Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

비커밍 by Michelle Obama

33 reviews

brittanykroeckel's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.25

What a more fitting time to read this than now. 

Let me quickly state why I docked this .75 stars. For me, although I did very much enjoy it, it was dense and took my a while to get from cover to cover. I did want to push through because I enjoyed it, however she does cover a lot of things in great detail, so make sure this is your focus read if you tend to read multiple books at a time. 

Anyway, I am in awe of her story. Not just the big things, but all the things collectively that built her strength and perseverance. It was an intimate chance to get to know a woman who affected my life in that I was in school when she advocated for more balanced lunches and it’s an initiative that I’m glad has stuck all these years. It is also interesting to have seen the presidential years from the perspective of the First Lady because we don’t hear much from presidential partners much in general. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racism, Sexism, and Death of parent

Minor: Chronic illness and Death

hcop's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Racism

Moderate: Cancer, Gun violence, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and War

daisymoffit's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Wonderful. I love auto biographies of any kind, but this one in particular was extra intriguing because not only was it the story of Michelle Obama's life- it also felt like a peek into the political landscape of the last two decades from an insider's perspective. Genuinely interesting and surprisingly hopeful & inspiring, I left this book feeling motivated to make change and grateful for the people who do. Made me cry multiple times, Michelle did a very good job. Would recommend to any woman.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

hjb_128's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

amberlfaris's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Sexism, and Death of parent

Moderate: Racism and Violence

zara89's review against another edition

reflective relaxing medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

lizard800's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.75

Michelle is an excellent narrator. This book made me cry several times. Super well written and very moving.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Classism

zydecovivo's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

I was a bit too young to understand politics when Barack Obama became president. I also did not know much about Michelle Obama, besides the fact that her healthy food campaign had severely impacted our school lunch options (yes, we were all outraged when cookies were no longer available for purchase). Becoming tells her story, starting from the very beginning, to just after President Obama’s tenure in the White House ended. It’s a glimpse into Michelle’s past, as well as a look at the impact of political campaigns on a family at multiple levels. I can’t help but admire Michelle and her family. The only section that did not have me riveted was the listing of accomplishments and initiatives by both the White House and Michelle herself. I appreciated the stories where she expanded on why she chose certain initiatives and who they impacted, but there was a good 30 minutes to an hour (I read the audiobook version) that read like a list. But the overall writing and story were moving and made me long for the time before politics was so hateful and loyalty only given to one's own party. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Grief

Moderate: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child death

cats33's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Classism, and Deportation

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.75

There were large sections that were interesting to read. There were also sections that were less enjoyable, such as the discussion of children eating healthier with no real mention on how to fix this in area where fresh produce are already very inaccessible as this felt bordering on fatphobia. It was not explicit fatphobia and was likely unintentional. 
She talks of her husband as almost a superhero and perfect husband. This is very sweet but also feels unrealistic. He went and made a big decision without weighing her input and it was just fine? There was just a lack of much emotion in many sections and that held those sections back from being relatable to readers who haven't been FLOTUS.
The photographs were a lovely and welcome touch, even though they were very concentrated. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Gun violence, Racism, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child death, Death, Grief, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Fatphobia, Miscarriage, and Police brutality