Against my better judgment, I have consumed pop memoirs. Anticipating the fast-paced, plot-and-dialogue driven format, I tend to listen to them as audiobooks with the playback speed in Libby cranked up to 1.75x. Decision Points by George W. Bush was a funny book about a terrible, incompetent man. What Happened was a terrible book about a competent, bland woman. Gucci Mane’s memoir was pretty decent.
Becoming is the best of them. The Obamas have a reputation for off-the-charts intelligence, ability, and decency, and it’s in full display with Michelle Obama’s story. What it reveals about the life behind the scenes only makes you love their family, and admire Michelle, more. It’s also well-written – something you can’t say about many memoirs – and Michelle Obama’s narration of the audiobook is excellent. There’s undoubtedly even more to be taken from this book if you’re like her, someone who is underestimated, who is headed to be ‘the first’ of your people in a position of power. Because of that, this is the sort of book that should be widely available because it, like Michelle Obama itself, will change the world for the better.