Becoming by Michelle Obama

Becoming is the story of someone who has owned their story. A story full of ups and downs, battles, successes and love.

This book is a beautifully detailed and articulated breath-taking insight into the first African-American First Lady of the United States. But importantly, this life-changing incredible achievement is not the main focus of the book. Instead, it’s a story of how Michelle overcame invisibility, defining who she is and what she wanted from life.

It is a story that could be told in two ways, depending on how you look at it. She grew up with a disabled dad in a too-small house, with little money in a beginning to fail neighbourhood. However, she also grew up surrounded by love and music, in a diverse city and country, where education can take you far. When arriving at Princeton, Michelle slowly learned what her disadvantages were; that she hadn’t received college-calibre high school teaching, gone to a boarding school and was the only black person in a lecture hall. Her world shifted but she was asked to overcome and adjust. Which she did.

Becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. Instead it should be viewed as a forward motion, a means of evolving; a way to continuously reach towards a better self. The journey never ends. Michelle explains that it’s not about where you get yourself in the end. The power is in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story and using your authentic voice.

Michelle shows how when a young person goes against the established path, taking a swerve and risking losing peoples high regard, the results can be magnificent. They are rewarded with an extraordinary and impactful journey and a truly fascinating story.