Becoming - Book Review

Our book club’s latest pick this time was “Becoming”: the memoir by former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. Our book club ladies were, like always, enthusiastic about reading it. Though our book club meeting is yet to be materialized and their opinions upon this book yet to be discussed, this is my take on this book, so far. So let’s start. This book is the account of the life she once lived as the process of becoming who she is today. Michelle expertly puts her life account of growing up. She shares her observations, her experiences about what she felt growing up in the neighborhood which was mostly black and then moving to the mostly white male dominated world of Princeton. Her parents, like most parents, worked hard all their lives to make the lives of the children better. She recounts her father’s journey through MS, and how she felt. The memoir also beautifully portrays the efforts of her mother to make their household as best as possible. The enormous contribution of the people around her was brilliantly placed. As you swim through the information, you will notice subtle remarks as opinions, which keep you reading and thinking. She also acknowledges the people around her who carefully contributed to the different skills and wisdom she now possesses. When she observes the different statuses and struggles of minorities and majorities, she confers that the prevailing political and social order or the system is designed to help those people excel who are already affluent and influential, while poor and minorities are ingeniously set aside. She also saw delicate and open treatment of minorities as less important and therefore oppressive. Once, her college counselor told her that she wasn’t Princeton material, despite seeing her good grades. She also pointed out that minorities are put on hold or on the back burner when it comes to affluence and influence. You’re going to find this book relevant if you’re a minority or were ever a minority in a country. Her struggles of living and growing up as a black kid is relatable to many minorities in America or elsewhere. Even though she was blessed to have stability all around her, she still felt the difference. She also gives an account of the diverse nature of the people she met. As she puts in, she met many people who are stuck in their ways and live a static life forever. However, a few of them are those who bulldoze all the stereotypes and force themselves to become someone and bring change into the world. She also learned that most of the people in the world do not have the luxury to have a meaningful life as they are stuck paying bills and struggle to survive. In contrast, she feels blessed and very lucky that she could lead herself to where she wanted to be. As humans we are also shaped by many people including our parents. They made us who we are now. It’s their unconditional support and advise which shaped us to live a good life and make better decisions. It is the enormous silent force of the society which can make us or break us. Regardless, every experience, every encouragement, every advice, is special and is there to make us into the person we are. I would like myself to sit down someday, open my life’s memory lane and remember the moments, the people, the care, I was lucky to receive. Then thank them silently if they passed away, or applaud them amiably, if I still can. If none can happen, at least I can silently make a dua or two for all who made us into who we are, and not forget to thank Allah for giving these blessings to us. Overall, if you are looking for some kind of whirlwind romance or fairytale life, you’re setting yourself up for heartbreak. Instead, if you want to read about her real life, her opinions and understandings of herself and her surroundings, you are on good track. There will be plenty of instances where you want to underline the quote and want to think about it. You’re going to feel the gratitude she expresses into her writing. You’re going to see this where she mentions the amazing help from the lots of people she came across with. These positive people had helped make her into the strong woman she is today who can explicitly make her decisions and help others as well. You’re also going to smile at many of the instances. This is the story of her life, just like our stories, our heart breaks, our accomplishments, our journeys through the ups and downs of life.