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Michelle Obama Recommended Books
Michelle Obama has recommended 12 books. Browse the complete reading list with quotes and sources below.
Michelle Obama is an American lawyer and author who was the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017.
(Read more on Wikipedia)12 Books Recommended
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Song of Solomon
by Toni Morrison
"I’ve now read [this book] three times." - Michelle Obama (Source)
Also recommended by
4 people
Oprah Winfrey recommended this bookOprah Winfrey
"Fills me with admiration and awe." - Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey's recommendation of this book 
Barack Obama recommended this bookBarack Obama
On the "favorite books" section of Barack Obama's Facebook profile.
Barack Obama's recommendation of this book 
Bozoma Saint John recommended this bookBozoma Saint John
"I love [this book]. Her writing style is incredibly poetic and complex." - Bozoma Saint John
Bozoma Saint John's recommendation of this book 
Jesse Williams recommended this bookJesse Williams
"The characters’ dilemmas just rocked my world in high school." - Jesse Williams
Jesse Williams's recommendation of this book
Exit West
A Novel
by Mohsin Hamid
Michelle Obama said this is one of the books on her nightstand in a "New York Times" interview. (Source)
Also recommended by
2 people- Barack Obama recommended this book
Barack Obama
Barack Obama's favorite books of 2017 list.
Barack Obama's recommendation of this book 
Sarah Jessica Parker recommended this bookSarah Jessica Parker
"Gives a deeply real, beautiful, intricate and electrifying look at what it means to be an immigrant right now." - Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker's recommendation of this book
White Teeth
by Zadie Smith
"I love the way the story weaves together so many complex and powerful forces that affect our lives and our relationships." - Michelle Obama (Source)
Commonwealth
A Novel
by Ann Patchett
Michelle Obama said this is one of the books on her nightstand in a "New York Times" interview. (Source)
An American Marriage
A Novel
by Tayari Jones
Michelle Obama said this is one of the books on her nightstand in a "New York Times" interview. (Source)
Also recommended by
4 people- Oprah Winfrey recommended this book
Oprah Winfrey
"The perfect book to read along with a friend or family member." - Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey's recommendation of this book - Barack Obama recommended this book
Barack Obama
"A moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple." - Barack Obama
Barack Obama's recommendation of this book 
Bill Gates recommended this bookBill Gates
"A moving look at how incarceration changes relationships." - Bill Gates
Bill Gates's recommendation of this book 
Shauna Niequist recommended this bookShauna Niequist
"WOW. Absolutely loved this book!" - Shauna Niequist
Shauna Niequist's recommendation of this book
Educated
A Memoir
by Tara Westover
"An engrossing read, a fresh perspective on the power of an education, and it’s also a testament to the way grit and resilience can shape our lives." - Michelle Obama (Source)
Also recommended by
6 people- Bill Gates recommended this book
Bill Gates
"I thought I was pretty good at teaching myself—until I read [this book]. Her ability to learn on her own blows mine right out of the water." - Bill Gates
Bill Gates's recommendation of this book - Barack Obama recommended this book
Barack Obama
"A remarkable memoir of a young woman raised in a survivalist family in Idaho." - Barack Obama
Barack Obama's recommendation of this book 
Kathryn Minshew recommended this bookKathryn Minshew
Most Recommended Books reached out to Kathryn Minshew directly.
Kathryn Minshew's recommendation of this book 
Melinda Gates recommended this bookMelinda Gates
"Phenomenal." - Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates's recommendation of this book - Shauna Niequist recommended this book
Shauna Niequist
Shauna Niequist recommended this book on Twitter.
Shauna Niequist's recommendation of this book 
Marty Cagan recommended this bookMarty Cagan
"My personal favorite book of 2018." - Marty Cagan
Marty Cagan's recommendation of this book
Conversations with Myself
by Nelson Mandela
"I like to flip through it from time to time because it always seems to give me an extra boost when I need it." - Michelle Obama (Source)
The Grapes of Wrath
by John Steinbeck
"I reread [this book] with the girls, too." - Michelle Obama (Source)
Also recommended by
3 people
Jordan Peterson recommended this bookJordan Peterson
Recommended on Jordan Peterson's website.
Jordan Peterson's recommendation of this book 
Christopher Hitchens recommended this bookChristopher Hitchens
"[The author's] 1939 classic." - Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Hitchens's recommendation of this book 
Nelson Mandela recommended this bookNelson Mandela
"I found many similarities between the plight of the migrant workers in [this novel] and our own laborers and farmworkers." - Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela's recommendation of this book
The Snowy Day
by Ezra Jack Keats
"[About] a boy who happened to be black and who happened to live in the city. He’s a kid just being a kid, and that’s enough." - Michelle Obama (Source)
Also recommended by
1 person
Don Cheadle recommended this bookDon Cheadle
"Love love love this book!!" - Don Cheadle
Don Cheadle's recommendation of this book
Life of Pi
by Yann Martel
"I reread [this book] with the girls, too." - Michelle Obama (Source)
The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
by Astrid Lindgren
"What I loved most [about the main character] was that she was a girl, and she was a little different, and she was still the most powerful character." - Michelle Obama (Source)
The Word Collector
by Peter H Reynolds
"This book is one of my favorites." - Michelle Obama (Source)
Also recommended by
1 person- Barack Obama recommended this book
Barack Obama
"A fun book that vividly illustrates the transformative power of words." - Barack Obama
Barack Obama's recommendation of this book
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