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Magali's Reviews > Becoming
Becoming
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Magali's review
bookshelves: 2018, badass-women, memoirs-biographies-journals, non-fiction
Nov 21, 2018
bookshelves: 2018, badass-women, memoirs-biographies-journals, non-fiction
I don't know what happened but I really did not connect with Michelle Obama while reading this book. I ended up skipping a lot of paragraphs, reading through it and would have probably not ended my reading of Becoming if it had been written by any other person in the world.
I really wanted to love that book. I pre-ordered it and was waiting for it with anticipation. I like Michelle Obama, I think she is an amazing strong woman and I wanted to read why she was all that. I still believe she is an amazing strong woman, but I still don't feel like I really know why. I know how. The book was filled with details and facts and anecdotes, that's not the issue, I actually would have edited out some of it if it had been my decision, I felt it was to detailed at times.
The issue, to me, was that it felt more like a biography than an autobiography. A lot of how : facts, anecdotes, memories, but not a lot of why : analysis, opinions... Michelle Obama is a really good writer, and she tells us how she felt at times but... I don't know. Maybe it was a little to polished ? A little too clean ? Even when she talked about anger, it felt like "light anger", like okay anger. Even when she talked about marriage issues or about the death of her friend at a young age, it felt... It felt like she had a lot of distance, like she talked about someone's else life...
I now know a lot of things about Michelle Obama and her family, her friends, her husband, her daughters, her life in the White House... But it all feels more like historical facts or a very long article written about her than her own thoughts. I'm really disappointed by this, eventhough this book is still a good book, I get why people love it so much. It's just it was not what I wanted it to be.
I really wanted to love that book. I pre-ordered it and was waiting for it with anticipation. I like Michelle Obama, I think she is an amazing strong woman and I wanted to read why she was all that. I still believe she is an amazing strong woman, but I still don't feel like I really know why. I know how. The book was filled with details and facts and anecdotes, that's not the issue, I actually would have edited out some of it if it had been my decision, I felt it was to detailed at times.
The issue, to me, was that it felt more like a biography than an autobiography. A lot of how : facts, anecdotes, memories, but not a lot of why : analysis, opinions... Michelle Obama is a really good writer, and she tells us how she felt at times but... I don't know. Maybe it was a little to polished ? A little too clean ? Even when she talked about anger, it felt like "light anger", like okay anger. Even when she talked about marriage issues or about the death of her friend at a young age, it felt... It felt like she had a lot of distance, like she talked about someone's else life...
I now know a lot of things about Michelle Obama and her family, her friends, her husband, her daughters, her life in the White House... But it all feels more like historical facts or a very long article written about her than her own thoughts. I'm really disappointed by this, eventhough this book is still a good book, I get why people love it so much. It's just it was not what I wanted it to be.
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Reading Progress
November 1, 2018
– Shelved
November 1, 2018
– Shelved as:
to-read
November 13, 2018
–
Started Reading
November 18, 2018
–
20.0%
November 20, 2018
–
30.0%
November 20, 2018
–
75.0%
November 21, 2018
– Shelved as:
2018
November 21, 2018
– Shelved as:
badass-women
November 21, 2018
– Shelved as:
memoirs-biographies-journals
November 21, 2018
– Shelved as:
non-fiction
November 21, 2018
–
Finished Reading
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Jo
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rated it 3 stars
Dec 22, 2018 05:19AM
I agree
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I couldn’t put my finger on why I was having trouble getting through this book, but I think you just put it into words for me. Love her, love what she stands for, kinda nonplussed about her book.
Jo wrote: "I agree" Good I'm not alone :)
Heather wrote: "I couldn’t put my finger on why I was having trouble getting through this book, but I think you just put it into words for me. Love her, love what she stands for, kinda nonplussed about her book."Nonplussed is really the word I would go for too !
Great review, echoing my same sentiments
Nella wrote: "Great review, echoing my same sentiments"Thank you :)
I‘m about halfway through, and these are exactly my thoughts. It feels like reading a biography way more than an autobiography!
Jackie wrote: "I‘m about halfway through, and these are exactly my thoughts. It feels like reading a biography way more than an autobiography!"Don't hesitate to tell me what your final thoughts are when you're finished !
She hates white people and someone else had to have written it. I’ve heard her speak and eloquent she’s not.
Sarah wrote: "She hates white people and someone else had to have written it. I’ve heard her speak and eloquent she’s not."I don't know why you say she hates white people, eventhough with how a lot of white people treated (and still do) her I would understand if she did, but nothing in her book or even the interviews or her I've read/seen says that.
Also, most celebrities/politics/etc that write memoirs are helped. I personnally have seen many interviews of Michelle Obama, she is very eloquent and I would not be particularly surprised to learn she was not helped, even if she probably was (as everyone writing memoirs is).
I don't think that Michelle Obama hates white people. I read this book, did not listen to it. I think that one of the strengths of this book is her voice comes through. So she wrote it. I did think the book was overly long and she could have used a better editor.
Beth wrote: "I don't think that Michelle Obama hates white people. I read this book, did not listen to it. I think that one of the strengths of this book is her voice comes through. So she wrote it. I did think..."I agree with you about everything you said :) I also really think it should have been edited, like I said in my review I ended up skipping a lot of it because it was a little too much detailed for my taste. I would have prefered to have more analysis too.
Magali, I agree with you about the writing style. I also found myself skimming paragraphs and entire pages. I felt like it read a bit like a college application essay where every challenge is overcome and every difficulty is a learning experience. I also wanted more depth, analysis and critical thinking.
Laura wrote: "Magali, I agree with you about the writing style. I also found myself skimming paragraphs and entire pages. I felt like it read a bit like a college application essay where every challenge is overc..."Yes totally !
Reading it now, and I completely agree! I’m so surprised by all the 5 star reviews...
Ms. Nguyen wrote: "Reading it now, and I completely agree! I’m so surprised by all the 5 star reviews..."I'm not, Michelle Obama is a beloved "celebrity" and her book is a very positive one, people love to read positive memoirs that makes them believe nothing was that hard. Also in the book she draws a portrait of her husband as a perfect man, which a lot of people want to think he is, particularly in comparison to the crazy man they now have in the White House (and I understand that). Basically the book can be a beacon of hope and I think a lot of people need that.
Me I thought the Obamas were very decent as a presidential couple, and I miss them too but I never thought they were perfect.
Agreed - it reads to me like a long magazine article, and while a very interesting look into Barack’s road to the White House and the family’s introduction to it, I got almost no insight to the real Michelle. That said, i’m sure she had to be very careful not to say anything which could be misinterpreted. Perhaps there is another book about the real Michelle, and the real Barack. I am a great admirer of the Obama presidency. He brought grace, compassion, humanity, and class to the office.
Elaine wrote: "Agreed - it reads to me like a long magazine article, and while a very interesting look into Barack’s road to the White House and the family’s introduction to it, I got almost no insight to the rea..."I'm not sure we'll ever have a book about the Obamas that will be more real, they are very controlling of their image, which I understand.
I'm almost half way through the book and you've coined it. It's such a slow read and I don't want to quit it. Hopefully I'll finish in it in the next week and see what I think of it then, right now though I definitely think it's overrated. Michelle Obama herself is still great though.
Nomthi wrote: "I'm almost half way through the book and you've coined it. It's such a slow read and I don't want to quit it. Hopefully I'll finish in it in the next week and see what I think of it then, right now..."I think it is overrated because Michelle Obama is such a great person. People love her, and people want to read/hear about her. I love her but I really felt it could have been so much better.
I’m reading it now and also find it a slow read where I’m skipping paragraphs. I thought there was something wrong with me so I went here to read other mediocre reviews. Glad I’m not alone! I am wondering if I will finish this book.
Lauren wrote: "I’m reading it now and also find it a slow read where I’m skipping paragraphs. I thought there was something wrong with me so I went here to read other mediocre reviews. Glad I’m not alone! I am wo..."Well I don't think we are the majority, and it's totally fine, but we clearly are not alone. I really wondered if I would have people telling me they felt like me when I wrote my review and it seems we are a few.
Exactly! I was very excited to read the book but had to force myself to finish it.
Agree 100%... wanted to love this but it couldn’t. It was so flat.
Reading it now...my sentiments exactly. It’s a very slow read.
I agree! I definitely skimmed after the first 100 pages. I was so excited to read this book but I feel like she could have left out some of the stories, because after awhile it became too much.
You hit the nail on the head! Two of my friends raved about the book so I expected to be blown away. The stories of her early life were great, but the second half (after Princeton) didn’t hold my interest at all. I feel like she sugar-coated aspects of her life that should have warranted more emotion. I wasn’t invested in the last half of the book so I ended up skimming most of it.
Sunshine wrote: "I had the same takeaway. I also agree that I think (and understand why) that Michelle doesn't care for white people (men especially)."Tbh, I really don't feel like it is unfair for a Black woman to not particularly care for white men. But I did not have that feeling reading the book, actually I felt like she was very cautious not to come off as too radical or as too much of a "Black feminist". Can you tell me what made you think that ? I'm very curious...
Just a thought and I may be wrong but my feeling was that the book was not so much about Michelle Obama but about the process of "becoming". The central "character" in the book seems to be the values of the Obamas and the process of using those values in their work for the American people. (English/Australian so I don’t have an insiders' perspective.)
Cynthia wrote: "Just a thought and I may be wrong but my feeling was that the book was not so much about Michelle Obama but about the process of "becoming". The central "character" in the book seems to be the valu..."Actually it's a very good analysis of the theme/title. If this is what was intended, it is much more of a success in my opinion, eventhough it still isn't exactly the book I'd like to read. Thanks for that perspective !
Really good review, this is basically how I felt as well.
Nicole wrote: "Really good review, this is basically how I felt as well."Thank you :)
You said it! I’m listening to the audiobook and having to force myself to finish. Her thoroughness is in a sense admirable, but totally slows down the narrative. It plods along with very little compelling insight from Michelle. I feel like I’m listening to the PG-rated version of someone with a fascinating life but without the raw feeling to really be moved by the story.
Yes, totally agree. It seems to be lacking emotion. I am struggling to get through it, although I love her!
Magali, you stole my thoughts! Thanks for the great review. I found myself checking to see if the book was co-authored after reading a few chapters. After reading the whole book, I should say that the book hasn't made me feel in any particular way. I wasn't able to connect with Michelle. I also thought, I guess, that the book was a bit preachy.
Aditi wrote: "Magali, you stole my thoughts! Thanks for the great review. I found myself checking to see if the book was co-authored after reading a few chapters. After reading the whole book, I should say that ..."Yes ! I'm happy to see I'm not the only one thinking this. :)
Oh my god both my boyfriend and read the book and couldn’t agree more! Word for word, agreeing with you! It was factual and impressive what she’s done but it wasn’t very vulnerable and I didn’t feel like I connected with her either! Too polished, I didn’t really feel anything reading this. Still love her but surprised so many people love this book. I dare to say it’s because she’s written it and she’s so loved and admired but if it was anyone else, not so sure!
Glad I got down deep into the comments section to find the right word for my emotion through the entire third section of the book - nonplussed. :)
Tanushree wrote: "Glad I got down deep into the comments section to find the right word for my emotion through the entire third section of the book - nonplussed. :)"Yes nonplussed seems to be the word for me too :)
I'm ten percent through, and even though I like her a lot and especially what she represents, I am having a difficult time getting through this book. :(
Claudia wrote: "I'm ten percent through, and even though I like her a lot and especially what she represents, I am having a difficult time getting through this book. :("It basically was my experience reading it too. :(
I couldn’t even get through the first half. I dreaded the attempt to read a chapter each night, and you perfectly express why. The charisma and spark that I love about her in real life just wasn’t there on the page.
Jacki wrote: "I couldn’t even get through the first half. I dreaded the attempt to read a chapter each night, and you perfectly express why. The charisma and spark that I love about her in real life just wasn’t ..."She is an educated, intelligent and talented woman, I believe she is totally able to write a book. But I lost her voice so much in this one that I wonder if it wasn't ghostwritten.
Totally agree! It’s way too detailed and just fact after fact. Given it has nearly 5 stars, I was expecting one of the best memoirs I have read but I think it’s one of the worst. I just wanted to get it over with.
Molly wrote: "Totally agree! It’s way too detailed and just fact after fact. Given it has nearly 5 stars, I was expecting one of the best memoirs I have read but I think it’s one of the worst. I just wanted to g..."I really feel like Michelle Obama is a beloved person and it's why her book was so loved too. Because I won't say it's the worst memoir I've read but it's not in the top tiers, that's for sure 😬
I love Michelle Obama. I liked her book. I think it reads like a high quality English paper (or legal brief?) instead of a memoir.
Maryanne wrote: "I love Michelle Obama. I liked her book. I think it reads like a high quality English paper (or legal brief?) instead of a memoir." It's well written but I didn't have the same feel about it as you did. To me it really read like a biography.
It just comes across flat. There’s no passion, no feeling - I finished it feeling like there has to be more to her than this.
There’s only two books in my decades of reading that I started to read and just could not finish. Sadly this is one of them and I agree with your review. I do admire this woman greatly. While I was reading I felt like there was little emotion and that whatever she wrote was cleansed with antiseptic before it went to print.
