What I Read in January

Becoming

I loved this book. There were many points where I felt a sense of camaraderie based on experiences that, while not shared in time or space, were shared in spirit. Like when she writes about her parents buying the Encyclopedia Britannica set. I know it was something that my grandmother bought for her children to give them a valuable resource for building knowledge, in a world when black families had hope that knowledge could one day be power. And decades later my mother still had a set of encyclopedias, but she also made sure I had access to the internet even when it meant doing without other things. I had moments when I felt a certain kinship in being from families that, while not perfect, would sacrifice anything to give the next generation the best start possible.

There were also points that were almost surreal. It means so much that one of the most memorable days in this amazing woman’s life is one that also stands out for me. The day of the Charleston shooting funeral when President Obama sang Amazing Grace when I sat at my desk in the EEOB streaming the entire funeral as I tried to get through hundreds of letters to her, and then later that day as I walked back with my best friend to witness the White House aglow in rainbow it is humbling to know that for a brief, tangential moment my story was a mirror to hers.

This book is the American Dream. It is a story that shows love of family and of country. And if you look closely it is a testament that a girl can make it through anything with her mom, her best friends, and a few good women behind her.

In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.

Cast in Oblivion

This is one of my favorite book series. Overall it is a lot of slow-building, but then certain books come along and the reward for reading some of the slower parts of the narrative is great. There is a little bit of tell instead of show going on, but it does make for great world and character building. Since you can’t exactly start on the thirteenth book, I have the general description of the series below. If you like books by Tamora Pierce and Kristen Britain then this series is for you.

These follow the adven­tures of Private Kaylin Neya, a young woman who serves the Hawks in the towering Halls of Law. She’s Elantra’s version of a police officer, a mortal in a city ruled by Dragons.