Becoming.
Michelle Obama. Crown Publishing Group. November 2018. $19.50; pb, 448 pp.; ISBN: 9781524763138.
Usually
the public demands on the First Lady of the United States are minimal. However, we live in times where division is
rife and the public are starving for inspiration. It’s a way of saying, “It’s all going to turn
out right or at least as close as possible to right.” So what is usually such a formidable demand on
the President also attached to the First Lady.
Michelle Obama’s memoirs address many aspects of the goals that are
expected of public figures. Will all
readers agree with the phases of her life that she describes in becoming me,
becoming us, becoming more and the epilogue?
Probably not, but what a fine way to start understanding the ins and
outs of the woman who became First Lady for eight years which clearly parallels
the mental and emotional journey of America over those eight years of her
service.
First,
First Lady Obama takes readers into the formation of her educational journey
and the establishment of a personality grounded in honesty, integrity and
purpose. She admirably describes her
ascent from insecurity step-by-step.
Molded by a hard-working family and meeting the challenges of a father
who was ill for many of her growing-up years and of living in a family of
limited economic means, she accepted thrift but also accepted a sense of
responsibility about handling finances.
Hard work was the journey she was to take to rise from those conditions,
encouraged by her parents’ model and life experience.
It
would be accurate to describe her education as “driven.” She was hungry to learn
and that passion honored her drive with success. Only after she wrestled through her college
and legal education did she finally realize that her calling or passion was not
to be law but in something connected to public service. However, that separation was not as large as
she seemed to experience. That
introductory period gave her an immense body of knowledge that she probably
uses to this day.
On
and on the story continues. The
strengths and weaknesses of a marriage, campaigning for political offices, the
expectations of supporters and the hellish harangues of opponents, all in all
an evolution of skills and learning how to handle the public and private
aspects of her entire life fill these pages of riveting expression, exposure
and internal debate.
Readers
will love the light-hearted moments with the Obama children, the Secret Service
and the friends and supporters of Michelle during each phase of her life,
thoughts and responses to which every reader can relate.
This
is a memoir that should be must reading for all who deeply care about the
future of our country and those who have prominence and influence over goals
and dreams. But more than that, this
book is just as important about growing in becoming a life-affirming, honest,
humorous, intelligent and deeply caring human being. There’s much more herein – enjoy sharing
Michelle Obama’s life story to date – it’s so real!
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