Becoming: The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller

BARACK OBAMA IS GREAT INDEED! AND HIS COUNTRY IS GREATER STILL! Barack Obama became the forty-fourth president of America in 2009 at the age of forty eight. He was awarded the Nobel prize for Peace the same year. I did not know of any outstanding work he had done to deserve the high honour. Many in America and elsewhere were also of the same mind. So I started avidly reading the recently published memoirs of his wife, Michelle Obama, when the book was gifted to me by the youngest of my three sons. The 440-page closely printed book convinced me that Obama is indeed a great man, forget the question whether he deserved the prestigious prize or not. Obama emerges from the book as an extraordinary person, a driven idealist consumed by an overwhelming desire to reduce the inequalities and inequities in the American society. He reminded me of the sixteenth American President (1861-65), Abraham Lincoln, who has come to regarded as the greatest President because of his two achievements: preserving the Union and abolishing slavery. Both the person's, Lincoln and Obama, appear to me as made of the same clay. Both had come from economically and socially disadvantaged families. Obama was Black besides, in a predominantly White country riven by deep racial tensions. Both had troubled childhood. Lincoln lost his mother when he was nine, was not on good terms with his father, but his stepmother was kind and encouraged him to learn reading and writing side by side with the hardwork he had to do for a living. By dint of hardwork, he qualified himself in time as a lawyer and started legal practice. Obama was born to Kenyan father (Black) who had come to America for studies and s white mother who fell in love and married him. The marriage was short-lived, the two divorced and the man returned to his native land. The lady married again, this time to a geologist from Indinesia, and went to live with him in Iakarta, taking the five year-old Obama with her. Four years later she sent the child back to America to live with her parents and to study in quality schools. Obama was a bright student and went on to secure degrees from Columbia University and the prestigious Harvard Law School, helped along the way by student loans. At the age of twenty eight Obama married Michelle, who hailed from a working class Black family of Chicago, also a graduate of Harvard Law School. She was then working in a large firm of lawyers in Chicago, with good prospects of becoming a partner in the firm. Brilliant and prosperous careers in the legal field awaited them both, but they decided to take up community development work instead, for a fraction of what they could have earned in legal practice. Obama was insistent that what work they do should have an impact on the society. Very soon Obama came to realise that political power was necessary in order to bring about the changes he thought necessary to render the American society less racial, less violent and more equitable and just. He decided to enter electoral politics. And achieved incredible success in a short span of time. This man with a hybrid geneology but considered by the public as Black in a predominantly White nation, with a weird name Barack Hussain Obama,II, with no financial or social strength to boast, blossomed into a popular leader -- not a leader of the Blacks but a leader of all Americans, Blacks, Whites, Latinos and others --and recorded a meteoric rise in American politics. * He became a Senator in the State of Illinois at the age of thirty five; * A member of the U.S. Senate at forty three ; * President of America at forty eight Apart from being the first Black President in the history of America, he was also only the eleventh American President re-elected for a second consecutive term. Obams's achievements as Prrsident are nothing as dramatic as those of Abraham Lincoln, but they can be considered substantial, considering the changed times and circumstances. In the area of foreign relations, he eliminated the dreaded Osama Bin Laden, brought down America's overseas military engagements by totally withdrawing troops from Iraq and gradual draw-down of troops from Afghanistan. He re-engaged America in the global fight against climate change. At home he expanded health care cover for all Americans and strengthened the education system. He resusciated the economy and gave years of continuous growth in economy and jobs. Then, patadoxically Donald Trump came and, with him, the ascendancy of reactionery forces. Referring to his quixotic ways, Michelle Obama has said in a different context, "This is not politics as usual; this is disgraceful; it is intolerable". Many of Trump's actions were indeed so and they took the nation back by several steps in matters of economy, racial relations and global issues. The Trump era came to an abrupt and inglorious end. The nation is now being led by a person who served as Vice-President in Obama's government. Such appears to be the Zig-Zag way in which nations and societies grow and develop historically. A sort of dialectical process. In conclusion I wish to say that Barack Obama is indeed great as a person and as a leader. And Anerica as a nation is still greater for, inspite of its many failings and contradictions, it has raised a person like Obama to its highest office and celebrated the great-granddaughter of a slave named Jim Robinson as its First Lady. It can happen only in America. A.Govindan Tidbit Fateful seventeen minutes Barack Obama spoke for just seventeen minutes on the night of 27th July 2004. The occasion was the National Convention of the Republican Party held in Boston, USA. John Kerry, the Republican party's candidate for Presidentship, had invited young Barack Obama to deliver the key-note address. Obama was then just a legislator in the state of Illinois and, in Michelle Obama's words, "a complete nobody" in the national politics. That short speech turned Obama overnight into a brilliant star in U.S politics. He would be President of the country in the next five years! It was a passionate speech and it came from his heart. He began the speech explaining who he was and where he came from and referred to his mother's faith in what a good education could do. He cast himself as a literal embodiment of the American story. He reminded the audience that the country was United by a common humanity, compelled to care for the whole society. He called for hope over cynicism. The media response to Obama's speech was hyperbolic. A commentor said on NBC, "I have just seen the first Black President!" He would not have imagined that Obama would indeed become President after five years! Such was the man's transparent belief in his ideals and the power of his words. _________

❤️"You belong. You matter. I think highly of you" . 🍁I was planning to read this book since long but due to some prior commitment i couldn't. This book touched my heart but also gave me inspiration and motivation to be strong, be yourself. . 🍁In this book, Michelle Obama talks about the experiences in her life that made her what she is. How she became. This autobiography balanced the political and the personal aspects of her life in an honest & insightful way. Its divided in to three parts. . ⭐Becoming me - In this part she has written about her childhood. Her relationship with her family,what are the issue she has to face being African American girl, her upbringing in Princeton , her struggles because of a not so good financial background and about her friends. . ⭐Becoming us - Its beautifully written about her Job being a lawyer ,how she met Obama , how her friendship gradually tuned in to love. Her struggles to become a mother, martial counselling and Obama's decision to join politics. . ⭐ Becoming more - Its about Campaigns , handling work with two daughters , giving speeches and supporting Obama, being first lady and living in white house. . 🌾I love the fact that inspite of being so powerful,she is such a humble and grounded personality. She sets perfect example of being yourself and creating your own indentity.she writes about her values, people's negative reactions to her achievements and failures in certain aspects of her life.She expresses some of her experiences in a very honest manner which we might not have imagined; like problems due to racism affecting men and women, importance of education and discrimination.She has written about each and every detail from campaigning to becoming the first lady president. The way she has balanced personal and professional life is remarkable. Reaching home before kids bed time, feeding them healthy food plus imparting them important values and teaching them to behave grounded despite of being President's kids is very inspiration. Her work for military families, education of females and healthier food for children will be helpful in present and also it will be beneficial in future also. . 🌼Overall a fantastic read, please do read.

The book written broadly over 3 chapters is an inspiring one.Auto/Biographies fascinate me and I have read many good ones and this should find a place in the top few. Lucid and easy conversational marks the style in which it is written which sometimes is prosaic and poetic too.I loved it. A personal journey with simple,humble but strong roots to becoming FLOTUS is beautifully captured.I recently read Obama's The Promised Land.Between them they have ensured that these books are complementary and avoid repetitions.For example their love life before marriage is detailed out here but Obama just makes some cursory references. Michelle after 2 Ivy league stints chose to follow her heart and passion and worked towards the upliftment of the poor, marginalised and not cared for community.She could have easily taken a corporate career raking in a few millions but her vision and passion is noteworthy. Her life is one of struggle, compromise and against many challenges being one from Afro American community but that didn't deter her to achieve what she wanted. Michelle and Obama complemented each other,each playing a huge role in other's lives. I loved the book and deserved a 5 rating.But a constant " Am I good enough?" thread that runs through the book was a put off for me and overplayed in my opinion. Go for it.An excellent read.

When you read a book, a good book, you get fully engrossed in the lives of the characters. It is like a short but powerful relationship that you have with them. When you pick up a memoir by Michelle Obama, there is a lot of expectation baggage at the beginning itself. I am a fan of team Obama. I have seen all possible YouTube videos of them; speeches, campaign footage, interviews, dances, karaoke performances, dinners, street interactions; I follow them on social media and a couple of years back I read Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama which was quite insightful as well. Despite these impressions already formed, this book made me admire and respect them even more. In her memoir, Michelle Obama talks about the experiences in her life that made her what she is. How she became. While political experiences are obviously a part of her narration, she does not write about politics or advocate a side. Instead, she writes about values, people, reactions, thoughts. It is really a mesmerizing story about a remarkable woman. Her not-so-privileged childhood, her struggle to balance work and motherhood and her life as the First Lady. She writes about the achievements and failures in all aspects of her life. She talks about larger issues like discrimination as well as the supposedly little things like family and love which make a difference. Surprisingly, it is relatable. The writing is eloquent, honest and simple. It feels intimate and warm. It is a story of a woman of character and strength. Some might say that good PR will ensure that this is how she is projected. I say. Read the book for the writing, the inspiration that comes from it. It is a book that should be read by every generation to know that anything is possible. That you must own your story. That you matter.

Becoming is never giving up on the idea that there's always more growing to be done. This was yet another book that I did not wanted to end🥺 I used to tell myself that biographies and memoirs wasn't my cup of tea. But eh I was so wrong! I've always known very little about the US presidencies hence I chose to pick up this read and explore about it more and I can honestly say that this is one of the best read. (Woahhh 2021 is too good till now) I've always thought that the people of White House were so lucky for having themselves such a big house to live in, servants meandering everywhere and with best foods on their table EVERYDAY. But little did I knew the struggles, and the drawbacks of the same. And Michelle Obama has clearly brought that to notice with her crisp and articulate writing. Basically the book is divided into 3 parts; • Becoming Me • Becoming Us • Becoming More Like every other autobiography Michelle talked about her life from the beginning furnishing every details and aspects. starting from her childhood days and ending up where she is now. She grew up as any normal teenager but had high hopes in life. She always chose to be optimistic about everything in life. With her persistent efforts she got into Princeton and eventually became an attorney at Sidley Austin where she met Barack. The journey from there to the end is something that everyone should read about. Michelle became a doting mother of two daughters, an obliging wife, a caring daughter and most importantly the First Lady of the United States. She managed her duties to the best extent she could and did a great deal about girl education, obesity problems, a move towards health lifestyle, uplifting the youth and maintaining a garden in the White House. She never let her daughters believe that life began when the man of the house arrived home. They didn't wait for Barack. It was his job now to catch up with them. There were so many strands of her life that was more inspiring and made a deep connect to the heart. I'm truly impressed by the this powerful woman who managed to make a history in the so powerful patriarch world.

Becoming is a memoir of the former First Lady of United States of America. Michelle Obama pens down a powerful and inspiring journey of the first black lady to live in the White House. I hope my book review helps you know why you should definitely pick up Becoming by Michelle Obama. She talks about her humble and grounded beginnings in the South Side of Chicago. She was very well aware of the social short comings she would face due to the color of her skin and not belonging to a financially affluent background. She, therefore, worked very hard from the very first day of her school. Her unbeatable ambition, dedication and competitive spirit took her to many privileged places. Even though she was in so many situations where she could have been easily dominated and silenced, her level headedness and ability to take a stand for herself truly sets her apart. But most importantly, after getting best of education from Ivy league, a well paid job and a promise of comfortable future, she knew what was much more valuable. Inspired by her visionary husband, she wanted to make a change in the world. She wanted to make an impact by using the privileges that her position bought. Her support for various charities working for military families, education of females and healthier food for children have created ripples of change which will be felt for coming years. Her ability to stay grounded and know what truly matters touched one too many hearts and her passion and zeal for life inspired many. The most powerful and impressionable part of the book for me personally was to see what an amazing, powerful, fearless, confident yet humble woman Michelle Obama is. She is not afraid to take a stand for herself, her dignity and her values and she fiercely protects her family. In the world where women are taught to speak softly and align their career goals according to that of their potential marriage and husbands, Michelle Obama sets unique example of how to create your own identity and individuality while also being a supportive spouse. Highly recommend to all.

I enjoyed this and found it surprisingly relatable - Michelle Obama's account of her working class African American childhood is similar in many ways to an Indian middle class childhood, with the parents' focus on education and hard work as a means to get ahead in life. As far as political biographies go, this feels more honest and personal than others I've read. She talks about dealing with racism, marital struggles, feeling unfulfilled in her career as a corporate lawyer and worrying about feeling overshadowed by a more prominent spouse, things which a lot of urban Indian women might find relatable. The book is less detailed in the chapters on the White House years and anyone looking for insight on policy etc during those years might be disappointed. However, I found it quite enjoyable on the whole.

Am I good enough? Yes, I am. Are we good enough? Yes, we are. The journey of an average middle-class young girl from the South Side of Chicago to becoming the First Lady of the United States of America (FLOTUS), Michelle Obama has outlined her story in the most intricate way possible. When we flip through the pages of a book, some stories will inspire you, bring out the best in you, make you feel a part of their journey and, above all, give you hope to live the best version of YOU. ‘Becoming’ chronicles the experiences that have shaped her. The readers are welcome into her world with unnerving honesty and animated wit. Michelle - the girl What happens when a young South Side Chicago girl battles the odds of being the one of ‘color’ and pushes ahead? The outcome is one of that will lead the reader to be in awe of Michelle Robinson, who later became Michelle Obama. Right from a young age, Michelle was taught a sense of self-confidence and belief in making her own decisions. This ultimately became the crux of her journey ahead. Michelle - the ambitious girl From working in the top firms of Chicago to charting her course through a series of non-profits, Michelle saw the world from a different perspective, her perspective. But she never let her ‘color’ of skin define who she was. Her ways to manage her demanding work schedule coupled with being present for her daughters at all times, she has beautifully showcased the struggles that almost all working women go through. Michelle - the FLOTUS As the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama created the most comprehensive and welcoming White House in the history of its presidencies. While establishing herself as a powerful advocate of woman’s rights and the girls in the U.S., and around the globe, she dramatically changed the way families lead their lives, making them healthier and more active. Standing with her husband, Barack Obama, as he led the U.S. through the most harrowing moments, she has shown us that there is a silver lining behind every cloud. Their journey together comes as the assimilation of ideas, passion, the grit to do the right thing and just being focused on whatever you believe. From dealing with the nuances of having a public life to politics to being a highly ambitious career-oriented woman to raising two amazing daughters and all the work that goes on, there is something for everyone to take back from this book. ‘Becoming’ touches you and helps you to reason your aspirations, drives you to achieve what you thought was impossible and helps you get a perspective of the immense opportunities that lie ahead. My key takeaways- • Every journey has its difficulties. It is up to you to make the best of the situation in front of you. • You can be anything you want to be, only if you have the grit to achieve it. • No journey is complete without the support of your friends, family and close associates. These are the people who get you going even in the toughest times. This memoir showcases all these emotions and much more. Warm, wise and visionary, Becoming is a passionate account of a woman of depth and substance; one who has defied all expectations and deftly risen beyond those expectations. A story that inspires us to do the same.