Becoming by Michelle Obama-Book Review (First ever Book Review😀)

 Well, Hello there curious one!! It’s been a minute don’t you think? 👀

This is surely the first time I have thought about doing a book review, especially on my blog. The idea got to me when I finished the first 3 chapters of Michele LaVaughn Robinson Obama’s book “Becoming”. I am delighted to have read the book after so much hype of it has already settled down. This enabled me to list this book in my TBR because I wanted to get to know her; not because everyone was reading her book but because years earlier I read Barrack Obama’s “Dreams from my Father” and the “Audacity of Hope” and really wanted to hear about his wife’s side of the story.

 

And while I had this book in my TBR, I almost put it in my DNF section for the reason that Michelle gave us so much detail that required a patient soul to keep on going. Fortunately, my curiosity carried the day as I wanted to get to the point where I fully understand why she titled the book “Becoming”. She stole my heart with the kind of father she had who for one had instilled the love of jazz music (a genre that calms me) to Michelle, his love for the Buick (a type of car which I came to learn was his father’s favorite thing while they grew up), her amazing older brother and I would say a mother that seemed to have the characters of my own.  I have to admit that reading this book now, to me was the best timing with everyone trying to get back to their lives amidst a pandemic that has hit the world and I am one of those that picked up some of their talents when I recently embarked on writing my poetry.

 

To begin with, Michelle finally told me what Becoming means in her Epilogue which is basically the end of the book!! She says-

“For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward moving, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end. I became a mother, but I still have a lot to learn from and give to my children. I became a wife, but I continue to adapt to and be humbled by what if means to truly love and make a life with another person. I have become, by certain measures, a person of power, and yet there are moments still when I feel insecure and unheard. Its all a process, steps along a path. Becoming requires equal parts, patience and rigor. Becoming is never giving up on the idea that there’s more growing to be done”

 

This phrase summed up the chapters which I noted were divided into 3 sections; Becoming Me, Becoming Us and Becoming More. She spoke to me with her vivid recount of her life growing up, life in law school, her dating life, married life, life during her husband’s campaigns, life as a First Lady and Life after the White House. I felt her honesty and humility. I joked with a friend when I was 10 chapters away that Michelle seems to be an older version of me. For most parts of the book, I saw myself in her.

 

And while I don’t intend to bore you with her recount of US politics, I would only add that she never for one moment lost sight of who she was as a person and always remembered that politics should not at all steal their (herself, her husband and two daughters’) normal lives. She took Obama being POTUS with humility and she did not come across as a person shocked by power vested on an individual, like most politicians would be. If at all, she had her own thing going on professionally. And in her attempts to maintain the normal life they had before Obama became POTUS, she tried as much as she could to ensure her two daughters do not develop an entitlement mentality. At this point I guess I already knew I wouldn’t DNF this book because this was a typical African mother, Kenyan mother I dare say, who knows it is for your own good to push you to be the best version of yourself despite any luxury of life you might have.

 

Did I mention that she says she is an extrovert? Well, up to now I still have my doubts because she writes the way an introvert would, and at some point she started journaling, something that most extroverts do not fancy doing. I was also captivated by her journey to get admitted to Princeton University after one faculty professor (or career advisor) I believe had told her she is not “Princeton material”; but as God would have it, she got to study there and later went to Harvard University as well. From this I learnt she was trying to demonstrate that it doesn’t matter what people say about you. If you believe it, you can do it. Which seemed to be the slogan of Obama throughout his campaign and his unique speech that left many wondering who is this guy and why not have him as President.

 

To sum it up my bookish people, “Becoming” is an awesome read, the best for a detail oriented person as this is what Michelle will give you... in-depth details of her becoming journey. I would categorize it as an inspirational read but don’t look at it as just another inspirational book that will tell you what you already know, but a book that shows that becoming anything has pros and cons and you don’t become your full potential overnight.

 

 

Well, I recently picked up Bianca Marais’ book “If you want to make God Laugh”, which is my next read. 

I have read one of her books titled “Hum if you don’t know the words” which was an amazing read about South Africa during Apartheid rule. I am positive that her new book will be an awesome read as Bianca writes with an amazing ease that pulls you in. 

I will later tone things down with a bit of fiction in the coming months. 

 

See you in my next post.

 

Let me know your thoughts on Michelle’s book in the comments below.

 

Tchao!!!

 

Psst, Hey you, TBR means -"To be read'', DNF means ''Did not finish''