I debated for a month about how I would read Becoming. I finally decided on the audiobook, and I think that I made the best decision. There was something more connecting hearing the story being told by Michelle Obama, as well as being able to listen as I went about my life being a working mother.

Becoming is a memoir by the first African American First Lady. She is someone who has been at the forefront of media and the face of America for a good portion of my adult life. This book was hard, at first for me to read. Obama broke down this idealism that I had and told her story like it is. She is a women from the South Side of Chicago. I appreciate her all the more for this.

I loved the story of her childhood and her community. It was amazing reading about her deep bond with her family and her parents influence on her life. There was also a sort of giddiness reading about how things unfolded. There is no mystery twist in this book. We know who won and who lost the elections, we know what will unfold. What this book gives is a raw honest look at Michelle Obama through it all.

I appreciate her honesty in writing the book. She did not compromise her opinions or values, but used the grace she developed to tell them in a polite but honest way. I walked into this book having a respect for her as a very public figure, and finished having a deep respect for her as a person.