BECOMING by Michelle Obama

Becoming by Michelle Obama
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Becoming, by Michelle Obama, is not a dramatic revelation of a heroic, sacrifcial servant of humanity, nor is it a fantasy about a SuperWoman none of us could hope to imitate.

Becoming is the confession of an ordinary woman, blessed in extraordinary ways, who year by year, month by month, day by day faced the same struggles most women face - balancing home and work and a spouse whose demanding career and lofty purpose competed with both their vision for their family and their mutually supportive relationship as a couple.

Becoming, is the confessions of a bossy little girl who grew up in a loving family who insisted on the best she could perform and fought to protect her from poor academic situations.

She absorbed her parents' commitment to each other and their children in good times and bad, rich or poor, in sickness and in health, as her model of what a marriage must be, what her future marriage must Become.

Becoming, is the confession of a Harvard-educated woman whose husband's extremely high intelligence and tendency to lose himself in deepest thought concerning the well being of America and all humankind left her a bit ashamed of commenting on her novel or People magazine.

Day by day, choice by choice, Michelle charts her path, preparing for the challenges she faces and learning how to handle the unanticipated.

Her choice to focus on healthy eating and exercise was her response to a threat to her own children's health due to the pressures of living on the campaign trail. What I thought had been a long term discipline was a new part of what Michelle was Becoming.

Believing every child... every woman can Become what their gifts and experiences have prepared them to be, having the strength to choose for themselves and the grace grow without condemnation is Michelle's desire for everyone. Working to give them opportunities, support and education to Become is Michelle's passion.

Michelle frequently shares events and thoughts that do not cast her in the best light, details that could have easily been left out to allow her image the greatest shine. I found myself saying, "But Michelle...." then realized her honesty is a refusal to hide that, like you or me, she's an ordinary woman who thinks, "What about me?" like I sometimes do. She's not perfect, but her heart is right, and like me and you, she is still Becoming.

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Autobiography of an ExColored Man

The Autobiography Of An Ex Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just finished this book for the 3rd or 4th time. I reread very few books, no matter how much I like them. Though classified as fiction, the speaker in this narratives lives & breathes. This time, listening to the Libravox recording, read by James K. White, brought him more to life than ever.

The character is SO real, and the historical perspective so revealing. I felt as if I were there with him, from his "Little Lord Fauntleroy " beginnings to his cosmopolitan adulthood, and the down to earth stuff of life that both broke & shaped him.

His comments on the attitudes, weaknesses & strengths of the various demographics of the African American population at that time explained so much. Both black & white Americans need to understand the changes since that time, both encouraging & discouraging if we are to grow in unity and become a mutually supportive society. This should be required reading in high school. However, in mixed race class in some localities, there might be too much friction to get the benefit of it.

I wonder if this would make a good movie or if it would lose too much in that form. It would be interesting to meet his family, friends & enemies, and I'd enjoy the 1920s styles and music but so much of the meat of the novel is introspective. Only a very gifted, sensitive director could hope to achieve good results. Anything less would cheapen it.

https://librivox.org/the-autobiography-of-an-ex-colored-man-by-james-weldon-johnson/


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