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A review by kathywadolowski
Becoming by Michelle Obama
5.0
A fantastic book that lived up to every expectation I had.
Michelle Obama has a fantastic narrative voice, and her story was captivating from beginning to end (or new beginning, by her account). Her journey is such an inspiring one, and I appreciated her consistent focus on her own initiatives and desires (vs. Barack's) throughout the book, as well as her candor about her hesitations and challenges that existed both inside and outside her marriage.
I loved the structure of this book, with a setup split among the three major pieces of what Obama refers to as her "becoming": Becoming Me, Becoming Us, and Becoming More. This enabled me to keep excellent track of where in her life we were situated and what part was taking precedence, though I'm sure these parameters were nowhere near as clear while she lived those years. But in every section she kept perspective, recognized her flaws but also her strengths, and always always aspired to do more and to be better. In that mission she inspired me, the reader, to aspire to do more in every stage of life as well. And for accomplishing that I applaud her. It can be very difficult to come out of a memoir without sounding self-congratulatory, but Michelle Obama managed to tell her story with grace, without ever sounding smug, and with beautiful language. I will cherish may thoughts and ideas from this book, as well as a several specific phrases that communicate them.
"This may be the fundamental problem with caring a lot about what others think: It can put you on the established path—the my-isn't-that-impressive path—and keep you there for a long time. Maybe it stops you from swerving, from ever even considering a swerve, because what you risk losing in terms of other people's high regard can feel too costly. Maybe you spend three years in Massachusetts, studying constitutional law and discussing the relative merits of exclusionary vertical agreements in antitrust cases...Your passion stays low, yet under no circumstance will you underperform. You live, as you always have, by the code of effort/result, and with it you keep achieving until you think you know the answers to all the questions—including the most important one. Am I good enough? Yes, in fact I am." (pg. 91)
"I didn't want them ever to believe that life began when the man of the house arrived home. We didn't wait for Dad. It was his job now to catch up with us." (207)
"This was what sometimes passed for achievement. I had the applesauce. I was eating a meal. Everyone was still alive.
Look how I'm managing, I wanted to say in those moments, to my audience of no one. Does everyone see that I'm pulling this off?" (209)
These are just a sampling of the moments that made me feel and connect and think and love this book. If Michelle Obama can feel these things about being lost in her career aspirations, and about reveling in the smallest of victories, and about refusing to fade next to BARAK FREAKING OBAMA, then I can overcome and become too!
Simultaneously relatable and awe-inspiring, funny and thought-provoking, and ultimately personal and moving, I will recommend this book for years and years to come. Probably forever. And I am certain I'll return to it in different stages of my life, to glean wisdom from Michelle taken from the different stages of hers.
Michelle Obama has a fantastic narrative voice, and her story was captivating from beginning to end (or new beginning, by her account). Her journey is such an inspiring one, and I appreciated her consistent focus on her own initiatives and desires (vs. Barack's) throughout the book, as well as her candor about her hesitations and challenges that existed both inside and outside her marriage.
I loved the structure of this book, with a setup split among the three major pieces of what Obama refers to as her "becoming": Becoming Me, Becoming Us, and Becoming More. This enabled me to keep excellent track of where in her life we were situated and what part was taking precedence, though I'm sure these parameters were nowhere near as clear while she lived those years. But in every section she kept perspective, recognized her flaws but also her strengths, and always always aspired to do more and to be better. In that mission she inspired me, the reader, to aspire to do more in every stage of life as well. And for accomplishing that I applaud her. It can be very difficult to come out of a memoir without sounding self-congratulatory, but Michelle Obama managed to tell her story with grace, without ever sounding smug, and with beautiful language. I will cherish may thoughts and ideas from this book, as well as a several specific phrases that communicate them.
"This may be the fundamental problem with caring a lot about what others think: It can put you on the established path—the my-isn't-that-impressive path—and keep you there for a long time. Maybe it stops you from swerving, from ever even considering a swerve, because what you risk losing in terms of other people's high regard can feel too costly. Maybe you spend three years in Massachusetts, studying constitutional law and discussing the relative merits of exclusionary vertical agreements in antitrust cases...Your passion stays low, yet under no circumstance will you underperform. You live, as you always have, by the code of effort/result, and with it you keep achieving until you think you know the answers to all the questions—including the most important one. Am I good enough? Yes, in fact I am." (pg. 91)
"I didn't want them ever to believe that life began when the man of the house arrived home. We didn't wait for Dad. It was his job now to catch up with us." (207)
"This was what sometimes passed for achievement. I had the applesauce. I was eating a meal. Everyone was still alive.
Look how I'm managing, I wanted to say in those moments, to my audience of no one. Does everyone see that I'm pulling this off?" (209)
These are just a sampling of the moments that made me feel and connect and think and love this book. If Michelle Obama can feel these things about being lost in her career aspirations, and about reveling in the smallest of victories, and about refusing to fade next to BARAK FREAKING OBAMA, then I can overcome and become too!
Simultaneously relatable and awe-inspiring, funny and thought-provoking, and ultimately personal and moving, I will recommend this book for years and years to come. Probably forever. And I am certain I'll return to it in different stages of my life, to glean wisdom from Michelle taken from the different stages of hers.