‘BECOMING’ by Michelle Obama
(CROWN, NEW YORK, 2017)
After having read about this marvellous book in The Economist, I managed to get this memoir down through a person very close to me. It recounts the life of the former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. Within the pages, she recounts:
1. The sad death of her father.
2. Her brother’s marriage had a sad ending though he had children and was remarried.
3. The authoress falling in love with Barack Hussein Obama and the couple having two lovely daughters.
4. Barack’s life as a politician had its ugly side.
5. After Michelle’s mother Mrs. Robinson entered the White House, the couple visited the following places either together or individually; (A). The United Kingdom for a world conference where they met the Queen and the Prime Minister; (B). South Africa where Michelle met the icons of South Africa – Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela and his new wife.
6. Wherever Michelle went, she made time to visit local military personnel, schools and children.
7. We see the Obamas meeting with past presidents, including George and
Laura Bush and the Trumps.
The Obamas either together or individually have been involved in the following:
1. President Obama kept his promise to himself and his nation in getting rid of Osama bin Laden.
2. Michelle was always interested in cancer patients and obesity in children and spoke widely about healthy vegetables.
3. During his presidency, all the fifty states in America passed a law to permit single sex marriages and the country emphasised the need to take care of HIV/AIDS patients.
The book has been acclaimed as a New York Times best seller.
Whenever I visited the US, I always made time to
This memoir is a mustread and includes many lovely pictures. I have only touched on some of the issues and events Michelle Obama recounted in the book, and the reader is invited to discover the rest
read the stories of past presidents since I was a student of history. I have also read the story of Hillary Clinton and wrote to her after finishing her autobiography.
To my mind, this memoir is a must-read and includes many lovely pictures. I have only touched on some of the issues and events Michelle Obama recounted in the book, and the reader is invited to discover the rest.
What about 2020? Will Donald Trump like Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush be a one-term president? Hillary Clinton has already said she would not contest for presidency again and there are many candidates vying to run against President Trump.
Now that the glass ceiling has been broken with regard to African Americans, will the glass ceiling be broken with regard to women? My hope and prayer is that Americans will soon have a woman president, whether white or African American. All good wishes to the American voters.
SYDNEY KNIGHT