I think what I liked the most about this book is how personal Michelle is. She doesn’t hold back on the raw truths of growing up, falling in love, studying hard, working hard, and being the First Lady of America. She is also very honest about her marriage with Barack and how their relationship was often tested by other commitments, politics and the heavy load that being a black woman in the spotlight comes hand in hand with.
I remember Barack being voted in as President of America. I remember listening to his inauguration on the radio. Seeing the pictures in the newspaper, and on TV. I remember when Osama Bin Laden was captured and how Barack was held as a hero. The first black President of the United States. Obviously being British, I have no idea what it was like to live under Obama’s presidency, but I think as a bystander from across the water, a lot of people are huge fans of Barack and how he seemed to stay very down to Earth and somewhat normal and personable.
It is no surprise then that Michelle’s account of her relationship with Obama confirms just how normal and dedicated Barack was. He wanted to make change in the world from a young age, working as a lawyer to be able to know first hand how he can use/change the law to help others.
However, enough about Barack. As I listened to the audiobook, I just loved Michelle’s voice. You could really tell how passionate she was at times, really getting her point across. You felt the emotion in her words. When she speaks of her family and Barack, you can feel just how much she loves them. You can hear the smile on her face.
There are some really touching moments in this book that have stuck with me. How she was so passionate about school and so dedicated to achieving the best. So scared of failure, I saw myself in her in some ways. When she failed her law bar exam, I felt her disappointment. Like Michelle, I’m absolutely terrified of failing anything and will do absolutely everything to make sure I don’t fail.
I also loved when she went to Nairobi with Barack and her experience of being an African American in Africa. She was constantly asked which of her parents were white, showing us how she felt alienated in a place where her ancestors had originated.
When Michelle and Barack are desperately trying to get pregnant, you can feel her disappointment when another test comes back negative. You feel her frustration at having to struggle between wanting a child, but not wanting to let it affect her work. She talks about the battle that women go through, inevitably having to sacrifice work and other commitments/passions, whilst ensuring they make the most of the most fertile days in the cycle, whilst men can go about their daily business.
She frequently discusses how annoying it was when she was going to give public speeches and all reporters cared about was where her shoes were from or who designed her outfit. The constant struggle she went through to get her voice and more importantly, her message heard was a recurring battle throughout the book and you could sense her irritation when she was recapping her experiences. But like most women in the public eye, their opinions and voice are constantly outshone by their appearance.
I really enjoyed listening to Michelle talk about her life, from childhood right through to sitting in a car with Ivanka Trump before her husband’s inauguration. She offers some really honest and real insights into the life of a politician and their families. I struggled to pick the best quotes from this book because there are so many. Every other sentence, I was like ‘Oh, that’s such a good quote.’
Definitely worth a listen/read.