Becoming

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

As a young, black woman who was also born in Chicago (albeit the west side instead of the south), much of what Michelle Obama went through resonated with me. Little things from her families micro distrust of both authority and white people to her experiences growing up in our education system as it is (I also was apart of a 4th grade class that ran amok and the teacher all but gave up on), this book touched a special nerve.

It’s interesting to read about how her family made history from her point of you because I remember the journey of Barack Obama as a child very clearly and as an adult, I can appreciate her nuanced opinions about politics and media. I had never had a role model until Michelle Obama became FLOTUS and knowing how much show more our intersections crossed really affirmed that for me. show less

This is not a famous person autobiography giving us the recipe how she did it. Not at all. This is the story of a gifted girl growing up in the South Side of Chicago who, against all odds, is accepted into an Ivy League school and becomes a lawyer. It is the story of an intelligent woman who has to make choices to do what is best for her family and her children, while also finding ways to grow herself. A woman who, despite all of her accomplishments, keeps asking herself ‘Am I good enough?’ Her story is well written and there are many inspirational lines. I will cite one section that I especially liked.

“Hamilton touched me because it reflected the kind of history I'd lived myself. It told a story about America that allowed the show more diversity in. I thought about this afterward: So many of us go through life with our stories hidden, feeling ashamed or afraid when our whole truth doesn't live up to some established ideal. We grow up with messages that tell us that there's only one way to be American - that if our skin is dark or our hips are wide, if we don't experience love in a particular way, if we speak another language or come from another country, then we don't belong. That is, until someone dares to start telling that story differently.” show less

Spring 2020 (Audiobook);

I don't even know where to start with this book. I knew within two chapters this book would be a 4 or 5 star. The way Michelle writes, the passion and heart and honesty that she infuses into her words is poetic, genuine, heart-touching. The humility and humor she puts into every mistake, every stumble is bolstering to everyone still finding their way.

I loved learning so much more about her, about her time before, during, and after her husband's presidency. This was so much more moving than I feel I can even put into words, and it brought home, incredibly hard, how important the primaries were and our next choice of our next president. I should have read it so much sooner and I recommend it to everyone.

Look, there’s just something about being the woman who looked at Barack Obama with a skeptical eyebrow raised but then, like so many of us, was won over (and, uniquely, won him over). Best line on that subject here, after she talks about the rusted-out car he was driving as a third-year law student: “It occurred to me, too, that quite possibly the man would never make any money.” Second best: “All this inborn confidence was admirable, of course, but honestly, try living with it.”

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

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