Russia to 1960s America, these immersive novels bring the past vividly to life
Key Takeaways
- Barack Obama has recommended five historical fiction novels over the years.
- His picks span generations, countries and pivotal moments in American history.
- From political intrigue to family secrets, these immersive stories bring history alive.
Over the years, former President Barack Obama has become famous for his carefully curated book lists, which he releases every summer and at the end of the year. And while he features a wide variety of authors and genres, one genre consistently appears: historical fiction. Obama loves powerful, immersive stories that transport readers to another time in vivid detail. Below, we’ve rounded up the historical fiction books that have earned a spot on Obama’s prestigious reading lists. Keep scrolling to discover them!
‘The Buffalo Hunter Hunter’ by Stephen Graham Jones
In the summer of 2025, Obama recommended this bestselling novel by Stephen Graham Jones. In 1912, a Lutheran pastor was discovered within a wall. As the investigation unfolds, secrets from a massacre that left 217 members of the Blackfeet Nation dead begin to emerge. Told through transcribed interviews by a Blackfeet Nation member named Good Stab, this novel explores the hidden horrors Native Americans have experienced throughout our history.
What readers are saying: “This has to be one of the best horror books I’ve ever read. I don’t want to give away the plot but the author does an impeccable job building up the plot to a climatic ending that does not disappoint!”
‘The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store’ by James McBride
At the end of 2023 Obama recommended this groundbreaking story to all of his followers. When a body is discovered at the bottom of a well in 1972 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, it begins to unearth secrets buried since 1930. Told across two timelines, this gripping mystery weaves together the stories of characters who share one common thread: their determination to protect a young deaf boy at any cost. A moving tale filled with loyalty, loss and love.
What readers are saying: “James McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is the rare book for me that lives up to the hype. It’s uplifting, painful, musical, relatable and full of wit, complexity, rich characters set so perfectly that one can taste the sulfur air and smell the open sewers and equally laugh or choke on the rich emotional scenes that come one after another. McBride gives us a story that feels real—The hardscrabble world of struggling minorities and immigrants living side by side in 1930’s Pennsylvania where they compete, support, trust and fight almost all at the same time. I hope it’s realistic as I would love to think that we have stories of how people can live together in an imperfect place and still preserve a place of grace, humor and humanity despite a lot of suffering.”
‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ by Amor Towles
From bestselling author Amor Towles comes a moving historical fiction novel that Obama recommended back in 2017. Set in 1922 Russia, the plot follows Count Alexander Rostov after he is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin, the seat of Soviet power. While there, he witnesses a number of groundbreaking historical events and does his best to use his wit to make sense of what happens in the world around him. A richly imagined story that will leave readers breathless.
What readers are saying: “This novel was one of those tales that I did not want to end. I loved the unrolling of the plot, so skillfully crafted with well-researched historical facts, and then topped off with a very memorable main character that is written as the essence of intelligence, nuance and understatement. I can recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, superb language and a storyline that captivates and keeps the reader wanting more.”
‘The Nickel Boys’ by Colson Whitehead
When Obama says a book “is a necessary read” you know it’s going to be good. Set in the 1960s, the novel tells the tale of Elwood Curtis, a Black boy who is unfairly sent to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy. It’s a dark, abusive place and the only light Elwood has is a fellow “delinquent” named Turner. As the two bond, tensions at the Academy build and nothing can prepare Elwood for what comes next. This novel is based on a real reform school that operated for 111 years and showcases the incredible impact one person can have.
What readers are saying: “This book is one that has stayed with me since I read the last word on the last page. This is not just a moral tale, this is not just a black story, this is an American story. And though it does show how great America isn’t, Colson Whitehead is an example of how great Americans can be.”
‘All the King’s Men’ by Robert Penn Warren
Earlier this year Obama announced that he was starting a book podcast called A Great Book with Barack Obama. He also shared that this book would be one of the titles he would be discussing, since it was one that “made an impact on me as a young man.” The novel is set in the 1920s and 1930s and follows Willie Stark after he is tricked into running for office just to split the opposition vote. Eventually he wins and befriends Jack Burden, and soon the two begin to change the course of history—for better or for worse.
What readers are saying: “This is the only book in my life I’ve read four times and each time is an experience that brings new insights and revelations. I first read this book in high school and I come back to it every three years because it’s just that good. Warren won the Pulitzer Prize in 1946 for this and I argue it’s the classic of the century and possibly the best American novel ever written. Reading this book is like drinking a fine wine…it needs to be sniffed, sipped and swirled to be appreciated although I promise you won’t want to spit this out!”
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