An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WATCH THE EMMY-NOMINATED NETFLIX ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY • OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • NAACP IMAGE AWARD WINNER • ONE OF ESSENCE’S 50 MOST IMPACTFUL BLACK BOOKS OF THE PAST 50 YEARS In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most … accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.
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While I already have read, and own, the Kindle version, after multiple recommendations to listen to the audio version, I decided to check it out.
I am so glad I did. Former First Lady Michelle Obama is a wonderful role model and mother, a strong and intelligent woman and force, and someone that I have admired for a multitude of reasons. I truly enjoyed listening to her life story from the author herself. She is an excellent narrator as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this gem.
5/5 stars for the book and the audio version as well
I started reading this the weekend before the 2020 Presidential election because I knew I’d need something hopeful to carry me through those tumultuous days. I was not disappointed. Like many, I’ve long admired Michelle Obama, and reading her story and everything she fought to achieve makes me even more grateful we have her in our lives. Seeing similarities in how we approach different aspects of my life make me even more determined to go after what I want.
Michelle Obama is the most famous and visible first lady since Jackie O. This is a wonderful book about an ordinary young woman and her rise to reluctant fame. It is real and honest, and I felt like I was right there with her on her journey.
I was not really sure what to expect from this book. It exceeded my expectations. It talked all about her life (I know another biography type book). It talked about growing up in Chicago, meeting her husband, life in the White House, and a few days after they had moved out. I thought it was really interesting and really good!
I am always gun shy when it comes to celebrity memoirs. In fact, I often avoid them unless someone I know pushes me to give it a try. Becoming was no exception. I delayed reading it time and time again. However, when I found her audio book available through my local library, I took a leap of faith and checked it out. I am so glad I did. It was life changing for me.
Respect to Michelle Obama for being truthful and honest about her life. This isn’t just about her time campaigning and as first lady. Becoming is about her childhood, school years, parents, the positives of her upbringing, the difficulties of attending Princeton, the realities of student debt, what it was like to work first as a lawyer and then in non-profit, her passions, her experiences as a black person, mother and professional woman. She shares the reality of how the demands of parenting fell mainly on her are bared and how it affected their relationship.
Her deep respect for Barack is revealed – his intelligence, his constant work to understand the world, his full commitment to her and to any job he embraced. She shares how hard it was to be the receiver devastating personal attacks, both while on the campaign trail and while as first lady, often untruths twisted from a single line taken out of context. We hear what it was was like to be in the White House – both public and private views – how she worked to keep her daughters lives as normal as possible, and the initiatives she championed while there. This really is a must read on so many levels. Well done!
As I explored this book on audio, I want to comment on that separately. I was pleased they didn’t hire a voice actor. Michelle voice was used throughout. That meant there were occasional times the sound of the voice recording changed a bit when she started recording again, and occasional times when she worked a bit too hard to enunciate. BUT overall it added 100% to the experience and those tiny imperfections made it very real. When she really got caught up in an important part of her story , her passion shone through.
What more could be said about Michelle Obama and the gift that is Becoming? I will simply heap more praise on the pile, as this was one of my favorite books I read in 2020 and will stay on my list of favorites for a long time. Becoming allows us a glimpse into the life of an imperfect, hard-working, others-focused woman doing her very best to leave this world–and particularly this country–better than she found it. If you are a woman in the United States, I would believe it would be difficult not to relate to at least some portion of Mrs. Obama’s story. You will be touched, you will laugh, and you will be reminded of reasons to be proud of who you are and inspired to bring your unique light to the world.
I don’t usually read memoirs, but Michelle Obama’s had me racing through in three days. It was something of an antidote to all that is currently going on in the political world. Very well written.
Great memoir of a remarkable woman!
I’m late to the party but for those of you who haven’t read this book yet, I found it inspiring and well worth the read. With eloquent phrasing, the former First Lady describes her life story and offers insights into how she found her voice. I especially enjoyed her description of the day she met Barack Obama. While I was reading this book, a hummingbird hovered over my left shoulder, thrumming and perhaps reading along, also taken in by the wonder of her honest insights.
I’m so glad she wrote this book because it can encourage others that you can become more than you can imagine. Others can learn not to count people out because of the color of their skin or where they live.
Compelling, honest, well-written autobiography by my favorite First Lady!
Now I see the origins of Michelle Obama’s intelligence, grace, grit, and smile. I learned so much about growing up black in Chicago’s south side, being black in white America, and what she and her parents did to make sure she had a path upward. So impressed, not only with the content of her story, but her vivid writing about it. In addition, her reflections are not only about her own experiences, but those of the U.S. cultural experience in these years. It makes me respect and admire her even more. I listened on Audible and did not want to do anything else!
Feels like a friend telling us about her life while acknowledging her privilege.
Great book!
loved it!
Truly engaging, and so vividly written. Another “stayed up too late to finish” entry.
Is there anything that hasn’t been said about this book other than it’s an inspiration to me and should be a beacon to young women who may doubt their own paths in life. This book walks through Michelle’s life and how she got to be our first First Lady of color, but more importantly, it praises the value of family and hard work and the merits of taking the road less traveled to fulfill a greater purpose. In fact, I think the way Michelle stresses the need to discover a purpose and to make decisions in that vein is an invaluable lesson to pass on. She embodies a generation of “yes we can” women who are lifting their voices louder and stronger to make society better. She is not preachy or heavy-handed in woeful messages but harkens back to basic fundamentals of right, wrong, contentment, and need.
If you haven’t read this book yet, do soul a favor and pick it up. If you don’t have the time, listen to her podcast! It’s so enlightening, uplifting, and relatable.
Michelle Robinson Obama (lawyer, writer, and wife of Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States) is the first African-American woman to serve as First Lady. Her memoir, which is divided into “Becoming Me,” “Becoming Us,” and “Becoming More,” begins with her growing up in a loving family in the South Side of Chicago and ends as she, her husband, and two daughters re-enter civilian life after eight years (2009-2017) in the White House. Spending the majority of her adult life as an advocate within African-American and other communities for women’s rights in the workplace, for issues related to childhood obesity, for needs of military families, and for educating girls around the world, she celebrates the transformative power of “owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice. And there’s grace in being willing to know and hear others. This, for me, is how we become.” Endpaper photographs, a preface, and an epilogue complete this inspiring story of a woman who continues to empower us to work together for greater possibilities.
The First Lady puts you as ease and it was as if we were Just chatting over tea.
Amazing! Always had respect for Michelle Obama but even more so after reading this.
It has taken me much longer than it should have done to finish this wonderful biography. It’s not my usual genre – at all – but I have deep respect and admiration for Michelle Obama, and some of my close friends told me how inspiring this book is, so I figured I would download it.
And I’m really glad that I did.
My friends were right, this is inspiring and motivating and so very encouraging. It also broke my heart several times.
I listened to the audiobook, and having it narrated by the lady herself was a privilege. I felt like she was sitting next to me as she taught me about life and gave me a pep talk. I’ve learned a lot from her, and I’m seriously considering starting a small vegetable garden thanks to her <3
This was honest and emotional. I feel like I know her, even thought that's probably barely true at all. Still, I'm grateful that this book exists, because I feel like she has given me a lot through it.
Thank you, Michelle Obama, for everything you've done and continue to do. It was a privilege listening to your words.