It is a warm, powerful, and inspirational chronicle by the former First Lady of the United States. Perfection. ( )

Enlightening book from a very intelligent, humble, relatable, reflective woman about what it's like to be at the center of the political world as First Lady while also trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy as a parent, wife and professional. Lengthy, well-written and chock full of anecdotes about the Obama family. ( )

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I picked this book up way behind the curve. However, I can not tell you how much I enjoyed it. In Becoming, First Lady Michelle Obama, not only gives us a detailed look into the night of the November 4th, 2008 Presidential election, but she steps back in time after the introduction and gives us layers of her personal life from childhood to puberty and from puberty to adulthood. We walk the blocks of Euclid Avenue on the Southside of Chicago. We meet her parents Marian and Fraser Robinson, and her elder brother Craig, as well as extended family members, like her Uncle “Southside,” who introduces Michelle to jazz and Motown artists such as, Stevie Wonder. We would return to Michelle’s small house that was shared with her great Aunt who taught her piano. We would feel Michelle’s angsts from her first piano recital to her big decision to fight to get into Princeton.

Early on, we could tell that the young Michelle Robinson, who was filled with curious questions, would grow up to be an intelligent and independent woman. Without question, you could foresee her breaking White House traditions as First Lady, not disrespectfully, but in a way that awakened a new dawn and era. She gives women who are trying to live their dreams hope that dreams are possible. That you can fall in love have a job and be successful all with a smile on your face.

Socially, it seems Michelle chose her friends and boyfriends as wisely as she chose her career. She never lowered her standards. Her every move seemed calculated and driven by a checklist until she met Barack Obama. Obama was a man who helped Michelle to relax her shoulders, have some ice cream, and breathe and appreciate the spontaneity of life. He also helped her to find her true passion in order to discover genuine happiness.

In this book, Michelle lays out a plate of honesty that spills over human imperfections that we all contend with on the day-to-day basis. She didn't hide her flaws or pretend to be someone she is not. Thus, my favorite quote is: “Barack and I told our stories and shared our stories because too often people focus on stats. Stats do not tell us who people are.” It is therefore not surprising that Michelle and Barack Obama won the 2018 Most Admired People, despite not being in office anymore. People feel connected to public figures who are honest, compassionate, forgiving, and sincere.

I hope this book shows much more many people you can become anything you want as long as you do it 100% for yourself. Five starts across the board.
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I’m not generally a memoir-reader, but this book may have kindled a new phase. An interesting view of the world from both a place of power and of generational disempowerment, Becoming is a reminder of why I want to go into public service. It’s a treatise on maintaining forward-motion that definitely hits you over the head with its message, but provides an equal and opposite gut-punch of earnest sincerity. A must-read. ( )

Michelle Obama is a treasure, but as she explicitly says several times, do not expect her to run for office: she has a distaste for the nastiness and threats to personal safety that come from it. It feels hyperbolic to say Michelle is a woman of grace, but this is a woman who is aware of her environment as she tells her biography, and the systemic pressures around her throughout life. To maintain the drive and poise to go from a school system suffering from white flight to the Ivy Leagues, and then onto the world stage? It takes a strong person with support systems. Truly an inspiration for doing good by our community.

I 'read' through the audiobook version because it is narrated by Michelle, and I reckon the only way to get closer to the author's voice/headspace is to listen to her actually say it. It took me a while to finish this because while I do have a decent sized commute to work, I also tend to listen to podcasts half the time so it took a while.

Hooooboy just took a look at one star ratings out of curiosity and it does seem to be mostly people who didn't read the book and want to broadcast opinions without basis. AND/OR: people who don't seem to recognize the systemic circumstances that make her life story so interesting. ( )