Becoming

My rating

5 / 5

Self-Purchased copy

Author

Michelle Obama

Publisher

Penguin Random House, Viking

Genre

Autobiography / Memoir

Number of Pages

421

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Summary

This is Michelle’s story from as young as 18 months to the day after her husband, Barack Obama left the Office of President of the United States to reinstate Donald Trump into his place. She recalls how she became what she became and ponders on the journey ahead.

The story is broadly but thoughtfully divided into 3 parts – Becoming Me (her journey from a cramped, rented house to becoming a Harvard Law Graduate). Becoming Us (the story of how she met Obama and how they fell in love) and Becoming More (the story after Michelle’s husband became the President of the United States of America). Additionally, the book has a heart-touching Preface and a tear-shedding Epilogue. There are also some beautiful pictures of Michelle Obama's life's, historical and endearing moments, towards the book's middle.

My review

I don’t see how I could add anything new to a book that has been read and reviewed extensively over weeks, months, and now years. It has been on most bestselling lists for months and has been analyzed, criticized, and regurgitated in every possible way.  So I will just list out the lessons I learned and will follow after having read this historical book and journey.

The 44th family in the White House, only the 11th to have spent two full terms and the first black one, taught me so many lessons.

  • Becoming isn’t arriving somewhere or achieving an aim; it is an ongoing journey to better yourself.
  • Education is the primary tool to have a life you’ve dreamt of.
  • We cannot solve every problem, but we can point the sufferer to their strengths and give them directions to a way forward.
  • The importance of life-long friendships.
  • Never to take things for granted, although her girls grew up with the best privileges she never forgot her own humble beginnings and stressed on discipline and a normal childhood for her girls.
  • Its okay, to be honest, and call a pear a pear. (Donald Trump is a misogynist she writes).
  • Realizing that there is hard work involved, even if on the surface things look pretty unruffled.
  • Life’s joy is in the simple and small things. Candle-lit dinner with husband, daughter’s graduation, having a pet.
  •  You learn throughout your life.
  • It’s okay to have negative thoughts or feel low. The important thing is what you do about them.
  • Politics isn’t all that bad.
  • Infertility is not a stigma; it is something that can be conquered and it isn’t so uncommon.
  • The beauty and privilege of being a woman.
  • There is power in voting. If you want change, you can’t stay home on Election Day.
  • Even if you’re a Harvard Law graduate, you could end up being confused and directionless about your career.
  • You don’t need to have a privileged childhood to make it to the biggest platform, a simple and humble beginning can also give you that if you are ready to improve and learn.

    • Michelle Obama carried out a role that was as yet undefined, the role of a First Lady, and created benchmarks for her successors. I loved this true story, and yet I think there was one thing missing. Throughout the book, Michelle Obama keeps wondering what her husband felt, her daughters felt, and her mother felt about their extraordinary situations. I would have loved a brief not by Barack Obama telling his side of the story of his feelings for Michelle and her hard-working and honest life. Or from Malia Obama, Michelle’s elder daughter, about how her mother tried to give them a normal upbringing despite the extraordinary circumstances and privileges.  (Like despite Anna's details, I still wanted to know what Grey thought in Fifty Shades of Grey, I know it's an inappropriate comparison, but you get the point (shrug)). 

    Final verdict

    That would have made the perfect cherry on top. I rate the book 5 out of stars, obviously. 

    Who Should Read This

    I recommend it to every individual, black or white, man or woman, rich or poor, American or not, this story needs to be heard.

    Books Like Becoming You will Love

    Michelle Obama

    Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the forty-fourth President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States.

    She was born and grew up on the South Side of Chicago and graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. After completing her formal education, she returned to Chicago and accepted a position with the law firm Sidley Austin, and subsequently worked as part of the staff of Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley, and for the University of Chicago Medical Center.

    Michelle Obama is the sister of Craig Robinson, men's basketball coach at Oregon State University. She met Barack Obama when he joined Sidley Austin. After his election to the U.S. Senate, the Obama family continued to live on Chicago's South Side, choosing to remain there rather than moving to Washington, D.C.

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