Becoming

The Bookworm says... Yes!! Becoming by Michelle Obama is one of the most heartfelt memoirs I have read lately. This memoir starts with Michelle's childhood in "Becoming Me". As a child growing up in the South Side of Chicago during the time of "white flight", Michelle Robinson watched her classrooms go from diverse to homogeneous over the course of a few short years. She highlights how important it was to have strong mentors who believed in her, drawing her to Chicago's first magnet school and eventually to Princeton University. In the next section, "Becoming Us", we learn about Michelle's journey through law school and the beginnings of a career in law; through her career she met Barack Obama, then a summer associate at her law firm while still in law school at Harvard. As she begins to fall for Barack, Michelle realizes that she is not fulfilled by a career in law and would be happier in a profession that allows her to feel more involved in helping people, and she transitions away from her career in law. Michelle begins a new career and not long after her husband begins a new career adventure as well, this one in politics. In her final section, "Becoming More", Michelle narrates her experience throughout her husband's political career and what it means to be a working mother, especially a working mother whose husband is rarely available due to his career.

This memoir was touching in many ways, not only due to the newly enhanced appreciation many of us have for the Obama family. What I found most inspiring about Becoming was not the story of Barack Obama's political ascent, nor was it the story of voter mobilization that led to his election (these things are inspirational in their own right but were not the focal points of this memoir, at least not for me). I was most inspired by Michelle Robinson's strength and flexibility throughout her lifetime. She pursued a career in law at a time when she would have been one of few women in any law office, not to mention one of very few women of color. When she was not happy and not being fulfilled she changed her path. She changed her path again and again, seeking what was best for her, best for her community, and best for her family. Michelle gave back to the community that raised her for the rest of her life, a display of the gratitude that so many of us should share for the communities that give so much to us at a young age. As a working mother she proved that women can be dedicated to their families and their work, that it doesn't have to be one or the other. She showed that it's important to ask for help when you need it. She was a fierce advocate for her daughters from the day they were born, she made her children and family a priority at times when the effort required was nearly herculean, and she made sure that being elevated to national political fame did not alter the things she cared most deeply about. In Becoming, Michelle Obama shares a story of resilience, compassion, and fearless advocacy, qualities I finished this book hoping to emulate in my own life.

"For me, becoming isn't about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn't end."