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akvolcano's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I remember being in late elementary/middle school and hearing about Barack Obama. Growing up, I have slowly gain more knowledge about his family and his work. I have much more to learn! Michelle Obama has written this book beautifully. I could completely see her perspective and get a fuller understanding of the effect of the presidential term. And seeing their family’s experience as a family, not as the presidential family, was a refreshing new perspective. I also have never heard much about her, besides that she was the reason nutrition changed so abruptly in my cafeterias. I really enjoyed learning more about her. Definitely would recommend this book! She is a truly amazing person and so is her family.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Police brutality, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings
grace33's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Violence, Death of parent, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Miscarriage and Misogyny
missrosymaplemoth's review
4.5
I switched to the audiobook on page 262. I was having a weird week and could not bring myself to read the rest with my eyes so I read with my ears. :) I just listened to my first audiobook in several years as well so I thought of this option.
I loved this book and I’m glad to have read it. The writing style was pleasant, although the pace was often slow which I think contributed to my inability to continue in print. That is my only “complaint.”
I enjoyed learning about some events from Michelle Obama’s perspective, about her childhood and the circumstances in which she grew up. It was nice to hear her narrate the audiobook, as I thought it brought an personal touch and elevated the listening experience.
I enjoyed learning about some events from Michelle Obama’s perspective, about her childhood and the circumstances in which she grew up. It was nice to hear her narrate the audiobook, as I thought it brought an personal touch and elevated the listening experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child death and Racism
Minor: Police brutality
bashsbooks's review
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
puckeverlasting's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This was phenomenal. I laughed and cried, and was completely immersed in this journey. Her writing style and voice are wonderful. She gave just the right amount of information throughout, delving deeply without the details becoming mundane. This book was thought provoking and beautiful, by far the best I've read this year.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Death, Racism, and Gun violence
Gorgeous all around. A phenomenal readnebraskanwriter's review
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
proza's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
skeptic_hecate's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
"Sameness breaths breaths more sameness, until you make an effort to overcome it."
I didn't think I would cry while reading about the life story of Michelle Obama, from the outside in, she looks like a privileged politician with power, however, how wrong I was.
I admired Michelle from a distance because she was not the typical femenine and demure first lady, she was strong and unafraid to make an impression, being called "difficult" and "intense" all my life, it really gave me someone to relate to.
At first, this book felt slow and boring, I couldn't believe I had to sit through the grilled cheese sandwich part, however, the more I read, the more I found myself relating. The type A personality, unafraid to be herself and standing against bullies, but deeplu insecure and afraid of being good enough, missunderstood and fucking up. It wasn't this privileged politician I was reading about, it was a down to earth woman who had to do twice the work than her peers. Michelle doesn't pretend she didn't have advantages and support, she acknowledges them yet doesn't shy away from her vulnerabilities and fuck ups.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you don't see people like you on the media or in powerful positions.
I didn't think I would cry while reading about the life story of Michelle Obama, from the outside in, she looks like a privileged politician with power, however, how wrong I was.
I admired Michelle from a distance because she was not the typical femenine and demure first lady, she was strong and unafraid to make an impression, being called "difficult" and "intense" all my life, it really gave me someone to relate to.
At first, this book felt slow and boring, I couldn't believe I had to sit through the grilled cheese sandwich part, however, the more I read, the more I found myself relating. The type A personality, unafraid to be herself and standing against bullies, but deeplu insecure and afraid of being good enough, missunderstood and fucking up. It wasn't this privileged politician I was reading about, it was a down to earth woman who had to do twice the work than her peers. Michelle doesn't pretend she didn't have advantages and support, she acknowledges them yet doesn't shy away from her vulnerabilities and fuck ups.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you don't see people like you on the media or in powerful positions.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism, Homophobia, and Racism