I listened to the audio book version of Becoming in stolen moments. Usually after my youngest had fallen asleep or early in the morning when I was making lunches before the kids woke up.
This is a wonderful book for many reasons. I loved learning about her lower-middle class background, that her father suffered from multiple sclerosis, how she was a driven student who knew education was her path to a better life, and the adorable story of her meeting and falling in love with Barack. And — of course — I hung on her every word as she described their political lives, the racism they encountered, and the difference they tried to make.
But the parts where I found myself nodding the most, where I felt closest to her, were when she described her life as a working mom: the love she had for her children, the need she had for meaningful work, and what it took to help her (sometimes) feel she was successful at both.
If you’ve been meaning to read this book, I urge you to make time for it. It’s well written and has great narrative drive, despite the fact that we know how it all turns out. đ