Book 4: Becoming
Hi friends! If you’re only going to read one of these reviews, THIS IS THE ONE TO READ! Holy cow! This book is phenomenal. This is only book 4 (check out part 1, 2, and 3 if you missed them) of my 12 book reviews series for 2019, but I’m 99% sure this will be my top favorite for the year. In these reviews, I share a bit about each of these books, my thoughts, how many stars I’d give it (actually it is how many Jericho’s as I’m using his cute face in place of stars. ;) ), and what other books I've read that month. Regardless of your stance on the Obama Administration, Michelle is a strong, confident, and incredible woman who has done amazing things for our country.
Title: Becoming
Author: Michelle Obama
Genre: Non-Fiction | Memoir
Page Count: 448
Short Synopsis:
Becoming Me This is the story of Michelle Robinson’s upbringing in the South side of Chicago. She shares how she navigated school and childhood as a person of color coming from a less than affluent neighborhood. Her upbringing is where her passions for minorities, health, and education start to form. She graduated from Princeton University after being told by a guidance counselor that she wasn't "Princeton material" and then went on to obtain a Harvard law degree. She helps readers understand that where you came from is not an indicator of your future success and that despite what people think about you, you can achieve great things.
Becoming Us Michelle met Barack at Sidley Austin law firm where she was assigned to be his mentor while he was a summer associate. Their casual work lunches turned into a flourishing relationship, albeit long-distance while he finished his law degree at Harvard. She was attracted to his go-getter attitude, his intelligence, and his passion for valuing people over making money. Despite demanding responsibilities and multiple career shifts for both Barack and Michelle, they got married and had two beautiful girls, Malia and Sasha. Barack’s political career officially began when he became a U.S. Senator for the state of Illinois and he quickly worked his way to becoming a candidate for the 2009 Presidency. Barack and Michelle had ambitious goals in caring for the underdogs; such as helping the poor, the sick, and the minorities represented in America. In January of 2009, Barack and Michelle became first African-American President and First Lady of the United States.
Becoming More This last section of the book focuses on how Barack and Michelle thrived as The President and First Lady and highlights the specific initiatives and tasks that Michelle led; such as: planting a garden at the white house; mentoring young girls; encouraging companies and schools to switch to healthier food options; supporting military families; and so much more! She was not the stereotypical First Lady who went to big events just to “look pretty.” She actually wanted to dive in and be making a difference. Navigating America as a person of color could not have been easy, but both Barack and Michelle pushed past those obstacles and kept striving.
“We’ve got to work twice as hard to get half as far as our white counterparts.”
My Thoughts:
My first memory of when Barack became the first African-American President was that we watched his inauguration in Mr. Eichelberger’s 10th grade English class. The very few things I did hear about related to their passions surrounding kids, health and wellness, and affordable healthcare. I found it fascinating to see a glimpse of where these passions originated from and how they made them into reality. I love that this book shows us where they came from and how they journeyed into The White House. Like I mentioned in the introduction, this book was SO GOOD!
Something that stood out to me in Michelle’s childhood was the love that her parents showed her and her brother, specifically when it came to money. Despite them being on the poorer side, her parents did everything possible to make a good life for their kids. There was one instance where a teacher was taking those students who could afford it on a trip to Paris. Michelle didn't even raise the subject with her parents knowing it was too expensive. Her parents found out and were slightly upset that she didn't bring it up, saying that their ability to afford the trip is not for her to decide; it shouldn’t be her concern.
It was also so fascinating to learn about life in The White House. Spoiler Alert: It is not as glamorous as it may seem! Sure you get to wear fancy clothes, go to spectacular events, and meet celebrities and royalty, but there is another side to white-house-living that isn't always thought about. For example, if Barack and Michelle want to go out for date night, their Secret Service team have to follow them to their location. On the off chance that they aren't recognized upon entering a restaurant or theater, their presence is made known by the security measures that have to be taken for anybody else that wants to enter. It is a whole production just to go out for a few hours, whether that is for a big event or something small like taking their kids to school.
Additionally, wherever The President travels, the vehicle he is occupying has extra blood (his specific type) in case he needs an emergency transfusion. There is always one Secret Service agent that is tasked with holding a briefcase which has a “nuclear button” inside in case a nuclear attack needs to be launched in that moment. The security measures don’t stop there. Even within the walls of The White House, they aren’t allowed to open any windows (without street closures and clearing out of tourists) in order to prevent any unauthorized people entering and they are not allowed to go anywhere without notifying The Secret Service agents.
My favorite take away from the entire book is how it brought Barack and Michelle down to my level. The way Michelle explains her story makes the reader feel like they can relate and that they are right there alongside her. They both did their best to provide a “normal” lifestyle for their two girls, despite living in the spotlight. Yes, she has had many experiences that I will never get to experience, but her emotions, her struggles, her life, is just as normal as ours.
Overall, the emphasis of this book is on the journey; becoming The President of The United States wasn’t one single destination that stops when a new President is elected. It is a series of small steps that one continues to make, each step leading into the next. Michelle explains it best when she says:
“For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end…It’s all a process, steps along a path. ”
My Rating:
Other Books I Read in April: Influencer | The gospel Comes With a House Key | 7 Secrets of the Newborn | The Best We Could Do | Carrot Cake Murder | Cream Puff Murder | The Rumor | Barefoot | Winter Street | Winter Stroll | The Curly Girl
