Barack Obama’s Reading List in 5 Games

Every year, former President Barack Obama shares his annual list of book recommendations. His most recent list includes 19 titles that cover a wide range of genres including fiction, sports-related books, biographies, and essay compilations.

We’re not sure how Obama manages to find the time to read this many books while running the Obama Foundation, writing his memoir, and traveling worldwide to deliver speeches and aid in humanitarian efforts. But if you’re like us, finding the time to read all of the books on your shelf while juggling other responsibilities can be a struggle—but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the fun.

1Huddle gamified Obama’s reading list so you can catch up on the best books of the year in minutes. Check out our top five quick-burst games from Obama’s list:

1. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism

If you’ve binged “The Social Dilemma” recently, you might have already heard about Shoshana Zuboff’s book “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power.”

This groundbreaking novel reveals the insidious quest powerful corporations like Facebook, Google, and Twitter are on to predict and control human behavior. It’s the first detailed examination of surveillance capitalism’s unprecedented power over Democracy and humanity.

It’s a great read, but with a listed price of almost $40, playing 1Huddle’s “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism” game is the perfect way to learn everything you’ve been wanting to know about this renown book without breaking the bank.

2.Girl, Woman, Other

In 2019, Bernardine Evaristo became the first Black woman to receive the Booker Prize, the highest literary honor in the English language.

Bernardine is the author of “Girl, Woman, Other,” a powerful multi-voiced novel that explores the intersections of identity through the perspective of 12 Black women in contemporary Britain who live vastly different lives.

It’s been described as a “richly textured social novel that shows a side of Britain we rarely see, one that reminds us of all that connects us to our neighbors, even in times when we are encouraged to be split apart.”

1Huddle’s “Girl, Women, Other” game includes important questions on history, identity, race, and womanhood. It’s one of our favorites from Obama’s list!

3. How to Do Nothing

“Nothing is harder to do these days than nothing.”

This groundbreaking book was written by artist, critic, and author Jenny Odell. “How to Do Nothing” is just what it sounds like: a field guide to doing nothing.

Jenny argues that our attention is the most important and overdrawn resource we have. By reimagining humanity’s role in the world, she gives readers a more meaningful understanding of progress and happiness.

With all of our attention being so overdrawn, you might not have had the opportunity to read Jenny’s book yet. That’s why we created the “How to Do Nothing” game, which sums up the themes and tips from this New York Times bestseller.

This game only takes minutes to play so you’ll have plenty of time leftover to do nothing!

4. A Different Way to Win

This game is about Jim Rooney’s book “A Different Way to Win: Dan Rooney’s Story from the Super Bowl to the Rooney Rule.”

Dan Rooney, one of America’s most-influential sports executives, turned the Pittsburgh Steelers into one of the NFL’s most successful dynasties. But many of Dan Rooney’s most important wins took place off the field since he devoted much of his life to making the NFL’s hiring practices more fair and equitable.

Discover everything you’ve been wanting to know about Rooney’s life, career, and legacy by playing our game “A Different Way to Win.” You can win the game and learn how Dan Rooney pioneered his own ways to win.

5. The 5th and final game is…

We promised to share five games with you today, but to quote Barack Obama himself: “Nothing in life that’s worth anything is easy.”

So, if you want to find out the name of our final game that sums up Obama’s reading list, you’ll have to answer a 1Huddle question from our game “Why Vote?”

In 2016, only ____ of people aged 18-29 cast their ballot in the presidential election.

1. 44%
2. 19%
3. 28%
4. 7%

Think you know the answer?

Email us at marketing@1huddle.co or DM us on Instagram or Twitter @1huddle. If you guess correctly, we will reveal the title of our 5th and final game on Obama’s reading list!

And don’t forget, the 2020 election is exactly a week away. Want to see how we got our team ready to vote? Check out 1Huddle’s Get Out The Vote video.