Becoming Michelle Obama 2018, 344pg

The Autobiography of the US First Lady, Michelle Obama wife of Barak 16/2/19

Michelle LaVaugen Robinson born 1964 was brought up in inner city Chicago with her brother Craig. The Robinsons shared a flat with her aunt and uncle and the aunt taught her the piano. The neighborhood was mixed and slowly turned blacker. The one neighbor moved into the suburbia and passed as white. In the 30s blacks could not get work as the unions kept blacks out and couldn't earn enough to send their children to collage. When the aunt and uncle died they left them the flat.

Her parent made a point of getting both children to speak correctly and her cousins commented that she spoke like a white. Her parents were prepared to invest everything they had into their children and when her French class organized a tour of Paris her parents felt it was a priority that she go. Her close friend Santina Jackson was he daughter of Rev Jesse Jackson at the time his slogan for blacks was "no dope more hope" He also said everyone should take of 2 hours from TV every night to study they could get the grades they needed. Michelle got good grades and the school principal encourage her despite the councilor who indicated she was aiming too high. She got into Princeton and was involved in an afternoon program looking after children. Did very well there and describes what it was like being a woman and black amongst a WASP and male majority. She then went to Harvard Law School and returned to Chicago to work for a big prestigious law firm. Barak arrived there on a summer job and had a further 2 years to study. He had been working on community projects in Chicago after he graduated. Obama read vastly and widely and was not one for party small talk. After 2 years he moved into Michelle's home. Her father died just before that. She was earning well as a top corporate lawyer but reached a point she hated the job and found work at the Chicago municipality but at a lower salary.

1992 They were married Barak worked on getting voters to sign up before the election that got Bill Clinton elected. They went to Kenya and met Barak's fathers family. Barak now published his first book an autobiography but deals with race issues. He got elected into the Illinois Legislature and then saw an opportunity to get into the Washington Senate. Michelle had to get used to bringing up the 2 girls alone. Malia born 1998 and Sasha born 2001.The one daughter put on weight and she realized that she was buying too much ready foods and had to remedy this. She took a half time job but discovered that she got half the pay but couldn't only do half the work. After the 2nd daughter was born she took a different job under her own terms. A senators wife phoned her and told her that not living in Washington could be hard on a marriage. The Public wanted Barak to run for president. With her brother Craig encouragement she agreed. 2009 to 2017 The Whitehouse years describes the security can be very restrictive especially for the children unless they plan ahead. Michelle worked on solving US obesity by improving children's diets but she did not want to deal with legislation of this. She rather approached food companies and asked them to take action before the government was forced to deal with this problem. This is a major US problem and never been dealt with. 2008 TIME magazine called her their women of the Year. She discusses the issue of having to find the correct dress for herself without being overtly ostentatious and how the First Lady automatically become a fashion model. During school vacations if Barak went on state visits children went with and met Putin and the Pope for example. Michelle went to Southern Africa and met Mandela who was in his last senile time but his wife Graca Michel was a personality. She had a number of weekends when she invited her girl friends to meet at Camp David to keep up contact.

2011 May The killing of Bin Ladin without US casualties was a great feather in Barak's hat but it was a great risk. Michelle set herself the mission and devoted much time to getting better conditions for wounded soldiers and getting companies to employ veterans. Prince Harry took part and memorials to soldiers with her and also encouraged her. Also going to inner cities especially Chicago and encouraging disadvantaged children that even they could achieve. She was not very pleased about Trump as the Republican candidate. Later his inauguration showed his guests were the typical WASP crowd. Generally I found her background and meeting Barak fascinating. She is very modest about her role as First Lady, perhaps to say - I am a very ordinary perhaps educated African American woman. In 2020 she still remained high for 3 years on the list of most admired US women.