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bashsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
This is an exquisitely written and narrated memoir. I do think it's funny that she doesn't think of herself as a politician when she's the most politically active First Lady I've seen in my lifetime, and I find her brand of respectability politics not relatable, but I understand where both of these things are coming from. Also, I deeply respect that she didn't want her husband to become a politician for personal reasons, I would also not be pleased if my partner wanted to do that. Overall, I found her very down-to-Earth and her story extremely interesting. Would recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Chronic illness, Racism, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Mass/school shootings, War, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Gun violence, Islamophobia, and Miscarriage
imnotadorableimpunk's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Classism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Racism, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Sexism, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Bullying, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infertility, and Misogyny
nebraskanwriter's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
“I’m an ordinary person who found herself on an extraordinary journey.”
Though I am not super into politics, I found this memoir interesting, heartbreaking and enlightening. Michelle tackles the monumentous task of encompassing her entire life as well as her husband’s presidency into this book. She begins by talking about growing up in Chicago, going to law school, becoming an attorney, how her and Barack met.
She talks about how her and Barack were always passionate about helping others and making things better for people. Which then over time led Barack to go into politics which then eventually catapulted him into the role of becoming President of the United States.
Throughout it all, from moving into the White House to traveling over to England to meet the Queen, Michelle’s focus was always on her children and making sure they could live the best life possible.
I feel like that is my biggest take away from this book. No matter what party you align yourself with, at the end of the day, Michelle was a mother and a wife. She and her husband did what they thought was best for America for their girls’ future. Whether that was successful or not is of your opinion but the love Michelle feels toward her husband and her children was evident and beautifully written. Trying to grapple with any little bit of sense of normalcy with the secret service never letting you leave their sight, aids leaving a thick binder every night for you to review and be briefed on the next day, going to funerals of gun violence victims. The weight of what any world leader goes through is immense, at times soul crushing like with the Sandy Hook shooting. But then there were also moments of happiness and success.
Being president and a president’s wife is not a glamorous job. Everyone projects their problems onto you. These people believed so passionately in making a difference in the world that they gave up 8 years of normalcy, of privacy, of having a simple life, to make America a better place. Or at least they tried to. And I find that admirable.
Though I am not super into politics, I found this memoir interesting, heartbreaking and enlightening. Michelle tackles the monumentous task of encompassing her entire life as well as her husband’s presidency into this book. She begins by talking about growing up in Chicago, going to law school, becoming an attorney, how her and Barack met.
She talks about how her and Barack were always passionate about helping others and making things better for people. Which then over time led Barack to go into politics which then eventually catapulted him into the role of becoming President of the United States.
Throughout it all, from moving into the White House to traveling over to England to meet the Queen, Michelle’s focus was always on her children and making sure they could live the best life possible.
I feel like that is my biggest take away from this book. No matter what party you align yourself with, at the end of the day, Michelle was a mother and a wife. She and her husband did what they thought was best for America for their girls’ future. Whether that was successful or not is of your opinion but the love Michelle feels toward her husband and her children was evident and beautifully written. Trying to grapple with any little bit of sense of normalcy with the secret service never letting you leave their sight, aids leaving a thick binder every night for you to review and be briefed on the next day, going to funerals of gun violence victims. The weight of what any world leader goes through is immense, at times soul crushing like with the Sandy Hook shooting. But then there were also moments of happiness and success.
Being president and a president’s wife is not a glamorous job. Everyone projects their problems onto you. These people believed so passionately in making a difference in the world that they gave up 8 years of normalcy, of privacy, of having a simple life, to make America a better place. Or at least they tried to. And I find that admirable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Death, Gun violence, Racism, War, Cursing, Misogyny, Violence, Abandonment, Bullying, Death of parent, Mass/school shootings, and Panic attacks/disorders
sakisreads's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
I have always admired and adored Michelle Robinson Obama from afar. This book, however, got me feeling very close and cocooned in her light! 🥹 She is strengthened by her truth and the messages of bravery and hope throughout this book made me cry and laugh ❤️
‘Sameness breeds more sameness, until you make a thoughtful effort to counteract it.’
and ‘Becoming is never giving up on the idea that there’s more growing to be done.’ became two of my favourite quotes, although I wouldn’t quote me on that one as I could open the book and give you a different answer every time 😂
I loved how she was unafraid to include everything, from her dad’s MS to her feelings about Trump. I gasped at her candour and appreciated her so much more for it 👏🏼
Truly a fan of this book (and the author!) ✨ Would highly recommend ✨
Content Warnings
Moderate: Police brutality, Death of parent, and Racism
kirkspockreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I appreciated this. Mrs. Obama is a good writer and listening to her narrate the audiobook was a pleasure. What sticks out the most to me is her thoughts/feelings of her husband verses the things he did as President I did not agree with (bombings, drone attacks, allowing ICE to deport more immigrants than any President before him). It was also hard not to feel a little nostalgic for the 8 years the Obama were in the White House, but then I had to remind myself of the things I mentioned above that occurred under his watch and remember that not everyone was thriving under his Presidency. However, I really did enjoy the story of how they met, fell in love, and started their family. It was all VERY cute.
My other issue was her championing of dealing with “the childhood obesity epidemic in America.” BMI is not a significant way to determine someone’s health. I could rant on about this but many other fat activists already have. I will say that her putting a garden in the White House (no easy feat) and her championing of gardening in general were commendable, as well as how she took on fast food corporations and highlighted the “food desert” issue. We all should certainly have access to fresh produce and good home cooked meals. I just wish it wasn’t all wrapped around in BMI and the weight loss industrial complex.
That said, this is definitely worth a read/listen.
My other issue was her championing of dealing with “the childhood obesity epidemic in America.” BMI is not a significant way to determine someone’s health. I could rant on about this but many other fat activists already have. I will say that her putting a garden in the White House (no easy feat) and her championing of gardening in general were commendable, as well as how she took on fast food corporations and highlighted the “food desert” issue. We all should certainly have access to fresh produce and good home cooked meals. I just wish it wasn’t all wrapped around in BMI and the weight loss industrial complex.
That said, this is definitely worth a read/listen.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Misogyny, Grief, Death of parent, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Fatphobia
haleybyman's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Classism, and Racism
staceyinthesticks's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Mass/school shootings, and Infertility
emilyltw's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage, Racism, Xenophobia, War, Pregnancy, Mass/school shootings, Infertility, Death of parent, and Gun violence
elisanisly's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, Grief, and Gun violence
Moderate: War, Police brutality, and Fatphobia
Minor: Abandonment and Toxic relationship
rlgreen91's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
How do I even begin to describe this book? I mean, it's practically indescribable, the feeling I got while reading this. Has a book ever left you full? That reading it filled some space within in you that you didn't even know you had, or even know you wanted filled? That's probably the best way to describe reading this book for me. I didn't even know this was something I had been looking for in a book but I'll be damned if I'm not better off for finding it.
Attempts at description aside, I also want to note that this is a well-edited book. You can tell that someone took the time to work with the author to make the writing clear and concise without loosing her voice. I honestly have an urge to buy copies of this book and ship it to different organizations with a note that says "See, this is why you need to hire editors."
Attempts at description aside, I also want to note that this is a well-edited book. You can tell that someone took the time to work with the author to make the writing clear and concise without loosing her voice. I honestly have an urge to buy copies of this book and ship it to different organizations with a note that says "See, this is why you need to hire editors."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Death of parent