Former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama is a powerful advocate for women and girls around the world, and now she's a bestselling author with her memoir, Becoming. Here she shares an exclusive letter to Goodreads members about the journey of writing her memoir and the power and influence of book clubs.
Because Michelle Obama loves hearing from readers and book groups, she is also inviting Goodreads members to ask a question or share their thoughts on Becoming. Don't miss out on your chance to connect!
When I began the process of writing my memoir, my goal was to write something meaningful not just for me, but for others as well. I didn't start out with a chapter-by-chapter plan or a laundry list of historical moments to describe.
I hoped that if I could open myself up and feel my way through the process—starting with my earliest dreams and carrying on through every twist and turn of the sometimes-rocky road I traveled to today—then I might be able to come up with something that made me proud.
That process, though, was complicated by the fact that the previous decade of my life was something of a blur. From the moment my husband decided to run for president until our family left the White House, my life moved with a speed and urgency I'd never experienced before—State Dinners and State of the Union speeches, jumping in and out of motorcades, and jumping rope with kids on the lawn of the White House.
Friday would come and I'd forget what had happened on Tuesday. And during those years, I was almost never alone long enough to collect my thoughts. What kept me afloat was my support structure—my girlfriends from college and from Chicago; the women I met in Washington; my mother, my brother, and, of course, my husband.
And so, as I began the process of writing my memoir, I turned back to them—the people who could remind me of who I was and who I'd become, the people who centered me and pushed me out of my comfort zone. They not only helped me sort through the past decade, but they helped me recall memories from long ago.
And more importantly, they helped me see my experiences through a new perspective, connecting the dots between where I'd been and where I'm going. Without their support, my memoir just simply wouldn't have been possible.
I know that those kinds of connections are made every day, whether or not you're writing a book. Each of you has that best friend you call when you've had a bad day, or the mom or sister who's known you since you were a baby. And I know that whether you meet once a month like clockwork or gather sporadically because of the craziness of your lives, so many of you find comfort and meaning in sorting through life in book clubs.
Book clubs are a way we fill our spirits and stimulate our minds. I'm so thrilled that so many of you have chosen to read and discuss Becoming with those closest to you. Hearing about the ways you've seen your stories in mine has been a real joy for me—a fulfillment of my original goal in writing this book.
And that's why, in the coming months, I'd like to engage with you all more fully. I'm hoping to hear more about what you and your book clubs have been discussing. What issues did you focus on? What did you wish I'd written more about? And what does becoming mean for you—and how has that changed at different points in your lives?
I hope you'll ask me a question or share some of your insights with me here on Goodreads or on social media using #IAmBecoming.
It's one way I hope to keep opening myself up to my own story—and to yours as well. Because as I see it, we've always got more growing to do. I'm looking forward to doing some of that growing together.
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Looking to join an online book club? Connect with other passionate readers and fans of Becoming in one of these Goodreads book groups below:
Coffee & Books Group
Mocha Girls Read
A Seat at the Table Book Club
The Perks of Being a Book Addict
Traveling Friends
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posted by Marie on February, 20
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