In Becoming, Michelle recounts her childhood, growing up on the South side of Chicago, living in a small apartment in her aunt's house, her father's battle with MS, trekking to school and doing her best to make sure she went to college. She studied law because it seemed like the right thing to do (100% understand her thinking here) and became a junior partner after graduating. Thankfully for us, and her, she stuck it out for a bit even when she realized that a big time lawyer isn't the path she really wanted keeping going down. Barack Obama ended up at her law firm as an intern. And the two quickly become enamored of each other.
Barack had political aspirations and quickly pursued all of them, ultimately ending up as POTUS. Michelle had her own path to follow and left the law firm to work in the public sector, even if that meant a pay cut. She talks candidly about using IVF to have Malia and Sasha. She also talks candidly about what it meant to be a politician's wife: the long hours waiting for the husband to get home, essentially being a single working parent, having to balance the plates of mother, wife, and Director at the same time. There were a few places in the book that really shows what working mothers deal with. Dads have a focus, their job, but the extras that make up family life are usually left up to mom.
Michelle eventually gave up her career to go with Barack to the White House. She gives great detail of life in the White House, most of which I had no idea. I had no idea the POTUS and FLOTUS gets a bill every month for the food and supplies they consume. I don't know why that surprised me.
Michelle details her time as FLOTUS, doing a job that had no job description. She was up front and making changes during her eight years in the White House, and it shows. The White House garden is still there, just ignored by the current administration, and she definitely made her stamp during the eight years.
The Obama family are still people I admire, but I greatly respect Michelle.
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