Becoming by Michelle Obama
By: Sharmila Shyangtan
As any normal individual, I follow many celebrities and world-famous people on Instagram, where Michelle Obama is one of my favourite people. I love hearing her motivating things for girls and work that are life-changing for many people near and far around the world.
When “Becoming” was published towards the end of 2018, the book’s buzz was inevitable, and it became on my list of books that I want to read. It was one of the bestselling memories with 10 million copies sold in four months after publication, which made me eager and enthusiastic about the book. As of today, according to The New York Times, 14 million copies sold worldwide, including more than 8 million in the U.S and Canada as of November 2020.
I got my hand on the book around December 2018, on my birthday. It was on my wish list, and my brother bought it for me. I did have other books that I was reading. I did start to read it side by side with others book. But, sadly, I completed the book while I was staying home during the pandemic, 2020. I have my own reason for prolonging the time in finishing the book.
Michelle Obama’s Becoming shares her early childhood time and struggles that her family faced and a portrayal of a close-knitted family — her experience of the education system, race and class, and being an independent goal-driven individual. Her stories about at home, school, and her family give us a glimpse of our own family and experiences (same but different). I love her bond with her brother, especially.
Her educational achievement from Princeton University to Harvard Law School and getting employed to Sidley Austin Law firm is impressive. It is at the law firm she met Barack Obama where he was a summer intern. Her relationship with Barack Obama, starting a family and journey into politics to place in the white house are stories of struggle, hustle as a mother, wife and job holder, and the First lady of the House. Along the way, when she shares her stories and incident, you get happy, sad, surprised and determined as she is. She motivates you with a different kind of touch, like she is talking to you. The book’s beauty is like you are along the journey with her, which is not the end of the process of but Becoming yourself.
The book motivates me as she struggles to balance career and family and a role as the First lady, which we all can relate too. Most importantly, her sacrifice to support her husband and family within that, finding her new role and work are inspirational. Her memoir is about struggle, hard work, family, sacrifice, achievement and failure, which we all face in our life. Her resistance, persistence and endurance along the way motivated me. I recommend all to read as it is inspirational and empowering at the same time.
