2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

Thank you for creating this thread for us, Kristin!

Trisha, let me know approximately when you plan to read this book. :D

So I've been checking for this book for months.
I figured I would be disappointed again when I looked to see if it was available..... but it was!!!

I just checked it out and can't wait to start this one :)

Yay, Cassie! Glad this book became available to you in time!

oshizu wrote: "Thank you for creating this thread for us, Kristin!

Trisha, let me know approximately when you plan to read this book. :D"
I am planning to start it tomorrow, how about you? 🤓

Cassie wrote: "So I've been checking for this book for months.
I figured I would be disappointed again when I looked to see if it was available..... but it was!!!

I just checked it out and can't wait to start th..."
Cassie, so good to have you onboard with us! 😊

Trisha wrote: "oshizu wrote: "Thank you for creating this thread for us, Kristin!

Trisha, let me know approximately when you plan to read this book. :D"
I am planning to start it tomorrow, how about you? 🤓"

Good to know. I'll start tomorrow as well. Looking forward to reading this book with you both!

oshizu wrote: "Trisha wrote: "oshizu wrote: "Thank you for creating this thread for us, Kristin!

Trisha, let me know approximately when you plan to read this book. :D"
I am planning to start it tomorrow, how ab..."
Yayy! 😍

Hello, reading buddies!
If you've already looked at the book's table of contents, you know that its divided into three parts: Becoming Me (chapters 1-8), Becoming Us (chapters 9-18, and Becoming More (chapters 19-24 + Epilogue).

I've just finished reading to the end of Becoming Me.
A few impressions
(view spoiler)[This is a highly engaging book. Michelle Obama's narrative voice--candid, confiding, perceptive--pulls me into her life story and makes the book so hard to put down. (hide spoiler)]

I want to mention one of my favorite (of so many!) of the author's anecdotes:
(view spoiler)[I laughed at the story of how she decided to be a matchmaker for Barack Obama, realizing only too late that he was not a happy hour kind of guy. (hide spoiler)]

I've now read to the end of Chapter 18, which marks the end of the Becoming Us section.

I'd like to make a few brief comments before I forget them.
(view spoiler)[*Campaigning: It was fascinating to read about the hardships of political campaigning and Barack's rise to national recognition.
I guess it was honest of her to confess that she initially didn't support her husband's growing political involvement. It also makes for a more dramatic narrative development when she later decides to fully support him and his social vision.
*Michelle and her careers: It becomes painful at some point, reading about how hard she works at over-achieving professionally. It was interesting that she was so focused on her career success that she hadn't noticed her daugters' health issues. The young man she hired to help cook healthier meals for her daughters inspires her to consider planting a garden at the White House later; I'm looking forward to seeing how that idea works out.

*Michelle and her mother: One little thing that bothered me was when she was describing the outcome of their marriage counseling. She pats herself on the back for creating time for her own morning workouts at the gym.
She tells us that she is "managing everything," but she's just a 40-something woman with an extraordinarily generous mother who agreed to wake up at an ungodly hour to go to the Michelle's home every weekday morning to look after the kids so Michelle could go to the gym.
When is Michelle going to start giving back to her mother?

*Campaigning, Part II: I felt bad for her that the campaign staff gave her zero guidance until her appearances began drawing negative results. Then again, she never requested it, even though she was a political novice.

*Likability: I didn't like the author as much in Becoming Us. I hope it's just a narrative technique and the last section, Becoming More, will be a more engaging read./spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

I finished this book last week. I really enjoyed it!
Just a few comments:
(view spoiler)[My favorite sections of the book were Becoming Me and Becoming More. The second section, Becoming Us, is what pulled this book down (for me) to 4 stars.
I remain completely impressed by all of the author's achievements as FLOTUS. She truly used her position in the White House to implement positive social action. I miss the Obamas.
(I am rooting for Trump's impeachment. How did such a sexist ever become President and why has his sexual misconduct been forgiven? Sorry, I know this isn't the place for my thoughts on this matter.)
By the way, I enjoyed Becoming so much that I thought to add Barack Obama's memoir to my reading list. Oddly, his books aren't as highly rated on Goodreads as Becoming...
P..S. I went to Youtube and watched Michelle Obama's Carpool Karaoke video. She's a tremendously good sport. (hide spoiler)]

I finished the book the other day, finally just getting to post about it.

So, I unashamedly love Michelle Obama and have a lot of respect for her, and everything she has been through. She is the true epitome of the "upward social mobility" and "American Dream" story. She held her head high amidst an unprecedented level of vicious and personal attacks against not just her, but her children as well. How she didn't lash out in defense of her family is beyond me, but also why I respect her so much.

That being said, I really enjoyed this book overall. She calls out the issues as she sees them, while admitting she doesn't have all the answers or solutions. I am curious to see what life will bring for her and Barack now that he has completed his terms. I don't think we have heard even close to the last of this family!

Hi all, I’m sorry for not being in touch. I was down with severe Flu and high fever from the past 2 weeks because of which I couldn’t do any reading at all. Now that I’m recovering, my husband has caught the infection from me. 😟 I completed Part 1 on the very first day of reading this, so will now start with Part 2 today although I’m afraid my pace is going to be super slow! Will go through everyone’s comments shortly.

Trisha wrote: "Hi all, I’m sorry for not being in touch. I was down with severe Flu and high fever from the past 2 weeks because of which I couldn’t do any reading at all. Now that I’m recovering, my husband has ..."

I hope you are feeling better! We've had a lot of students out for several days because of bugs going around.... it sounds like a tough one!

Trisha wrote: "Hi all, I’m sorry for not being in touch. I was down with severe Flu and high fever from the past 2 weeks because of which I couldn’t do any reading at all. Now that I’m recovering, my husband has ..."

Sorry to hear that you haven't been feeling well! And now your husband, too!
Get well soon, Trisha!

oshizu wrote: "Hello, reading buddies!
If you've already looked at the book's table of contents, you know that its divided into three parts: Becoming Me (chapters 1-8), Becoming Us (chapters 9-18, and Becoming Mo..."

I thought that same story was hysterical, oshizu! OMG! I laughed so hard!

oshizu wrote: "I've now read to the end of Chapter 18, which marks the end of the Becoming Us section.

I'd like to make a few brief comments before I forget them.
*Campaigning: It was fascinating to read about t..."

Regarding Michelle's mother (view spoiler)[while she was enabling Michelle to workout in the morning, I doubt she has any concern about repayment as she was also providing care for her granddaughters. As parents/grandparents, I'm not sure we do or even should expect repayment, per se, except perhaps a happier/healthier daughter and stronger bond with the grandchildren. Their relationship may be different from that, but that is my own perspective... (hide spoiler)]

I find it interesting that you didn't like (view spoiler)[Becoming Us as well. I had no such disconnect. Any ideas why you felt that way? Though I did feel as if she was being particularly careful about what she wrote and how she wrote it during this section and assumed that might have been her own way to not be negative or hurtful to others? Maybe that created a "distance" you didn't feel in the first part? (hide spoiler)]

Cassie wrote: "I finished the book the other day, finally just getting to post about it.

So, I unashamedly love Michelle Obama and have a lot of respect for her, and everything she has been through. She is the t..."

I think you are correct, Cassie! I get the impression they have only just begun and I am so excited! They have established a production company in partnership with Netflix, called "Higher Ground" and have already released a movie! I had no idea a movie had already been released! Must get on Netflix this weekend! :)