I knew that I was going to read it, but I figured I would listen to it instead. When it comes to biographies and memoirs, there is something really special about listening to the person who wrote the book tell you their story. It makes it so much more authentic and beautiful.
"Becoming" is Michelle Obama's biography by nature, but it is really so much more than that. It tells the story of her life, growing up in Chicago, her family and how she got to be the First Lady of the US. It also has an underlying message of how she lived her entire life never feeling like she was enough and how she finally became enough; for herself, for her children and really for the entire country.
She is an incredible storyteller and even though I didn't think I would like learning about Michelle Obama's childhood, I was enamored with it. You were able to learn so much about her little quirks and how her family lived, and what kind of life she had growing up. It seemed like a very nice, quiet childhood that made her very happy. It was so interesting to hear how she decided she wanted to be a lawyer, how she got to college and her life there.
However, the hopeless romantic in me awaited the moment that she met Barack. Well, when I Michelle described the moment she met him, I started crying and had chills because I just knew what was about to happen. It was incredible... and you'll definitely see it coming which makes it even better.
I loved learning about the road to the White House, what their life was like behind the campaign and behind closed doors. Without giving too much away, it was really interesting and showed you that things are definitely not always what they seem.
This book was not overly political and I think, despite your political beliefs, would be able to appreciate it. It's a book about a young woman who grew up in Chicago, who wanted to be a lawyer and ended up being the First Lady of the United States. It's the story of a woman who found herself in the world of politics, without really wanting to be; the story of someone who found a way to have a voice that was powerful and meaningful and wanted to change the world for her children.
I will say that I cried a few times throughout this book; a lot of the times were personal to Michelle's story, others were more political like when the news broke about the shooting at Newton. It was very gut-wrenching at moments, to hear the inside story of these national tragedies.
It was a very long book but every bit of it was interesting. I was never bored, I was never wishing for it to be over -- I found it very relaxing, having Michelle soulfully read to me.
There are always books that could be read and listened to but if you're considering getting into audiobooks, I HIGHLY recommend having this be your first.
If you know audiobooks aren't for you, just read this! No matter how you consume it, I think everyone should read "Becoming".
Have you read this book? What did you think?
xoxo
B
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