Obama appears to have two enduring loves in his life; Michelle (obvs, who doesn't) and books.
Obama had one of his last White House lunches with the group of esteemed Novelists, Colson Whitehead, Dave Eggers, Zadie Smith, Junot Diaz and Barbara Kingsolver.
According to The New York Times, 'He not only talked with them about the political and media landscape, but also talked shop, asking how their book tours were going and remarking that he likes to write first drafts, long hand, on yellow legal pads.'
It seems as President you don't have to play 'my dream dinner party', you can live it.
Obama has spoken many times about his love affair with books, and he finished his Presidency with an interview with Michiko Kakutani (yes, the same Michiko Kakutani who reviews Carrie's book, 'where the men are disposable' in SATC, anyone?) about how books helped him through his presidency.
He also talked about his early short story writing, saying, 'There is not a lot of Jack Kerouac open-road, young kid on the make discovering stuff. It's more melancholy and reflective.'
We will have to wait for his old short stories to get published, or his new memoirs to be written, with breath that is bated.
But in the mean time, here is a selection of some of the books the 44th President recommended during his time in office, so you can read like a President.
1. One Hundred Years Of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
He recommended this book when asked by Michiko Kakutani what books he suggested for his daughter's Kindle before she went to college.
He also suggested Doris Lessing's The Golden Notebook, amongst others, and explained, 'Part of what was interesting was me pulling back books that I thought were really powerful, but that might not surface when she goes to college.'
2. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
This one wasn't technically a recommendation, but he picked it up with some other books on a trip to a book shop in 2014, according to the NYT.
3. H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
This was on Obama's Summer 2016 Reading List alongside Paula Hawkin's grip-lit blockbuster The Girl On The Train, because the President needs some poolside reads too ya know.
4. The Great Gatsbyby F. Scott Fitzgerald
At a trip to a Public Library, back in 2015, Barack listed a whole bunch of his favourite childhood books, including Where the Wild Things Are, Treasure Island and Of Mice And Men as well as Fitzgerald's classic.
5. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
This is on his Facebook page, alongside Marylinne Robinson's Gilead.
It also lists his fave music (Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder,Johann Sebastian Bach (cello suites), and The Fugees) and his interests, which include, 'Basketball, writing, spending time w/ kids'
Oh my God could we love him anymore?!
Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.
