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Becoming
- Narrated by: Michelle Obama
- Length: 19 hrs and 3 mins
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Great first listens
Editorial review
By Yvonne Durant, Audible Editor
BECOMING WILL BE ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS
I remember seeing Michelle Obama for the first time in an Oprah magazine feature on a celebration honoring African American women. I knew her then as the wife of Senator Barack Obama and said to myself, "She’s so pretty." Of course, she was more than that. I happily and sometimes nervously followed the Obamas on their journey to the White House. When I got to hear her side of things years later, in her memoir Becoming, I loved every minute of listening to this great American story. She was so candid. I also could relate to her as I too was told by my parents that there was nothing I couldn’t do. This kinship made it easy for me to crawl into her story and make myself at home; that’s how she makes you feel, one of the family.
I sat in their living room and at the kitchen table when they’d talk about school, the neighborhood, and the family. Her father had MS but that didn’t stop him from going to work every day until he couldn’t. I laughed out loud when her brother, Craig, ran a fire drill centered on their father and how they would get him safely out of the house. Their parents followed his instructions and thankfully, that fire never happened. The family didn’t have much but they had everything they needed. Once, there was school trip to Europe and Michelle didn’t want to burden her parents, so she chose not to mention it. When they found out, they sat her down and explained that they were the parents and they would make the decisions—she went on the trip to Europe.
When she went to college at Princeton, it was clear Michelle was destined to do great things. The next stop was Harvard. Race reared its ugly head along the way when her white college roommate’s mother asked that her daughter be reassigned to another room. That was small stuff; Michelle stayed on course, and I found myself rooting for her all the way. Her honesty is brutal, like the time when her marriage hit a wall. She looked at it, made a plan, and that wall came tumbling down as they found a way to keep the marriage and family intact. One thing that stuck with me is that she would not sit and wait for her husband to come home. Oftentimes, he was late—the candles on the dinner table would start losing their flames, and Malia and Sasha were sleepy—but there would be no more waiting up. When it was time for dinner, they had dinner; when it was time to go to bed, they went to bed. She did not want them to think that life at home began when the man of the family walked in the door.
When Michelle Obama became first lady, I’m convinced every Black girl stood a little taller—including me, a grown woman. And maybe mothers looked at her and then at their daughters, and said, "See, there’s no such thing as 'can't'."
Continue reading Yvonne's review >
Publisher's summary
An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former first lady of the United States.
Number one New York Times best seller
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 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 US 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 listeners 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.
Editorial Review
The memoir we're Becoming eager to hear Her dance moves. Her vegetable garden. Her advocacy for girls everywhere. Her humility despite being one of the best-known names in the world. There are so many things to love about Michelle Obama that even those who might disagree with her husband’s politics admit to being fans. So much anticipation surrounds this, her official memoir, and specifics about what it will ultimately contain are few, but we can safely bet on it to be inspiring. No matter which boxes you check on your ballot, it’s hard not to be in awe of what this remarkable woman achieved in her path from the South Side of Chicago to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and beyond. When she revealed the book cover, the author tweeted: “As I prepare to share Becoming this fall, I hope you’ll also think about your own story, and trust that it will help you become whoever you aspire to be.” Can you imagine what it’ll sound like in her own words, via her own strong, familiar voice? I, for one, can hardly wait. —Courtney R., Audible Editor
Featured Article: Voices of Audible—Women's History Month
It can be challenging for anyone to feel in charge these days—especially women, many of whom are leaving their jobs at record rates and reporting that they're struggling with self-esteem at work. That’s why this Women’s History Month, we asked a range of women at Audible, from a high school intern to a creative director, "When did you take charge?" Find their inspiring stories and listening recommendations that champion the strength of women everywhere.
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A Promised Land
- By: Barack Obama
- Narrated by: Barack Obama
- Length: 29 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency - a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.
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Color me grateful.
- By Angela on 11-19-20
By: Barack Obama
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The Audacity of Hope
- Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
- By: Barack Obama
- Narrated by: Barack Obama
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Abridged
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In July 2004, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. Now, in The Audacity of Hope, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics: a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the "endless clash of armies" we see in Congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of "our improbable experiment in democracy".
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My Fellow Conservatives, Give This A Listen
- By Dallas D.L. on 02-12-15
By: Barack Obama
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Dreams from My Father
- A Story of Race and Inheritance
- By: Barack Obama
- Narrated by: Barack Obama
- Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a Black African father and a White American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a Black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father - a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man - has been killed in a car accident. This sudden death inspires an emotional odyssey - first to a small town in Kansas, from which he retraces the migration of his mother’s family to Hawaii, and then to Kenya, where he meets the African side of his family.
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Powerful
- By Gene R. on 10-26-21
By: Barack Obama
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Finding Me
- A Memoir
- By: Viola Davis
- Narrated by: Viola Davis
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever. This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn’t always see me.
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Absolutely beautifully Written❤️
- By Latwhit22 on 05-02-22
By: Viola Davis
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Mi historia [Becoming]
- By: Michelle Obama
- Narrated by: Jane Santos
- Length: 19 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Escucha el íntimo, poderoso e inspirador libro de memorias de la exprimera dama de Estados Unidos. En sus memorias, profundamente reflexivas y cautivadoras, Michelle Obama nos invita a entrar en su mundo relatando las experiencias que han forjado su carácter, desde su infancia en la zona sur de Chicago, hasta los años que vivió en la residencia más famosa del mundo, pasando por su etapa como alta directiva, durante la que tuvo que compaginar la maternidad con la vida profesional.
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no pude disfrutarlo
- By Anonymous User on 07-19-19
By: Michelle Obama
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Spare
- By: Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex
- Narrated by: Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex
- Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on.
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Gutterball!
- By Jimmyjoejangles on 01-10-23
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Born a Crime
- Stories from a South African Childhood
- By: Trevor Noah
- Narrated by: Trevor Noah
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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In this award-winning Audible Studios production, Trevor Noah tells his wild coming-of-age tale during the twilight of apartheid in South Africa. It’s a story that begins with his mother throwing him from a moving van to save him from a potentially fatal dispute with gangsters, then follows the budding comedian’s path to self-discovery through episodes both poignant and comical.
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Great book and perfect narration
- By MarilynArms on 12-15-16
By: Trevor Noah
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Michelle Obama
- A Life
- By: Peter Slevin
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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An inspiring story of a modern American icon, here is the first comprehensive account of the life and times of Michelle Obama. With disciplined reporting and a storyteller’s eye for revealing detail, Peter Slevin follows Michelle to the White House from her working-class childhood on Chicago’s largely segregated South Side. He illuminates her tribulations at Princeton University and Harvard Law School during the racially charged 1980s and the dilemmas she faced in Chicago.
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Inspiring life story
- By Lwazilwenkosi on 11-20-15
By: Peter Slevin
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Becoming (Polish Edition)
- Moja historia [My Story]
- By: Michelle Obama
- Narrated by: Agata Kulesza
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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The first lady of the United States of America and the first African-American in that position. A huge advocate of women. One of the most iconic and fascinating people of our times. Michelle Obama talks about her life with honesty and humor, in the same way she has lived it - in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revealing, Becoming is an intimate account by a sensitive and strong woman who consistently rose above the expectations of others. Her story inspires to do the same.
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Great voice for a Polish Michele Obama
- By PT on 11-21-22
By: Michelle Obama
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Will
- By: Will Smith, Mark Manson
- Narrated by: Will Smith
- Length: 16 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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One of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring book that traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness, and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had.
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Will sure loves Will
- By Kejeco on 11-18-21
By: Will Smith, and others
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Around the Way Girl
- A Memoir
- By: Taraji P. Henson
- Narrated by: Taraji P. Henson
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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With a sensibility that recalls her beloved screen characters, including Yvette, Queenie, Shug, and the iconic Cookie from Empire, yet is all Taraji, the screen actress writes of her families - the one she was born into and the one she created. She shares stories of her father, a Vietnam vet who was bowed but never broken by life's challenges, and of her mother, who survived violence both in the home and on DC's volatile streets. Here, too, she opens up about her experiences as a single mother.
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Around My way, Your Way & Every Woman's way
- By Yolanda on 10-26-16
By: Taraji P. Henson
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Yes We Can: The Speeches of Barack Obama: Expanded Edition
- By: Barack Obama
- Narrated by: Barack Obama
- Length: 3 hrs and 15 mins
- Original Recording
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Expanded from the original, Yes We Can! offers highlights from speeches by Barack Obama and includes his entire inaugural address as an added bonus. For this collection, speeches were chosen to showcase President Obama's powerful, inspiring rhetoric of hope and change and to represent his stands on issues such as climate, energy, service, and the Iraq war.
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Great speeches, no index
- By kingspence on 11-11-18
By: Barack Obama
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Educated
- A Memoir
- By: Tara Westover
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University.
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The Other Side of Idaho's Mountains
- By Darwin8u on 03-28-18
By: Tara Westover
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My Own Words
- By: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mary Hartnett, Wendy W. Williams
- Narrated by: Linda Lavin
- Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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The first book from Ruth Bader Ginsburg since becoming a Supreme Court Justice in 1993 - a witty, engaging, serious, and playful collection of writings and speeches from the woman who has had a powerful and enduring influence on law, women's rights, and popular culture. My Own Words is a selection of writings and speeches by Justice Ginsburg on wide-ranging topics, including gender equality, the workways of the Supreme Court, being Jewish, law and lawyers in opera, and more.
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Spectacularly Dry
- By CMP on 07-27-18
By: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and others
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Greenlights
- By: Matthew McConaughey
- Narrated by: Matthew McConaughey
- Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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I’ve been in this life for 50 years, been trying to work out its riddle for 42, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last 35. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me.
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Love this!
- By Nancy on 10-21-20
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Just as I Am
- A Memoir
- By: Cicely Tyson, Michelle Burford
- Narrated by: Cicely Tyson, Viola Davis, Robin Miles
- Length: 16 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Just as I Am is my truth. It is me, plain and unvarnished, with the glitter and garland set aside. Here, I am indeed Cicely, the actress who has been blessed to grace the stage and screen for six decades. Yet I am also the church girl who once rarely spoke a word. I am the teenager who sought solace in the verses of the old hymn for which this book is named. I am a daughter and mother, a sister, and a friend. I am an observer of human nature and the dreamer of audacious dreams.
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A Legend and National Treasure
- By Mz Fabulous on 01-29-21
By: Cicely Tyson, and others
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Bossypants
- By: Tina Fey
- Narrated by: Tina Fey
- Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Before Liz Lemon, before Weekend Update, before Sarah Palin, Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: A recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV. She has seen both these dreams come true. At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live. Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've always suspected: You're no one until someone calls you bossy.
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Tina Fey broke my new SUV
- By Warren on 04-07-11
By: Tina Fey
What listeners say about Becoming
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Christiane
- 01-29-19
Beautifully written and narrated
Michelle Obama delivers a beautifully written, honest and well read narrative of her time in the white house. Her novel made me not only more aware of the trials of the first black presidency but also rendered me looking for opportunities to volunteer in some of the causes championed by her. ‘Becoming’ literally moved me to tears and taught me a lot about American history. Unveiled, honest and from the heart I would recommend it to anyone.
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62 people found this helpful
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- Lori
- 12-07-18
A comforting voice of reason.
This is an engrossing story of perseverance and humility. It satisfied my curiosity and provided a coherence to the “optics” presented by Michelle Obama during her husband’s presidency. Her voice is a soothing, strengthening reminder of the milestones reached during the Obama administration. Her overall optimism, during this frightening political time in our government, renews the sense that we all have a great deal of work ahead of us as a nation. When the daily news gives me despair, I will return to this book again and again to simply hear her voice of courage.
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47 people found this helpful
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- James Duffy
- 03-28-19
Nleon
This book really touched home. We had a similar childhood. I really loved this book. The added bonus was Michelle read it to me. I can’t wait to read, I mean listen to it again.
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34 people found this helpful
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- Chad Henderson
- 11-13-18
A book for the ages
This isn’t just a regular “post White House” book. It’s much more than that, and told in a way that only Michelle can tell it. Gripping, stunning, and amazing. A must read!
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22 people found this helpful
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- T.O.Y. Ward
- 11-19-18
Greatest First Lady ever!!!
I am so glad I purchased this book and listened to Mrs. Obama narrate it herself. I couldn't stop listening to her wonderful life and the love she has for family and friends. She is a kind soul and I'm glad to be a part of those that listened to the book, it was definitely more fulfilling.
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19 people found this helpful
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- Lyme Lens
- 06-19-19
"Becoming" an author...needs some classes, sorry.
It was a good book, just not what I was expecting. I was glad that I was listening to it because if reading it, "I would've put it down and not picked it up again." It was very interesting to hear what some of her EMOTIONS were behind some of the events that occurred while she was first lady and I respect the hell outta her for letting her husband handle the political things while she found initiatives that needed attention that didn't conflict with National or International affairs. She is a brilliant woman with her own ideas so to remain quiet for all of those years, playing the dutiful wife, mother and FLOTUS when I am sure that she was chomping at the bit sometimes, must have been tough. She is a class act and given the verbal vomit that is spewed from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue these days just cheapens the position of leader of the greatest country on earth. The repubs keep digging our grave and we put a Dem in there long enough to make some progress then the repubs are back to make the tape red again and spill some more of our boys' blood overseas. It is time for the foul-mouthed TV star to go back to strong-arming contractors and leave the strategic, sensitive and POLITE negotiations to the grown-ups who know how to play nice.
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18 people found this helpful
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- Shanika Mulrain
- 12-06-18
Authentic. Transparent. Relatable. Eye Opener
I loved EVERYTHING about this book. I would recommend to ANYONE. It made me emotional all over again about the Inauguration of our first black family in the white house.
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16 people found this helpful
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- Karen Jones
- 11-16-18
A powerful insiders view!
Absolutely LOVED this book! It's an insider's view of history and its affects on a wife and mother. A must read!
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13 people found this helpful
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- PNORM
- 12-07-18
The book I didn’t know I needed
I spend a lot of time on the road so I decided to listen to my first ever audio book. This was one to remember. Becoming felt even more intimate narrated by Michelle Obama. There were moments that tugged at my heart, others that made me laugh out loud and some just left my mouth wide open. There are so many important life lessons in this book with my favorite being the “swerve”. I also had the pleasure of seeing Mrs. Obama during her book tour in DC. You can feel her words. I was holding on to each word, sentence, paragraph and chapter wondering what she would next Become. I would highly recommend this book!
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Excellence!
Unless you live under a rock, you know that this fall Becoming by former First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama, was published and has quickly become (aha, see what I did there?) a bestseller. I pre-ordered the book via Audible earlier this year and began listening as soon as it was available.
As I was selecting keyword tags for this post, I considered choosing politics. I decided against it because this is a book about the life of Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama. While she does share behind the scenes information about her husband's politics and his successful, consecutive presidential campaigns, the book is her life story. Furthermore, she makes it very clear that she does not enjoy politics nor does she have any political aspirations of her own. During the 2018 mid-term elections, I read an article about Heidi Cruz (wife of Texas Senator Ted Cruz) and how she, at times, feels relegated to simply being the wife of Ted Cruz rather than the educated, professional, individual person she is. I think this happens to many women who are connected with high profile men - once again proving what the Obama's have often said - we are all more alike than we are different. So, if you have not read Becoming and decide to embark on Mrs. Obama's life journey thus far, please read it with an autobiographical lens that happens to include the 44th President of the United States.
The book begins with Mrs. Obama's childhood and she works her way chronologically through her formative years, her Princeton and Harvard years, meeting Barack Obama, her struggles conceiving their children, the family's journey to the White House, pretty much through present day. It is her detailed, personal account. While listening to her masterfully read the book, I felt like she was a good friend sharing a phenomenal story. Many of the stories she shared I recalled from the not too distant past, some were new to me, and others offered a different view from the accounts by the news media.
The aspect of Mrs. Obama's life that resonated most with me was her constant relationship with the media - traditional and social. In the book, she often mentions being under the never-ending microscope of society by way of the media. This, of course, is what politicians and their families take on in their service to their city, county, state, and country. However, as anyone could imagine, it seemed to weigh on Mrs. Obama at times. A full two years post-office, and just the other day I witnessed one of my Facebook connections refer to Mrs. Obama as an animal. It's sad. It's demoralizing, and it's not right. As Mrs. Obama noted in her book, the "office" of First Lady isn't an official one nor is it a paid position. When the current First Lady said that she is one of the "most bullied" people, her statement was met with laughter and jokes. But I don't really think she was far off the mark. Being in the public eye can be exhausting. We, as private citizens, experience that via social media (some of us to a greater degree if one's messaging is extremely controversial and goes viral). I think our society would be much better served if we all extended some grace and kindness to one another - especially to those who are serving our country in various capacities.
While the Mrs. Obama's memoir is just over 19 listening hours, it really didn't seem that long. Mrs. Obama has a great reading voice that helps guide the reader through her life story. There is so much detail, I certainly cannot give a comprehensive review. I can just say this - many First Ladies have written a book about their time in the White House, and this one is historical and worth reading.
Recommendation: I would definitely recommend this read, especially the audio version. It was nice hearing Mrs. Obama's inflection and tone as she recounted some interesting and funny stories. It also evoked emotion when she demonstrated her vulnerabilities, making her more relatable to African Americans, women, and, most importantly, Americans. I'm told the hard copy book has a nice inset of photos. So, maybe buy a hard copy and get the audio companion also!
Until next time ... Read on!
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12 people found this helpful