Becoming

Locations
Call Number: 921 Obama, Michelle, Black Studies 921 Obama, Michelle, Adult Book / Nonfiction / Biography / Political Figures / Obama, Michelle
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Traverwood Branch

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Becoming me -- Becoming us -- Becoming more.
In a life filled with meaning and 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, she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private. A deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations.
"An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States. When she was a little girl, Michelle Robinson's world was the South Side of Chicago, where she and her brother, Craig, shared a bedroom in their family's upstairs apartment and played catch in the park, and where her parents, Fraser and Marian Robinson, raised her to be outspoken and unafraid. But life soon look her much further afield, from the halls of Princeton, where she learned for the first time what if felt like to be the only black woman in a room, to the glassy office tower where she worked as a high-powered corporate lawyer--and where, one summer morning, a law student named Barack Obama appeared in her office and upended all her carefully made plans. Here, for the first time, Michelle Obama describes the early years of her marriage as she struggles to balance her work and family with her husband's fast-moving political career. She takes us inside their private debate over whether he should make a run for the presidency and her subsequent role as a popular but oft-criticized figure during his campaign. Narrating with grace, good humor, and uncommon candor, she provides a vivid, behind-the-scenes account of her family's history-making launch into the global limelight as well as their life inside the White House over eight momentous years--as she comes to know her country and her country comes to know her. [This book] takes us through modest Iowa kitchens and ballrooms at Buckingham Palace, through moments of heart-stopping grief and profound resilience, bringing us deep into the soul of a singular, groundbreaking figure in history as she strives to live authentically, marshaling her personal strength and voice in service of a set of higher ideals. In telling her story with honesty and boldness, she issues a challenge to the rest of us: Who are we and who do we want to become?"--Dust jacket.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

Library Journal Review
Publishers Weekly Review
Summary / Annotation
Fiction Profile
Author Notes

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

love it submitted by Kanchan21 on June 14, 2019, 1:49pm I enjoyed reading this book. Mrs Obama a very classy lady and I admire her as public figure but this book shows her as mom, wife and a simple everyday person with incredible values and positive approch to life.

Wow submitted by kjshaffer on July 13, 2019, 7:43pm Michelle Obama has my admiration and respect. I really enjoyed reading about the trajectory of her life and hearing her side of the story about life in politics.

I love the woman but the book... ? submitted by bookher on July 14, 2019, 7:40pm Ok so I am a huge Michelle fan but this book was soooooooo tedius with every little detail of her life from the time she was born basically. I don't care what kindergarten was like for her. I was so excited to read her becasue I really admire her but just could not plough through this one...

Loved! submitted by selujules on July 29, 2019, 6:26pm The beginning was slow, and very detailed, so it took me a while to get into it. Once I did though, I'm so glad I stuck with it! All those details about her childhood resurface later in her life, and you get an honest look at her life and marriage.

Interesting to see the White House from another perspective submitted by lostoria on August 4, 2019, 1:29pm Michelle made it clear that she never intended to be put on this path. She never asked to be First Lady, or to be thrust into politics. And yet, here she is. She told her story and what she was able to accomplish as FLOTUS, and while I don't think the way this memoir was written was mind-blowing, it was an insightful read & has made me appreciate her much more for everything that she has done for the country.

Becoming submitted by leighsprauer on August 8, 2019, 1:03pm Michelle Obama's memoir, Becoming, is an interesting, well-written, quick read. I knew some things about Ms. Obama and her upbringing, and a little more about Barack's, but this filled in a lot more detail, some of which was fairly interesting, such as her working-class background. She chronicles her childhood, her college and early career years, her meeting of Barack and his various campaigns, raising their girls, and of course the presidency; she says that one of the overarching themes of her life has been proving to herself that she is, in fact, "good enough": for a good school, a demanding career, and finally, the White House.
Although I disagree with them on some fairly major issues, and therefore would never vote for Obama, this book confirmed my opinion that they're smart, basically good, hard-working people, who clearly have American's best interests at heart (at least as far as they understand them). I might recommend this book for someone who's interested in some behind-the-scenes looks at campaigning and the presidency, but overall I wouldn't say that this is a life-altering or earth-shattering book. It's fine. They're fine. Read it if you've got some extra time on your hands.

Becoming submitted by crp on August 10, 2019, 3:09pm Such a wonderful read. Was so happy to see someone this public talk about reproductive challenges too.

Perspective submitted by kittenkat101 on August 11, 2019, 11:01am Michelle Obama offers a unique perspective on the path to her partners presidency and life in the White House. Eye-opening, and I love that she addresses personal issues instead of pretending to be "perfect." A good read!

extraordinary woman! submitted by 21621031390949 on August 11, 2019, 1:38pm This is a really good book about an extraordinary woman. It is the first autobiography I've read in a long time that has not left me disliking the person by the end. So often autobiographies are self-serving and charged with ego, or else they delight in bringing down the reputations of the subject's enemies. "Becoming" doesn't do that. Obama is obviously brilliant, hard-working, and over-achieving, but she is also humble and honest about her own doubts and insecurities. And although she writes about her frustrations and disappointments at the hands of others, she remains true to her commitment to respectfulness and decency, and when they go low, she goes high. She makes me long for a more civil, respectful, and gracious era of just a few years ago.

If I could, I'd rate it at 4.5 stars. I do think it ran a little long and bogged down in the third quarter. But overall, I highly recommend this book.

Loved this book, had to read it several times submitted by Younggyrl on August 11, 2019, 9:14pm Michelle Obama has this amazing voice where she matter of factly shares the intimate details of her life, the challenges of growing up in South Chicago and the complex nature of his relationship with her husband Barack Obama. Her writing reflects her unwavering commitment to community, she's always classy and exudes an intelligence that inspires women to be true to themselves. There's so much depth in this book and each time I read it, I get something new to ponder and I feel as if I can be a better person.

My Favorite submitted by evie2017 on August 12, 2019, 12:59pm Hands down, my favorite book of the year. Michelle's story is beautifully told, candid, and she is able to captivate and inspire readers effortlessly (it's not every day...or every year...that I read a book over 400 pages, but this FLEW by). I would love to hear the audiobook version sometime to hear her read her own words.

Thank you, Express Shelf submitted by chowcy on August 13, 2019, 1:33pm I managed to grab this very in-demand book from the Express Shelf. This is a beautiful book, well-structured and organized, split into 3 parts (pre-Barack, meeting Barack, presidency). Michelle is an incredible writer and role model: caring, shy, smart, passionate, organized. It's hard to not be inspired by her after reading this.

Good submitted by Family_Coffman on August 15, 2019, 10:09am My mom says it’s good

Inspirational submitted by NhuDo on August 30, 2019, 3:45pm This book was beautifully written and gave a real glimpse into the life of one of the most inspiring women of our time. Loved this first half more than the last Half.

Becoming submitted by Varshini on August 30, 2019, 9:24pm Becoming is a must-read. To be honest, I didn't know that much about Michelle Obama before reading this. I'm so glad I got to know more about her. She was a great first lady!

Becoming submitted by Varshini on August 30, 2019, 9:24pm Becoming is a must-read. To be honest, I didn't know that much about Michelle Obama before reading this. I'm so glad I got to know more about her. She was a great first lady!

Wonderful submitted by ldibble on March 18, 2020, 10:19am The experience of getting this book was more jarring than the actual book itself. I love biographies and was pretty confident I could navigate that section of the library - BUT - the book wasn’t with all the other biographies. It wasn’t with all the memoirs of presidents and first ladies. NO, this book was in AA studies. It was hard to find and I had to wonder why? There are more than one copy in circulation, we can’t file it in both places? Why does it have to be segregated? Does being the first AA first lady mean that this supersedes all other possible labels? All these questions for the book classification I think are what is experienced by the person. What label fits best, what label serves society best whose society? Reading the book was a blast, the writing is clear and wonderful.

Great balance between personal and public perspectives submitted by Susan4Pax -prev. sueij- on June 20, 2020, 3:19pm I loved this memoir, and as I’m not entirely a memoir-loving kind of reader, that’s high praise. Obama struck a great balance between filling in factual history about herself as a well-known public figure, and telling a personally compelling story of her inner life and journey. Obviously she chose what she wants us to know, but I feel like I know the author better, including the people and world around her. I have a strong sense of the internal drive that made her who she is, the people who supported her, and the outside events that shaped her life. It’s a fascinating journey and a fascinating life, as well as an easy-to-read narrative that pulled me along. Highly recommended.

Great reminders submitted by Xris on June 24, 2020, 12:02pm It felt good to read this book during our current political climate (45 & COVID) to be reminded of the way a president and First Lady can act. I liked reading the back story of Michelle's life in the Southside of Chicago, her schooling and how she met Barack. It was also a great insider's look into the White House and a first family.

Yes but... submitted by sushai on June 25, 2020, 8:40pm I feel like by not giving this book a 5-star rating I may be seen as less-than-human, but as much as I admire Obama's story and her legacy, there were things about the book I didn't like.
Obama comes off as a really good person, doing her best when thrown into a world of politics that she didn't sign up for. I really liked the story of how she grew up and the relationship she had with her family. After she gets out of school, though, we see how the world of networking works, where she gets several jobs just by being recommended by someone or knowing someone, which is how it works for the elite.
And while Obama seems to be a great mom, I didn't appreciate that she seems to equate women and women's issues with motherhood, even though nearly half of women in the US never have kids.
Finally, the emphasis on prayer and going to church was a little over-the-top for me, including her description of watching Barack say his prayers every night in bed.
Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I want to clarify that I still think of Obama as being a great person with a genuine desire to make our country better. I just couldn't quite get on the bandwagon of making her a saint.

A Honest Bio submitted by cayluebeck on July 23, 2020, 2:39pm Michelle Obama's writing is honest and unapologetic. While she rose to popularity through politics, this is not an overtly political book. The story starts in Michelle's childhood, you can learn about her family and Chicago. She takes these moments and shows how they shaped her into the woman she is. It appears that she really values the childhood she had, despite the adversity she had endured. The book is broken into three parts, becoming me, becoming us, and becoming more. Becoming me ends around the time she had met Obama, becoming us is about how they created and fostered their relationship. Becoming more is after Obama's presidency and what they planning on creating for their future. It's a fantastic read, with such beautiful messages.

An absolute treat! submitted by lgoff on July 26, 2020, 10:52am Becoming by Michelle Obama is an absolute treat to read. Her diction and storytelling capabilities make it seem as though she is reading it to you for herself. Following the chronology of her life, this autobiography makes the reader feel like a personal friend of Obama and offers insight into what makes Michelle herself. I recommend this book to any fans of the former first lady or any American history buff. There is now a accompanying documentary on Netflix that I look forward to watching!

a great read submitted by manz on July 29, 2020, 12:12pm I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.

Book Club Book submitted by whitta151 on August 5, 2020, 9:36pm I did not know anything about Michelle Obama before reading this memoir. I enjoyed it, and learned so much. The audiobook of this, is also excellent since she's the reader.

such an inspiration! submitted by zixyxuan on August 20, 2020, 8:51am I LOVED THIS BOOK! Michelle Obama is such an inspiration! It's a shame that some people might dismiss this book because of diverging political opinions, but Michelle actually doesn't talk much about politics and more about her political experience and personal life. She talks about growing up poor and black on the South Side of Chicago, and how, with the right support system, she worked to get an education at Princeton and Harvard. Upon meeting Barack Obama, she realized that she wanted to do more meaningful work in life, and pivoted her career away from corporate law. She relayed her grief over the death of her best friend and father (honestly, this part was such a heart-wrencher) candidly talked about how hard it was to maintain a stable marriage and raise a family with Barack striving to be a politician. In the White House, she had to learn how to adapt to the role of both first lady and mother and how she fought for policies and reforms that she believed with help the next generation of children.

Even though she is one of the most powerful, successful, intelligent, and influential women in the world, she still remains the same humble South Side girl growing up in an American working-class.

I would recommend everyone to read this book.

Overall rating: 5 / 5 Stars

Book club obsession submitted by A2AE on August 23, 2020, 8:17am My book club devoured this book, and we were all immediately obsessed with Michelle. Her story is somehow both relatable and admirable, and her honesty and ability to share both highs and lows made the book feel like you were talking to a trusted friend. I loved learning all of the details of her upbringing as well as her life in the White House. It’s a great read and makes a wonderful present worth rereading.

loved the book and her down to earthness submitted by Josephine on June 30, 2021, 9:57pm I loved how Michelle Obama voiced her experiences as honestly as she did.

Great! submitted by jill.mast on July 21, 2021, 4:02pm I loved this book. What a great glimpse into the life a wonderful human.

Great reading and inspiring submitted by amyhuang on November 12, 2021, 11:54am I enjoyed reading this book and really become a big fan of Michelle Obama.

Audiobook submitted by bcartm01 on June 18, 2022, 10:06am Audiobook. Listen to Mrs. Obama read her own story and audiobook. Trust me, it is worth it. I love the story and would listen to it again.

Honest and inspiring submitted by ellec on July 8, 2022, 7:16pm I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook. I appreciated how Michelle Obama delved not only into what the general public saw (i.e. Barack's election, their girls growing up) but also the more intimate and painful parts of her life story. I would listen to it again. Amazing!

michelle obama is an icon. submitted by graytabby on August 4, 2022, 12:20pm i love mrs. obama's story! it's so inspiring to young women of color like me, who are under constant pressure from the world.

Becoming submitted by downing on August 7, 2022, 2:07pm Becoming was really good, but I wanted more!

Audiobook submitted by ks2345 on August 18, 2022, 2:38pm Has become a comfort book of mine! I love it!

Just excellent submitted by clk.9123 on August 21, 2022, 3:24pm First and foremost, I love Michelle Obama. She is a great human being - advocate, speaker, mother, wife, friend, all around good person.

Having the privilege to listen to her story from childhood through her time at the White House, honestly felt like a gift. Maybe that sounds dramatic, but I think her story, and the Obama's' story, is such an important one - their politics aside, even, for people who like to snub their noses. I opted to listen to the audiobook, despite it being 18+ hours and already owning the hardcover, because Michelle herself narrates it, which made the experience even more fulfilling.

I loved learning about Michelle's childhood, her education, her careers, her struggles and life changes. Her time dating Barack, and their early married life were also insightful and highly enjoyable. It really helped me see the man that he is from a personal perspective, and have all that more respect for him. I felt sad and angry at what he and Michelle and their daughters went through in the White House - the racism, the name-calling, the Fox News pundits and conservative media and senators saying things that were not true or wildly (so wildly) out of context. They never made a choice lightly, and always had Sasha and Malia's wellbeing in mind. Wonderful, strong people. I definitely cried several times in this book - particularly when Michelle described the decline of her father's health and his passing, and the cancer diagnosis and death of one of her best friends. Michelle definitely learned a lot of lessons in her life, and she used those in her time at the White House, and has shared them with us in this book. I feel grateful for her, and this story. For black women everywhere, which I am clearly not, this feels so important - and she has done so much for underprivileged girls and women in the US and abroad. I'm happy that she exists in this world.

Though I rate this so highly because of her story, I also think she did an excellent job writing this and piecing it all together. It was no small feat, judging by the sheer size of this memoir, and the amount of content inside it. It seems like she left no stone un-turned. Thoroughly enjoyable, very well written, inspiring, uplifting, great life lessons and reminders. Definitely a book I will keep on my shelves for a long time!