Becoming By Michelle Obama

I’ve always admired the Obamas. Their dignity, humanity and decency has always appealed to me. When I saw Michelle Obama had an autobiography out I knew I had to read it.

Becoming by Michelle Obama was published in 2018 and was a New York Times bestseller.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Within the biography, Michelle Obama tells her own story, from a young school girl living on the south side of Chicago, all the way to Princeton, Harvard Law school and eventually the White House. We follow her journey through education and onto her first job as a lawyer, where she first laid eyes on Barack. She talks openly about their life together, the struggles and the successes.

She recalls their journey to the White House, along with the prejudices and abuse they were forced to endure. Within the book, we are given a glimpse into life as president and first lady, not just the politics, but also raising a family in the public eye.

Becoming by Michelle Obama: My Opinion

I absolutely loved it. What started off as just something to listen to on my commute to work soon became a bit of an obsession. I listened to it every chance I could get.

I loved Michelle’s honesty and the humanity and decency that is always so evident whenever she speaks. Her recurring question of “am I good enough?” is so relatable and it’s inspiring to hear about how she deals with any crises of confidence. I couldn’t help but admire how dignified she has remained in the face of prejudices and insults.

I really enjoyed hearing about her first encounters with Barack and the relationship that ensued. I was charmed by the story and I smiled my way through her retelling of his proposal. The love of her family is so evident, not just for Barack and their daughters, but her whole extended family. The depth of emotion she displayed when talking about her dad and the struggles he had with MS really touched me. I shed real tears at several points throughout the story.

I liked that there wasn’t too much politics within the book and she focused on their own journey rather than commenting too much on others.

The main message I took from the book is one of empowerment. To not allow others to dictate to you what you can and can’t do. I would arrive at work feeling like I could take on the world! However, within that empowerment is also a message of kindness. As she has paved the way for so many others, she didn’t kick away the ladder once she reached the top – she offered others a hand up. She wants others to succeed too.

A truly inspiring read.