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Becoming (book)

January 01, 1970

Becoming is the memoir by former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, published on November 13, 2018.[1][2] Described by the author as a deeply personal experience,[3] the book talks about her roots and how she found her voice, as well as her time in the White House, her public health campaign, and her role as a mother.[4] The book is published by Crown and was released in 24 languages.[4] One million copies were donated to First Book, an American nonprofit organization which provides books to children.[4]

Becoming
AuthorMichelle Obama
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre
  • Memoir
  • autobiography
PublishedNovember 13, 2018 (2018-11-13)
PublisherCrown (North America)
Viking Press (Commonwealth)
Media typePrint
Pages448
ISBN978-1-5247-6313-8 (Hardcover)
Preceded byAmerican Grown 
Followed byThe Light We Carry 
Websitebecomingmichelleobama.com

It was the highest-selling book published in the United States in 2018, setting the record 15 days after its publication, with over two million copies sold.[5]

Background edit

The 448-page memoir was published on November 13, 2018.[6] Barack Obama said Michelle had a ghostwriter.[7][8] The Observer notes that Becoming's acknowledgements section thanks a team of people involved in finishing the book.[9]

Synopsis edit

The book's 24 chapters (plus a preface and epilogue) are divided into three sections: Becoming Me, Becoming Us, and Becoming More.

The preface sets the stage for Michelle Obama's story to open by sketching a scene in her post-First Lady life. Becoming Me traces Obama's early life growing up on the South Side of Chicago with her parents - Fraser and Marian Robinson - in an upstairs apartment where she got her first piano lessons and learnt to be an independent girl under the nurturing care of her parents. There, Obama shared a bedroom with her brother Craig.[10] The book continues through her education at Princeton University and Harvard Law School, to her early career as a lawyer at the law firm Sidley Austin, where she met Barack Obama. While this section talks considerably at length about Obama's Princeton experience and Sidley Austin, Harvard Law school's experiences are mentioned marginally by comparison.[11]

Becoming Us departs from the beginning of the Obamas' romantic relationship and follows their marriage, and the beginning of his political career in the Illinois State Senate. This section also notes Obama's career "swerve" from corporate law to the non-profit realm as she continued to work while raising her daughters and speaking at political events, becoming gradually more involved in her husband's campaign. The book shares Obama's balance between her position as the first African American First Lady of the United States of America, her motherly duties, and marital commitments.[10] The section ends with election night in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected President of the United States.

Becoming More takes the readers through Barack Obama's presidency, Michelle Obama's focus on her Let's Move campaign, and her role of "head mom in chief" to her two daughters - Malia and Sasha Obama, along with the other aspects of the Obama's life as first family.[12] The Epilogue talks about the last day of Obamas in the White House which was also Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony and Michelle Obama's reflection on Optimism. She also expresses her lack of desire to ever run for office.[5]

Book sales edit

Total book sales, including hardcover, audio and e-books editions, sold around 725,000 copies in the United States and Canada during its first day, making it the second best-selling debut for any book in 2018.[13][14] Bob Woodward's Fear: Trump in the White House holds the record after selling around 900,000 copies during its first day.[13][14][15] However, Barnes and Noble reported that Becoming surpassed Fear in first-week sales and had more first-week sales of any adult book since Go Set a Watchman in 2015.[16] The book sold 1.4 million copies in its first week.[17] After 15 days, the book became the best-selling book in the US for the year 2018.[5]

By March 26, 2019, Becoming had sold 10 million copies.[18] According to The New York Times, as of November 2020 the book has "sold 14 million copies worldwide, including more than 8 million in the U.S. and Canada".[19]

Reception edit

The review aggregator website Book Marks reported that 18% of critics gave the book a "rave" review, while 73% of the critics expressed "positive" impressions, based on a sample of 22 reviews.[20] It was an Oprah's Book Club 2.0 selection.[21] The book was given over 42,000 ratings and over 41,000 reviews on Goodreads and received 4.55 out of 5 stars.[22] Hannah Giogris, a writer from The Atlantic, used the words "refreshing" and "striking" to describe the book.[23]

In 2020, the audiobook edition won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album[24] and was named one of the top ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults by the American Library Association.[25]

Soundtrack edit

American musician Questlove curated a soundtrack for the book, called The Michelle Obama Musiaqualogy.[26]

Tour edit

In November 2018, Michelle Obama went on a national book tour conducted in arenas, often to sold-out crowds starting in Chicago at the United Center.[27] Obama previewed the book and tour on Chicago's Windy City Live daytime television show at her alma mater Whitney M. Young Magnet High School on Chicago's Near West Side.[28]

The initial tour included 12 venues in 10 cities,[29] but expanded with its popularity; as of February 2019, another 21 cities had been added, including six in Europe and four in Canada.[30]

Film edit

Main article: Becoming (2020 documentary film)

In May 2020, a documentary film based on the book was released on Netflix, following Obama through her book tour.[31] The documentary features footage of Obama's travels behind-the-scenes of the tour and clips of her interviews onstage with moderators including Oprah Winfrey and Stephen Colbert.[32]

Translations edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Becoming". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  2. ^ Haring, Bruce (February 25, 2018). "Michelle Obama Memoir 'Becoming' Set For November Release". Deadline. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  3. ^ Michelle Obama [@MichelleObama] (February 25, 2018). "Writing BECOMING has been a deeply personal experience" (Tweet). Retrieved February 28, 2018 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ a b c Chow, Andrew R. (February 25, 2018). "Michelle Obama's Memoir to Arrive in November". The New York Times. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c "Michelle Obama's memoir Becoming breaks sales record in 15 days". BBC News. November 30, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  6. ^ Willis, Kelcie (September 12, 2018). "Michelle Obama announces 'Becoming' 10-city book tour". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  7. ^ Thrush, Glenn; Plott, Elaina (June 28, 2020). "How the Trump Campaign Is Drawing Obama Out of Retirement". The New York Times. Retrieved July 10, 2020. "She had a ghostwriter," Mr. Obama told a friend who asked about his wife's speedy work
  8. ^ Dovere, Edward-Isaac (May 23, 2019). "Waiting for Obama". The Atlantic. Retrieved May 24, 2019. he'll occasionally point out in conversation that he's writing this book himself, while Michelle used a ghostwriter
  9. ^ Holmes, Helen (September 17, 2020). "Did Obama Use a Ghostwriter to Finish His New Memoir, 'A Promised Land'?". Observer. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Obama, Michelle (2018). Becoming (First ed.). New York: Crown, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-5247-6313-8. OCLC 1030413521.
  11. ^ Obama, Michelle (2019). Becoming. CNIB. ISBN 978-0-221-02673-7. OCLC 1088930870.
  12. ^ "Becoming Summary". eNotes. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Italie, Hillel. "Obama's memoir sells more than 725,000 copies". KFDM. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  14. ^ a b "Sales of Michelle Obama's book top 725,000 in 1st day". Press Herald. November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  15. ^ Chappell, Carmin (September 18, 2018). "Bob Woodward's 'Fear' sells 1.1 million copies in first week, a record for publisher Simon & Schuster". CNBC. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  16. ^ Carras, Christi (November 19, 2018). "Michelle Obama's 'Becoming' Becomes 2018's Fastest-Selling Book, Says Barnes & Noble". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  17. ^ "Michelle Obama's book sells 1.4 million copies in a week". CBS News. November 21, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  18. ^ "Michelle Obama book sells 10 million copies". BBC News. March 26, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  19. ^ Alter, Alexandra; Harris, Elizabeth A. (November 15, 2020). "Readers Have Been Eagerly Waiting for Barack Obama's New Memoir. Struggling Booksellers Have, Too". The New York Times. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  20. ^ "Becoming". Book Marks. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  21. ^ "First Look: Oprah's New Book Club Pick: Becoming, by Michelle Obama". Oprah. November 12, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  22. ^ "Becoming". Goodreads. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  23. ^ Giorgis, Hannah (November 13, 2018). "The Uncommon, Requisite Resolve of Michelle Obama". The Atlantic. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  24. ^ Miller, Hayley (January 27, 2020). "Michelle Obama Wins Grammy Award For Audio Recording Of 'Becoming' Memoir". HuffPost. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  25. ^ Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) (January 6, 2020). "2020 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". American Library Association. from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  26. ^ Stutz, Colin (November 20, 2018). "Questlove Expertly Curates Soundtrack for Michelle Obama's 'Becoming' Book Tour: Listen". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  27. ^ Ihejirika, Maudlyne (November 13, 2018). "Fans pack Madhouse on Madison to see Michelle Obama, Oprah chat it up". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  28. ^ "Michelle Obama headed to 'Windy City Live' ahead of arena book tour". Chicago Business Journal. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  29. ^ Kaufman, Gil (December 11, 2018). "Michelle Obama Extends 'Becoming' Book Tour Into 2019 With 21 New Dates". Billboard. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  30. ^ Jean-Philippe, McKenzie (February 25, 2019). "Michelle Obama Just Announced the Newest Celebrity Guests for Her Becoming Book Tour". Oprah Magazine. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  31. ^ Hertz, Barry (May 4, 2020). "Netflix's Michelle Obama documentary Becoming is nothing more than a commercial for the former first family". The Globe and Mail (Review). Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  32. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (May 4, 2020). "Becoming review – tantalising tour of Michelle Obama's life". The Guardian. Retrieved July 7, 2020.

External links edit

  • Official website  
  • Official website for Japan (in Japanese)
  • Interview with Michelle Obama on Becoming, conducted by Oprah Winfrey, November 13, 2018, C-SPAN

January 01, 1970
becoming, book, becoming, memoir, former, first, lady, united, states, michelle, obama, published, november, 2018, described, author, deeply, personal, experience, book, talks, about, roots, found, voice, well, time, white, house, public, health, campaign, rol. Becoming is the memoir by former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama published on November 13 2018 1 2 Described by the author as a deeply personal experience 3 the book talks about her roots and how she found her voice as well as her time in the White House her public health campaign and her role as a mother 4 The book is published by Crown and was released in 24 languages 4 One million copies were donated to First Book an American nonprofit organization which provides books to children 4 BecomingAuthorMichelle ObamaCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishGenreMemoirautobiographyPublishedNovember 13 2018 2018 11 13 PublisherCrown North America Viking Press Commonwealth Media typePrintPages448ISBN978 1 5247 6313 8 Hardcover Preceded byAmerican Grown Followed byThe Light We Carry Websitebecomingmichelleobama wbr com It was the highest selling book published in the United States in 2018 setting the record 15 days after its publication with over two million copies sold 5 Contents 1 Background 2 Synopsis 3 Book sales 4 Reception 5 Soundtrack 6 Tour 7 Film 8 Translations 9 References 10 External linksBackground editThe 448 page memoir was published on November 13 2018 6 Barack Obama said Michelle had a ghostwriter 7 8 The Observer notes that Becoming s acknowledgements section thanks a team of people involved in finishing the book 9 Synopsis editThe book s 24 chapters plus a preface and epilogue are divided into three sections Becoming Me Becoming Us and Becoming More The preface sets the stage for Michelle Obama s story to open by sketching a scene in her post First Lady life Becoming Me traces Obama s early life growing up on the South Side of Chicago with her parents Fraser and Marian Robinson in an upstairs apartment where she got her first piano lessons and learnt to be an independent girl under the nurturing care of her parents There Obama shared a bedroom with her brother Craig 10 The book continues through her education at Princeton University and Harvard Law School to her early career as a lawyer at the law firm Sidley Austin where she met Barack Obama While this section talks considerably at length about Obama s Princeton experience and Sidley Austin Harvard Law school s experiences are mentioned marginally by comparison 11 Becoming Us departs from the beginning of the Obamas romantic relationship and follows their marriage and the beginning of his political career in the Illinois State Senate This section also notes Obama s career swerve from corporate law to the non profit realm as she continued to work while raising her daughters and speaking at political events becoming gradually more involved in her husband s campaign The book shares Obama s balance between her position as the first African American First Lady of the United States of America her motherly duties and marital commitments 10 The section ends with election night in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected President of the United States Becoming More takes the readers through Barack Obama s presidency Michelle Obama s focus on her Let s Move campaign and her role of head mom in chief to her two daughters Malia and Sasha Obama along with the other aspects of the Obama s life as first family 12 The Epilogue talks about the last day of Obamas in the White House which was also Donald Trump s inauguration ceremony and Michelle Obama s reflection on Optimism She also expresses her lack of desire to ever run for office 5 Book sales editTotal book sales including hardcover audio and e books editions sold around 725 000 copies in the United States and Canada during its first day making it the second best selling debut for any book in 2018 13 14 Bob Woodward s Fear Trump in the White House holds the record after selling around 900 000 copies during its first day 13 14 15 However Barnes and Noble reported that Becoming surpassed Fear in first week sales and had more first week sales of any adult book since Go Set a Watchman in 2015 16 The book sold 1 4 million copies in its first week 17 After 15 days the book became the best selling book in the US for the year 2018 5 By March 26 2019 Becoming had sold 10 million copies 18 According to The New York Times as of November 2020 the book has sold 14 million copies worldwide including more than 8 million in the U S and Canada 19 Reception editThe review aggregator website Book Marks reported that 18 of critics gave the book a rave review while 73 of the critics expressed positive impressions based on a sample of 22 reviews 20 It was an Oprah s Book Club 2 0 selection 21 The book was given over 42 000 ratings and over 41 000 reviews on Goodreads and received 4 55 out of 5 stars 22 Hannah Giogris a writer from The Atlantic used the words refreshing and striking to describe the book 23 In 2020 the audiobook edition won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album 24 and was named one of the top ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults by the American Library Association 25 Soundtrack editAmerican musician Questlove curated a soundtrack for the book called The Michelle Obama Musiaqualogy 26 Tour editIn November 2018 Michelle Obama went on a national book tour conducted in arenas often to sold out crowds starting in Chicago at the United Center 27 Obama previewed the book and tour on Chicago s Windy City Live daytime television show at her alma mater Whitney M Young Magnet High School on Chicago s Near West Side 28 The initial tour included 12 venues in 10 cities 29 but expanded with its popularity as of February 2019 another 21 cities had been added including six in Europe and four in Canada 30 Film editMain article Becoming 2020 documentary film In May 2020 a documentary film based on the book was released on Netflix following Obama through her book tour 31 The documentary features footage of Obama s travels behind the scenes of the tour and clips of her interviews onstage with moderators including Oprah Winfrey and Stephen Colbert 32 Translations editArabic وأصبحت translated by M Abdul Ahad and A Salem Hachette Antoine 2019 ISBN 9786144693063 Bulgarian Moyata istoriya translated by Marin Zagorchev Softpres 2019 ISBN 9786191515011 Catalan La meva historia translated by Nuria Pares Sellares Mar Albacar i Morgo Esther Roig Gimenez and Anna Llisterri i Boix Rosa Vents 2018 ISBN 9788419394149 Danish Min historie Lindhardt amp Ringhof 2018 ISBN 9788711693100 Dutch Mijn verhaal translated by Rob de Ridder Hollands Diep 2018 ISBN 9789048840762 Estonian Minu lugu Helios Kirjastus 2018 ISBN 9789949610686 Finnish Minun tarinani translated by Ilkka Rekiaro Otava 2018 ISBN 9789511321224 Hungarian Igy lettem translated by Bobe Weisz and Eva Ando HVG Konyvek 2018 ISBN 9789633045725 Lithuanian Mano istorija translated by Inga Budevytyte Indre Kaulaviciute and Jovita Liutkute Alma Littera 2018 ISBN 9786090135327 Persian شدن translated by Ali Salami Mehr Andish 2018 ISBN 9786006395715 Portuguese Minha Historia translated by Debora Landsberg Denise Bottmann and Renato Marques Objetiva 2018 ISBN 9788547000646 Romanian Povestea mea translated by Corina Hadareanu Litera 2018 ISBN 9789569646621 Spanish Mi historia Plaza amp Janes 2018 ISBN 9789569646621 References edit Becoming Barnes amp Noble Retrieved November 18 2018 Haring Bruce February 25 2018 Michelle Obama Memoir Becoming Set For November Release Deadline Retrieved December 2 2022 Michelle Obama MichelleObama February 25 2018 Writing BECOMING has been a deeply personal experience Tweet Retrieved February 28 2018 via Twitter a b c Chow Andrew R February 25 2018 Michelle Obama s Memoir to Arrive in November The New York Times Retrieved February 28 2018 a b c Michelle Obama s memoir Becoming breaks sales record in 15 days BBC News November 30 2018 Retrieved December 3 2018 Willis Kelcie September 12 2018 Michelle Obama announces Becoming 10 city book tour The Atlanta Journal Constitution Retrieved March 2 2019 Thrush Glenn Plott Elaina June 28 2020 How the Trump Campaign Is Drawing Obama Out of Retirement The New York Times Retrieved July 10 2020 She had a ghostwriter Mr Obama told a friend who asked about his wife s speedy work Dovere Edward Isaac May 23 2019 Waiting for Obama The Atlantic Retrieved May 24 2019 he ll occasionally point out in conversation that he s writing this book himself while Michelle used a ghostwriter Holmes Helen September 17 2020 Did Obama Use a Ghostwriter to Finish His New Memoir A Promised Land Observer Retrieved November 18 2020 a b Obama Michelle 2018 Becoming First ed New York Crown an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group ISBN 978 1 5247 6313 8 OCLC 1030413521 Obama Michelle 2019 Becoming CNIB ISBN 978 0 221 02673 7 OCLC 1088930870 Becoming Summary eNotes Retrieved April 23 2020 a b Italie Hillel Obama s memoir sells more than 725 000 copies KFDM Retrieved November 18 2018 a b Sales of Michelle Obama s book top 725 000 in 1st day Press Herald November 16 2018 Retrieved November 18 2018 Chappell Carmin September 18 2018 Bob Woodward s Fear sells 1 1 million copies in first week a record for publisher Simon amp Schuster CNBC Retrieved November 18 2018 Carras Christi November 19 2018 Michelle Obama s Becoming Becomes 2018 s Fastest Selling Book Says Barnes amp Noble The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved November 21 2018 Michelle Obama s book sells 1 4 million copies in a week CBS News November 21 2018 Retrieved November 21 2018 Michelle Obama book sells 10 million copies BBC News March 26 2019 Retrieved December 2 2022 Alter Alexandra Harris Elizabeth A November 15 2020 Readers Have Been Eagerly Waiting for Barack Obama s New Memoir Struggling Booksellers Have Too The New York Times Retrieved December 2 2022 Becoming Book Marks Retrieved January 17 2019 First Look Oprah s New Book Club Pick Becoming by Michelle Obama Oprah November 12 2018 Retrieved December 5 2018 Becoming Goodreads Retrieved April 23 2020 Giorgis Hannah November 13 2018 The Uncommon Requisite Resolve of Michelle Obama The Atlantic Retrieved April 23 2020 Miller Hayley January 27 2020 Michelle Obama Wins Grammy Award For Audio Recording Of Becoming Memoir HuffPost Retrieved January 27 2020 Young Adult Library Services Association YALSA January 6 2020 2020 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults American Library Association Archived from the original on June 6 2020 Retrieved April 4 2021 Stutz Colin November 20 2018 Questlove Expertly Curates Soundtrack for Michelle Obama s Becoming Book Tour Listen Billboard Retrieved November 21 2018 Ihejirika Maudlyne November 13 2018 Fans pack Madhouse on Madison to see Michelle Obama Oprah chat it up Chicago Sun Times Retrieved January 11 2020 Michelle Obama headed to Windy City Live ahead of arena book tour Chicago Business Journal Retrieved January 11 2020 Kaufman Gil December 11 2018 Michelle Obama Extends Becoming Book Tour Into 2019 With 21 New Dates Billboard Retrieved March 2 2019 Jean Philippe McKenzie February 25 2019 Michelle Obama Just Announced the Newest Celebrity Guests for Her Becoming Book Tour Oprah Magazine Retrieved March 2 2019 Hertz Barry May 4 2020 Netflix s Michelle Obama documentary Becoming is nothing more than a commercial for the former first family The Globe and Mail Review Retrieved May 5 2020 Bradshaw Peter May 4 2020 Becoming review tantalising tour of Michelle Obama s life The Guardian Retrieved July 7 2020 External links editOfficial website nbsp Official website for Japan in Japanese Interview with Michelle Obama on Becoming conducted by Oprah Winfrey November 13 2018 C SPAN Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Becoming book amp oldid 1204214186, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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