Becoming

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We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb

Bazootiehead-in-training

31 March 2019, 11:02 AM

AdagioM

Inhaled it on vacation, and loved it so much we got tickets to see her. She was here just last week after a weather postponement in February. My notes from that:

“The pre-show slideshow make me a little sad, missing the President and First Lady who were so often among the people spreading positivity and good will. She is so relatable; she seems like someone who could be in your own book group.

I bought her book when it came out, and inhaled it. What a great life story. I was afraid when she began talking last night that it would all be book recaps, and that would have made me sad about spending so much on tickets when I could hear it on Audible! But her thoughts on marriage and relationships (HARD!) and parenting were stellar. The emotional oomph she gave when talking about these particular subjects, and about meeting Barack, and election night made this night magical.

I loved her wrap-up. It’s on us to make the world the way we want it to be. “Don’t despair. Just do the work.” Get to know people who aren’t like you. It’s harder to be afraid of people you already know.

Let’s make it so!”

31 March 2019, 01:05 PM

Nina

I would have loved to see her in person. She seems like a genuinely warm and caring person. I did read "Becoming," and while I enjoyed it, it did seem to be very careful. That's the best word I could come up with. I think hearing her in person would offer a different vibe. If she ever goes on a speaking tour again, I'd definitely try to get there.

31 March 2019, 06:22 PM

AdagioM

quote:
Originally posted by Nina:
I would have loved to see her in person. She seems like a genuinely warm and caring person. I did read "Becoming," and while I enjoyed it, it did seem to be very careful. That's the best word I could come up with. I think hearing her in person would offer a different vibe. If she ever goes on a speaking tour again, I'd definitely try to get there.

Yes, she definitely was a little more free in her descriptions when telling the stories, vs writing them.

Did you see that she did a book club meeting at Broadway Books before her gig at Moda Center? So cool!

31 March 2019, 09:13 PM

Daniel

Wow.

05 April 2019, 08:04 AM

jon-nyc

quote:
According to publisher Penguin Random House, [Becoming] has sold more than 10 million copies — including hardcover, audiobooks and e-books — since its November release. That puts it near the top, if not the pinnacle, of all-time memoir sales.” It’s already the top-selling hardcover of last year, and it has outsold both of her husband’s books put together.

05 April 2019, 09:20 AM

ShiroKuro

quote:
Originally posted by jon-nyc:
quote:
According to publisher Penguin Random House, [Becoming] has sold more than 10 million copies — including hardcover, audiobooks and e-books — since its November release. That puts it near the top, if not the pinnacle, of all-time memoir sales.” It’s already the top-selling hardcover of last year, and it has outsold both of her husband’s books put together.

This doesn't surprise me. I never read memoirs, and I really want to read this one.

05 April 2019, 09:26 AM

jon-nyc

I could be very wrong about this, but based on the initial reaction, it struck me as more of a celebrity memoir than a political memoir. As such, I had not considered reading it.

For those who have read it, is that a fair assessment?

05 April 2019, 11:50 AM

Jack Frost

quote:
Originally posted by jon-nyc:
I could be very wrong about this, but based on the initial reaction, it struck me as more of a celebrity memoir than a political memoir. As such, I had not considered reading it.

For those who have read it, is that a fair assessment?

No. There is both. Lots of political behind the scenes kind of stuff. And more than both of those, it's about family.

jf

05 April 2019, 11:55 AM

wtg

Agreed. I think she's artfully woven the many aspects of her life into a great narrative.

05 April 2019, 12:09 PM

Nina

Agree with JF. What was interesting to me was her perspective as a first lady, how it impacted the family and their relationship. This is the sort of thing that we've really never heard before, unless you're talking about the total whitewashed "I've never been happier" types of memoirs that have been written. There is enough of the backstage at the White House to be interesting as well, but it is not a political memoir, either. If you're looking for an analysis of the Obama administration, this ain't it. Also, the book is fairly equal in the weight it puts on her complete life, therefore the WH years, while important, don't dominate.