Becoming

In this brilliantly deliberate memoir, Obama reflects on the journey that is her life. She shares how an educationally-driven, middle-class, African-American girl from the south-side of Chicago could become First Lady of the United States. With the highest decency, she shares how she raised two girls while in the public eye and how she joined with her husband in carrying a difficult nation. Through her words, she courageously fights for the soul of a country, for decency and honor over pettiness and cynicism.

Obama contends that she never liked politics. She consistently turns her nose up at its ugliness and bitterness. She does not understand Republicans’ visceral recoil from her husband’s bold initiatives. At specific points, she show more hints at latent racism within the American soul. Yet she still admonishes readers to the value of education, learning, and working with the American system. Despite opposition, she clings to the reformist message. She is utterly reasonable even in the face of opposing hatred and strife.

Obama’s memoir hits all of the strengths of good reflective writing. Avoiding cliche, she digs deep into her own soul for her words. At times, she points the way forward; at other times, she lets others do the task for her. She does not over-intellectualize and treats her fellow travelers in life with foundational respect. In a balanced way, she seeks to understand more than to be understood, to listen to her neighbors rather than to pontificate. She exhibits the dignity of a black woman who has often been excluded and minimized from national discussions.

Although this book bears witness to the history of politics, it is relatively apolitical. Obama does not seek to settle disputes. Her most impactful assertion is that children need healthy diets – hardly a contentious issue. Instead, she tries to respect the worth of her journey and her integrity. Her feminine voice bespeaks strength without hiding behind a profession. She speaks to the house-mom who cares about the world around her.

I doubt a lot of conservatives will like this work or even read this work. In particular, readers should be aware that she speaks negatively about the rise of Donald Trump (though in a voice that reflects a firm parent more than a bitter rivalry). Conservatives’ visceral recoil is misplaced, though. Those who dislike Obama because of her political affiliation will miss out on a supreme and excellent character that reflects highly upon America, the black race, and the Obama family. Listening carefully to different viewpoints has always been a necessary part of democracy, and I hope that this practice continues to the next generation. Obama’s memoir is an appropriate place to begin such a journey. show less

This book was phenomenal. Here's the thing: I made it 90% through before I realized what she did with this book. She'll give you details about her and Barack's dates and engagement but then fill your brain with details about all the policies that are important to her. This is just another part of the advocacy she started as FLOTUS and in the exact same format that she *describes* in the book: keep it light, but make it real.

She also talks about being a working mother, being a list-driven, step-by-step sort of person in a chaotic sort of world, and is incredibly honest. As a person who has had a career for a while but has only had a child for two years, I felt like I was getting advice I could really use.

I straight-up love this book. show more It's great. show less

I was glad to see Michelle Obama's autobiography published, because even though she is one of the best known people in the world, she is also surprisingly reticent about herself. This book opens up her world to us, from her childhood in Chicago through the years of Barack's presidency. I thought it was well-written and gave us insight into her experiences in school, the workplace and on the political trail. We learn a lot about her family and their relationships, especially because growing up in an extended family gave her such a feeling of belonging and being loved. She recounts the difficulties most women today experience balancing education, work and family responsibilities. I admired her before reading the book, and I have even more show more respect for her after learning more about her. show less

I had to do some pondering about my thoughts on this book. There were many interesting glimpses into the life of ordinary folks struggling to reach a better living than their parents, so those passages drew me in. I thoroughly admire the Obama's and, as First Lady, I thought Michelle achieved some remarkable results in her ventures. The political aspects of running for office and coping with life in the spotlight and all the prejudices seemed kind of flat in the telling and less engaging. Reading between the lines, I can guess it was terribly discouraging and a downright ignorant circumstance.

Writing this review a couple week's later, what particularly sticks with me, was the flabbergasting revelation of the acrimony between the two show more American political parties, which paralyzed Congress. The political rivalry was so intense, that the good governance of the country lost out to the sentiment that "blocking the Democrat's proposals was more important than approving funding to hire more teachers and first responders in natural disasters". It is a matter of record that the Republican party goal was for Obama to be a 'one-term' president . How utterly abysmal that prioritizing some possible future ascendancy sacrificed support for the common citizenry.

I highly recommend this memoir for the insights into family life in struggling black American households and then later, for 8 years in the White House. The writing flowed beautifully and was so articulate. show less

I didn't expect to get emotional listening to this, but in hindsight I shouldn't have been surprised.

I never knew much about Michelle Obama outside of some media opinions on how she acted, what she looked like, and some of the things she focused on as first lady. A majority of the Obama presidency was before I really became aware of politics- I had mostly ignored and proudly claimed I didn't care about politics. This is not something I agree with now or am still proud of. I do feel the Obama administration was the last respectable presidency.

There's truth to the idea that a Black person in America has to work twice as hard to get half as far, and I am happy the Obama's pushed passed the adversity and paved a path no one had before. By show more no means do I believe Barrack Obama was a perfect president- they all have skeletons in their closets that they both inherit and put there themselves during their run. But I always felt the Obama family was as down to earth and relatable as they come, and their story is truly an inspiring one, no matter what you agree with.

In Becoming, Michelle tells her story- she starts with her childhood in Chicago, growing up in a crowded home with her parents and brother, living above her less than friendly aunt and uncle. She paints a loving picture of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Her father was disabled her entire life, which is not something I knew about beforehand, and yet he never missed a day of work. Her mother stayed at home while they were younger, and then went off to work to provide for them as they got older. She stayed a steady and no-nonsense presence in Michelle’s life, even in the white house. For them, education was a huge deal and knew it would open countless doors for their children's future.

Michelle talks a ton about her dedication to her education. I had no idea that she had gone to Princeton and Harvard and was a lawyer. Heck, I didn't know Barrack went to law school too! It intrigued me that despite it, despite the life she was able to create for herself as a lawyer, she felt lost. Michelle had managed to create for herself something her parents could only dream of; a life filled with business expense lunches and a wine subscription, nice clothes and job safety, all while still living with her parents! She never turned her back on her roots, and I think that's such an admirable thing about her. Michelle always stayed faithful to her family and to Chicago, and they even still have a home in Chicago today!

But, Michelle had felt something missing and talks about how she had chased that life because of how it had made others react when she told them about it, instead of focusing on what she wanted. In a way, it seems meant to be though, because if she hadn't been working at that law firm, she would have never met the wonder kid that was Barrack. Initially, she brushes him (and all romance) off, claiming to not fall for his good looks and intelligent charm. Her father even makes a comment after meeting Barrack, that he's a nice enough guy, but it's too bad he won't be around long. Such was Michelle's lack of interest in dating. Yet, he eventually gets her to realize her feelings just by being himself.

It was interesting to learn that Michelle and Barrack often argued, in a lawyerly way of course, about marriage. Barrack didn't see the point, but Michelle desired it. I loved the proposal story- Barrack starting one last debate about marriage before getting down on one knee in a crowded restaurant. Their relationship dynamic is so intriguing and sweet to me.

As Barrack started dipping his toes in politics and became a senator, poor Michelle was pulled into a life she didn’t want- she had and still has no interest in being a politician. She finds the red vs blue to be tribal and divisive, something I agree with. Having to go all in on one side or the other and agree with them 100% is antithetical to being constructive, and Michelle does call this out multiple times throughout the book.

But, Barrack believed he could make changes and right wrongs that he saw in our society. So, he took the path of politics, and Michelle kept her focus on what she wanted while still being supportive of him. This is another thing I really admire about Michelle, despite being with someone with such big and all encompassing dreams, Michelle stayed devoted to herself and being a complete person outside of her relationship. She quit being a lawyer, tired of the lonely office with constant paperwork. Within the Obama presidency, she did amazing work for children’s health, and her speeches and support to underrepresented kids probably changed so many lives.
She does talk about losing focus at different points throughout Barrack's career and losing herself a bit, but this is not a shock to me given the amount of dedication becoming president takes from everyone in the family, not just that one person.

Michelle took a huge role in Barrack's campaign, traveling around the country most of the week while their young daughters often joined her on the trail when they were out of school. Even through this, and the entire two terms of the Obama administration, Michelle was a dedicated mother.
I admire Michelle's focus on staying above the asinine debates about her clothes, words, and choices. I remember some of the ridiculous things being criticized about her and her daughters, and it's not a surprise to me she was often painted as the Angry Black Woman, despite staying just as calm and professional as one would expect from a first lady (probably more so), and especially considering the clown show we're being forced to watch now.

In all, I really enjoyed this memoir and found a new love for the Obama's, and Michelle specifically. Their story is an inspiring one. It was often striking listening to this now, seeing the stark contrast in how the Obama's carried themselves in comparison to current events. Michelle takes a lot of shots at Trump, and rightfully so. I loved listening to her voice get charged with passion in those moments. Thanks to Michelle, for your dedication to children and to health, to shining light on women of color, and to being the best person you could be under such bizarre circumstances. She really is such a normal and relatable woman. show less

To read Michelle Obama's memoir is to watch a masterclass in how to balance candour with a careful awareness of image and consequence. She's clearly a woman who values honesty and who disdains pointless pomp, but who's keenly aware of the balancing act she has to perform as a high-profile black woman in a country where white supremacy is becoming steadily more full-throated. This means that the first half of Becoming—detailing as it does Obama's childhood and young adulthood through to the early years of her marriage—is much warmer and more vivid than Obama's recounting of her years in the White House.

Yet even in the latter part of the book, even while holding the reader at arm's length—even while telling the reader that what show more she's good at is soft power—even as she frames with approval parts of the fallout of American jingoistic militarism that I as a citizen of neutral non-American country can't help but find disturbing—even then, I can't but find her relatable. Michelle Obama has a quality to her which disarms cynicism, and it's one I'm sure she will draw on a great deal in whatever life next has in store for her. show less

Based on advice received from multiple friends, I opted to listen to the audiobook rather than read this book. It was an investment (19 hours) but I’m glad I did it. It was a little like having my own conversation with the former First Lady (where I didn’t get to do much talking). I confess I did tear up on more than one occasion as she related a particularly emotional event - like the shooting at Newtown’s Sandy Hook Elementary or a conversation with a wounded veteran.

The good news is that her life story is interesting, her insights are thoughtful, and the glimpse into the life of the Obama family is real and easy to identify with. And it gets more interesting as the book moves along.

Mrs. Obama is candid about her husband’s show more political ambitions and her own reluctance for him to pursue those aspirations. She is honest about NOT expecting him to win the Presidential election of 2008. And I enjoyed listening to how she grew into the role of First Lady, unsure about how to use the power at first and slowly coming to recognize the advantages. She also shares what a mixed bag it is to be married to someone with ambition, obvious charisma and a commitment to put public service ahead of personal priorities. (Don’t worry. He comes off pretty well overall, particularly in light of the fact that I am listening to this book with a VERY different kind of occupant currently in the White House.)

I was able to identify with Michelle Obama, who comes off as juggling the same concerns most working women have (at least the ones I know). How do I continue to support my husband’s career while maintaining my own goals and hopes? How do I give my children a relatively “normal” upbringing, within the confines of secret service protection and under the continual scrutiny of the media? How do I still make a meaningful contribution when circumstances force me to relocate and put my own career on hold? What boundaries are reasonable to ensure I get at least a little ME time?

Of course added to these concerns are a whole slew of limitations most of us NEVER face. How can I observe my daughter participate in a school game without causing a scene? How can I authentically connect with the mothers of my daughters’s friends? How do I maintain some of the beloved traditions associated with the White House while, at the same time, modernizing them just a little to make them more open and inclusive? How much can I push back against the security and protection imposed by more experience and knowledgeable agents? Is it possible to have ANY spontaneity when so many others are customarily involved in every decision I make?

I have to say, however, there are moments when I felt sections were over-written. Details or descriptions bordering on trite. But these were minor concerns. I learned a lot, feel I know the Obamas better, and continue to respect the work they did for this country. show less