Book #3 – Becoming

Prompt – ‘A book which won an award in 2019’ – British Book Awards, Narrative non-fiction and audiobook (among others)

Medium – Audiobook (19hrs)

About the book – the autobiography of Michelle Obama, this book tells the story from her childhood in the south side of Chicago to the White House, with a short epilogue discussing her thoughts and feelings after her time there. It discusses her feelings of imposter syndrome, her striving to be ‘good enough’ for her situation, as well as her (and her husband’s) commitment to follow their own agendas and passions during Barack Obama’s presidency.

My rating – I would give this book 9/10. This was a book I really wanted to read ever since its release last year, but I have been putting it off until my TBR pile was a little smaller. I loved how Michelle comes across as humble and human in the book, as she talks about her struggles with self-esteem, bullies and the media. I also loved her focus on women and minorities, and I believe that her comments, whilst focused on America, can be applied to the UK (and any other country) as well. We have more in common than what divides us, kindness and compassion are key in these times, and we cannot stop standing up for what we believe in, albeit arguing in a respectful and loving way.

I also appreciated her insight into what life is actually like in the White House. I found this part of the book particularly interesting, as she discussed how her days would run, what their family life was like and some of the ‘behind the scenes’ information from famous moments in the presidency (I particularly liked the bit about when she hugged the Queen!) My little feminist heart also loved the bits where she talked about being her own woman in her marriage, the sacrifices she would and wouldn’t make, and her experiences working in a sphere dominated by men.

Would I read/listen to it again? Yes, probably. It’s a book that made me cry more than it made me laugh, but I did enjoy it. I liked how connected I felt to the author – especially as I had her in my ears telling her story (the joys of author-read audiobooks!)