I don’t know how I feel about such articles. On the one hand, they are promoting a ‘celebrity-style’ vision of the presidency, perpetuating a type of “Barack Obama, Superstar!” vibe. On the other hand, I think everyone is curious about this man who is promising change, and articles like this make him seem more like a human – i.e. someone whose example we can emulate (first lesson: work hard, work harder, and work some more).

Since the information in this particular list of 50 things about Barack Obama are mostly things that he himself has, apparently, admitted in the course of interviews, I don’t feel particularly bad about it – especially since it does make him seem so much more human. And, since so many people are intent on or demonizing the poor guy or elevating him to the level of a deity (come on, people: he’s great, sure, but he’s still a human!), it feels like a great way to bring the scale back in balance.

So, without any further ado:

Barack Obama: The 50 Facts you might not know

• He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics

• He was known as “O’Bomber” at high school for his skill at basketball

• His name means “one who is blessed” in Swahili

• His favourite meal is wife Michelle’s shrimp linguini

• He won a Grammy in 2006 for the audio version of his memoir, Dreams From My Father

• He is left-handed – the sixth post-war president to be left-handed

• He has read every Harry Potter book

• He owns a set of red boxing gloves autographed by Muhammad Ali

• He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can’t stand ice cream

• His favourite snacks are chocolate-peanut protein bars

• He ate dog meat, snake meat, and roasted grasshopper while living in Indonesia

Take a look at the rest of the list here.