The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama

The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times Reviews

• 
  Lisa of Troy

  “It’s not always enough to lean in because that s*** doesn’t work.” – Michelle Obama
  
  Last night, I had the great privilege and honor to see Michelle Obama at The Chicago Theatre as she promotes her new book, The Light We Carry.
  
  It was an emotional night. Our country has faced great turmoil recently. Over a million Americans have lost their lives to COVID-19. The division of our country has never been greater in my lifetime, and the world is still struggling to find its post-pandemic stride.
  
  As it just so happens, I took a Republican to the Michelle Obama book tour. He was one of the two people sitting down at the beginning while we were on all our feet, cheering and clapping. However, as the evening progressed, he was smiling and leaning forward, enraptured by the discussion, appealing to his common sense and logic. By the end, he was on his feet cheering.
  
  Before Becoming, I knew next to nothing about Michelle Obama other than she was (and still is) married to Barack Obama, the United States’ first black President. Is Michelle Obama just arm candy? Um no way. She graduated from Princeton and Harvard Law School. When she met Barack Obama, it was when she was his boss at a law firm in Chicago.
  
  So she was just given everything? Not a chance. She wasn’t born into wealth. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom, and her father worked in public works while battling a vicious disability, MS. But he taught her, “You fall. You get up. You carry on.”
  
  Michelle Obama wrote about how she practiced facing fear so having her husband run for President was not such a scary thing. She also spoke about some of the criticism that she received, even ending up as a cartoon on the cover of Time Magazine.
  
  “When they go low, we go high.”
  
  In a world where cruelty gets a big spotlight, The Light We Carry is a breath of fresh hope.
  
  Connect With Me!
  
  Blog
  Twitter
  BookTube
  Facebook
  Insta
  
• 
  Dr. Appu Sasidharan (Dasfill)

  A book about relationships, diversity, race, gender, and visibility is what we all need in this current world. I am so excited to see from the blurb that this book by
  Michelle Obama discusses all these vital topics and much more. I loved reading her memoir,
  Becoming, and I love to know more about Michelle's take on the concept of unity in diversity (unity without uniformity and diversity without fragmentation) discussed in this book.
• 
  Elyse Walters

  Audiobook…..read by Michelle
  Obama
  …..9 hours and 59 minutes
  
  Obama polished her tools from her *Life-Toolbox*!!!
  She shared with us how her tools lay the foundation for what’s productive and what’s not.
  She shared about:
  ….joy
  ….anguish,
  ….bumps along the path,
  … obstacles as our life lessons,
  ….resetting her thinking: self acceptance,
  ….being good enough,
  ….empowering her strengths
  ….problem solving choices,
  
  Themes include:
  ….love,
  ….family,
  ….marriage,
  ….parenting,
  ….friendships,
  ….fears,
  ….powerful conversations, ….moral challenges,
  ….tools for creating change by design
  …. racism and bigotry,
  ….staying hopeful during helpless difficult times,
  ….increased loneliness around the world since the pandemic,
  …. infuriating political strife,
  ….strategies and consequences for ‘going high’.
  ….falling, getting up, and carrying on.
  ….learning what to do when feeling rage and hurt.
  …. tools for staying tough, telling the truth, staying outraged, but doing the necessary work.
  ….tools for staying focused…
  …. intimate personal stories about her father who had multiple sclerosis, her older brother, her mother, and her very close friends,
  ….adjusting to the lifestyle of living in the White House,
  …her daughters becoming adults, (colleges years)
  ….tools pertaining to smart prudence and financial savings,
  ….being mindful of her resources, (how much she had to give and how much she still needed to earn),
  ….feeding her happiness, ..
  ….staying physically fit,
  ….eating well,
  ….shared tools to steady herself against harsh criticism,
  ….the value of maintaining healthy boundaries,
  ….the practice of being kind to herself…..
  ….she shared “her light” with the many people she has met through her many opportunities in this strange and broken world.
  
  For a short time I felt my own disappointment—I wasn’t feeling the ‘magic’ as I did in her memoir, “Becoming”…..
  I was critical at the start… I thought parts of this memoir felt more preachy than experiential….
  But then —
  at the start of Part Two….I was fully engaged taking in her wisdom about friendships …
  titled, “My Kitchen Table”.
  Her insights about friendships was my personal favorite part.
  
  But here’s the thing ….. about Michelle Obama > she’s ‘our’ Michelle Obama. She’s a wonderfully decent woman—influential, likable, a brilliant down to earth leader who stands for the best in humanity…
  She’s has a pure heart (she’s the real deal), optimistic without being naïve.
  Her words are impactful.
  
  She represents being a real champion…..a woman who values normalcy—being our true selves—and working together to make positive changes.
  
  With Obama’s delightful demeanor…..
  we are blessed to have her as one of our greatest female leaders of our day.
  
  4.5 - 5 stars ….
  From a slow questionable start, a subtle awakening grew for me….
  I ended up appreciating the value that this book is.
  
  As I’ve said many times before— “What’s not to like about Michelle Obama?”
  Not much!!!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  Erin

  I love this woman. She could publish her grocery list and I would buy it.
  
  But I will say one thing.
  
  Michelle Obama is a much better person than me. She is able to shake off the nonstop racism directed at her and her husband....me...ya girl would not be as forgiving. We know her infamous phrase "When they low, we go high", Michelle does discuss what this phrase actually means but it basically comes down to don't act in an emotional way. Which I understand but also if you are attacking my family, it's your ass. Maybe that's why no handsome future President has married me, because I would be making the news everyday.
  
  The Light We Carry isn't a memoir in the vain of her book Becoming. This book is more of a "Self Help" book....I know guys, you know I hate "Self Help" but my girl Michelle isn't trying to tell YOU how to do things. She's simply telling us how she was taught by her mother to handle things and some things she's learned through making mistakes.
  
  If you love My Forever First Lady Michelle Obama, than pick this up.
  
  If you like "Self Help, pick it up.
  
  My review is totally biased so take it with a huge grain of salt.
• 
  Catherine (alternativelytitledbooks)-trying to catch up!

  Courageous. Candid. Classy. Compassionate. Clever.
  
  In
  Becoming, we got a chance to learn Michelle Obama's backstory and the life of times of a First Lady during her husband Barack's presidency. But in The Light We Carry, Michelle takes us one step further into her personal journey through the years since the COVID-19 pandemic began and shares with the reader the contents of her toolkit. But there are no socket wrenches to be found here: this is Michelle Obama's MENTAL toolkit...which is nothing more or less than a toolkit for survival.
  
  This book reads a bit like self-help, but also has the feel of a memoir: Michelle takes you through some of what she was feeling at different points (after the results of the presidential election following Obama's term, the beginning of the pandemic and all of the uncertainty, and also some great anecdotes from her childhood and interactions with her wise and wonderful mother) and also presents some fundamental strategies that have helped her quell her personal anxiety.
  
  You'd never believe that a woman as strong, intelligent, and poised as Michelle could have felt some of the insecurities she describes in these pages, but this is part of Michelle's gift as both an orator and a human: her words make you feel seen AND give you hope, but never sugarcoat the enormity of the work that lies ahead. Some of Michelle's personal strategies involve creating (she picked up knitting as a hobby during COVID) and some lie in the strength of the personal relationships around her (her Kitchen Table friends that are true blue, the joy and strength she finds in being a mother and in her marriage) and of course the lessons imbued in her from a young age from a mother that taught her confidence, resilience, and class in the face of adversity and hate.
  
  It's sometimes easy for self-help books to feel canned, or like they often consist of recycled advice, but I would argue the best advice IS recycled: the formulas tend to repeat because they WORK. What Michelle Obama does so masterfully in The Light We Carry, however, is to remind us that even in a world that no longer seems to possess ANY sort of baseline or provide any type of security...WE are the baseline. Our humanity, our kindness, our hope...and above all, our light.
  
  4.5 stars
• 
  Anna Leigh

  I wish she would run for president.
• 
  Abasifreke Ekpe

  I love Michelle Obama but I only kinda liked this book. It’s a typical self help book that reiterates a lot of the same information we all are used to hearing by now. Even with the personal anecdotes, I couldn’t fully get into the book. Similar to other self-help books, it left me unsatisfied and wanting more.
  
  Here’s one quote though that really resonated with me:
  
  “We keep learning even when we’re tired of learning, changing even when we’re exhausted by change.”
  
  I’ve hit a point of my life where I’m tired of growth - the constant obstacles and challenges I’ve had to face has been exhausting. I just want to coast the rest of my way through life. But alas, nothing worthwhile is ever easy and as Michelle indicates throughout her book, we gotta do the work!
  
  So although I didn’t thoroughly enjoy the read, I thank you, Michelle, for this book. It shall occupy a beloved space on my bookshelf next to Becoming (which I loved!) and her husband’s book, A Promised Land. And maybe one day I’ll pick up this book again to read with fresh eyes and a more open/receptive heart.
• 
  Brandice

  I’ve been a big fan of Michelle Obama since Barack’s early days as President. I loved Becoming and really liked The Light We Carry too.
  
  In TLWC, Michelle acknowledges the deep uncertainty and major challenges we’ve all faced over the last few (few, too many?) years, sharing her insight and tools for dealing with this. Of course, every tool won’t work for everyone in every situation, but it’s comforting to know even someone as smart, successful, and grounded as Michelle contends with these same feelings.
  
  Unsurprisingly, the whole book is great and worth reading or listening to, but the first 2 chapters “The Power of Small” and “Decoding Fear” resonated with me the most. Michelle turned to knitting as a hobby during the pandemic, finding solace in something small alongside the larger battles she works through regularly. She also encourages us to evaluate our fears, some which can be legitimate, while others often are not.
  
  “In trying to spare yourself the worry and discomfort of taking a risk, you're potentially costing yourself an opportunity. In clinging only to what you know, you are making your world small. You are robbing yourself of chances to grow.”
  
  I listened to The Light We Carry because it’s hard to beat hearing from Michelle herself, but also bought a physical copy to keep and refer back to. Highly recommend — 4.5 stars
• 
  Sharon Orlopp

  I thoroughly enjoyed Michelle Obama's book,
  Becoming, and looked forward to reading
  The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times.
  
  Initially, I was worried that
  The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times was too much of a self-help book that wouldn't hold my interest, But as I read each page, I was sucked into her prose, transparency, and poignant insights. We have all been impacted by the pandemic and the continual chaos and changes in our lives and relationships over the past several years.
  
  Michelle offers insights into what has made her so strong, resilient, and determined to always "go high" even when it is daunting. Her voice and suggestions are like a steadying rudder on a boat being tossed about during an intense storm.
  
  Her writing style is captivating. Some of the passages that were memorable include:
  
  * Uncertainty continues to soak itself into nearly every corner of life
  
  * Maya Angelou: Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.
  
  * Big storms breach our boundaries and burst our pipes
  
  * The swinging pendulum of history
  
  * A blanket of despondency
  
  * Volcanic clarity
  
  * Jeopardy is woven into the human experience
  
  * Find ways to convert fear into rocket fuel
  
  * Steadiness becomes a platform from which to launch a bigger life
  
  * We need to stay aware of whose stories are being told and whose are being erased
  
  * Discomfort is a teacher
  
  * Loneliness becomes hyper-tuned to social threats which can lead to further isolation
  
  * Distrust has become society's default emotion
  
  * It's much harder to hate up close
  
  * Our differences are treasures and also tools
  
  * Adaptability and preparedness are paradoxically linked
  
  * Striving for excellence is an attempt not to drown
  
  * Rage can be a dirty windshield
  
  * Complacency wears the mask of convenience
  
  * Joy and pain often live in close proximity
  
  * Be judicious with your energy and clear in your commitments and convictions
  
  One startling statistic Michelle shared is that more than 90 million eligible voters stayed home on Election Day in 2016. She has been actively involved in voter engagement. Each person's vote matters.
  
  Highly recommend this incredible book!
• 
  Rachel Reads Ravenously

  I absolutely adore Michelle Obama, I’ll read anything she writes. Instead of a biography, this was more of a helpful facts book intermixed with examples from real life. If you’ve already read Becoming, it can be a little bit repetitive. But ultimately this book is meant to empower those who read it and I hope it helps a lot of people find their light.
• 
  Cule.Jule

  Das Buch hat mich über die Feiertage begleitet und es hätte kein besseres sein können. Michelle Obama offenbart den Leser auf knapp 370 Seiten ihre Gedankengänge, um große Probleme besser bewältigen zu können. Vor allem in Zeiten von Pandemien, Kriegen und/oder persönlichen Krisen ist es wichtig stark zu bleiben. Mit Hilfe von Fähigkeiten zeigt die Autorin anhand ihrer persönlichen Erlebnisse, wie sie es schafft weiterhin ausgeglichen und positiv nach vorne zu schauen. Das heißt natürlich auch, dass es nicht DIE eine Lösung gibt, trotzdem fand ich vor allem ihre ehrlichen und authentischen Reflexionen sehr interessant.
  
  Das Buch ist aus dem amerikanischen Englisch von Astrid Graviert, Norbert Juraschitz, Frank Lachmann, Sabine Reinhardts und Franka Reinhart und liest sich ab der ersten Seite flüssig und sehr angenehm. Unterteilt ist das Buch in drei große Abschnitte, die sehr gut aufeinander aufbauen. Kernfragen sind vor allem: Wie gelingen stabile und aufrichtige Beziehungen? - Was können wir tun, wenn auf einmal alles zu viel wird? - Welche Werkzeuge stehen uns zur Verfügung, um Selbstzweifeln und Hilflosigkeit zu begegnen?
  
  Ein tolles Buch, das ich sehr gern weiterempfehle.
• 
  Kenny

  I believe that each of us carries a bit of inner brightness, something entirely unique and individual. A flame that's worth protecting. When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it. When we learn to foster what's unique in the people around us, we become better able to build compassionate communities and make meaningful change.
  The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times ~~ Michelle Obama
  
  
  
  Please pardon my gushing review. I love Michelle and Barack Obama. I think she the greatest first lady of my lifetime, and he the greatest president of my lifetime. They are both amazing.
  
  Reading The Light We Carry feels like a best friend has wrapped her arms around me & is giving me a huge hug.
  
  Obama’s new book is part self-help and part memoir. Here, Obama shares personal life stories shared with her readers to give advice to others who might be facing similar challenges in these uncertain times. The Light We Carry is insightful, engagingly written and funny ~~ it is all things Michelle.
  
  
  
  Obama shares this ~~ The practice I’ve had in finding and appreciating the light inside other people has become perhaps my most valuable tool for overcoming uncertainty and keeping my hopefulness intact. As one of the brightest lights in America, Michelle Obama helps shine the way for us all along our shared route.
  
  Highly recommended.
  
  
• 
  Maxwell

  I absolutely loved Michelle Obama's memoir, Becoming, especially listening to her read the audiobook. So I was excited to listen to another book from her which is more of a self-improvement, non-fiction rather than a personal history. Though I will say I was pleasantly surprised that a large portion of this book is still memoir-esque. She takes the reader through 10 different lessons or ideas for how we overcome obstacles in life and embrace the messiness, while relaying stories of her life and using her own experience as examples. I enjoyed this book a lot but I didn't love it, mostly because self-help isn't really my thing. I absolutely would never have read this book if anyone else had written it, but because I enjoy hearing her wisdom and perspective so much it really made the book enjoyable for me. All in all, this is one I'd recommend to people who are looking for a motivational, inspirational self-help with a touch of memoir in it.
• 
  CoachJim

  “When someone is cruel or acts like a bully, you don't stoop to their level. No, our motto is, when they go low, we go high.”
  Michelle Obama at the 2016 Democratic National Convention

  
  
  In 2020 in the middle of a Global Pandemic, with a maniac for president sitting in the White House, many people faced a period of uncertainty. Causal hugs, unmasked smiles and easy interactions with others were lost. There were unarmed Black men being killed by police officers kneeling on their necks until they were dead, and various groups of people like Asian Americans or members of the LGBTQ community were attacked on the streets, or our president had police officers attack people with tear gas peacefully protesting for some photo opportunity, or that same president extorting a mob of rioters to attack our capital to overturn an election. These things left people wobbly and unsettled. Michelle Obama decided to write a book describing her personal toolbox to show how she stays balanced and confident during times of anxiety and stress.
  
  Much of that toolbox deals with relationships: how to build them, keep them and nurture them. These relationships are with friends, family and colleagues. I found a couple of these to be particularly interesting.
  
  Michelle Obama relates a story about the husband, Ron, of a friend who greets himself in the mirror each morning. “Heeey, Buddy”. His wife reports that he says this out loud and sounds like he is greeting an old friend. As someone who talks to himself quite regularly I feel like I should also say hello to myself each morning. “Good Morning, Jim. Welcome to the starting line of a new day.”
  
  Perhaps a more important story is the one she relates about greeting children when they walk into a room. In an interview with Oprah, Toni Morrison described how when a child walks into a room your face should light up with a big smile. When someone lights up for us we remember it. They should be met with a “What’s right”, not a “What’s wrong.” Research has shown that when teachers greet their students academic engagement improves and classroom disruptions are reduced. (Page 82)
  
  Much of the book deals with children. She states kids should be “seen and heard”. That they should be granted your trust rather than having to earn it. Let them live up to your expectations rather than live down to your doubts and worries.
  
  Whether it’s like Ron who says good morning to himself, or having a happy face when greeting children or friends, finding and appreciating the light inside people is a valuable tool for overcoming the uncertainty of these hard times.
  
  Michelle Obama became very familiar with the negative image of a black woman as the First Lady. The right-wing media painted her some fire-breathing monster perpetuating the imagery of a “Angry Black Woman.” When she began speaking about childhood obesity and advocating healthy food choices at school she was met with:
  
  

  “If the government is allowed to dictate our diet, what’s next?” ranted one Fox News commentator. “Do they start deciding who we’ll marry, where we’ll work?”
  (Page 271)

  
  
  Here she had to resist getting pissed off and go high.
  
  Following the 2016 National Democratic Convention where Michelle Obama stated the “Go High” quote, she was frequently questioned about what it meant and how to go high. It probably says a lot about the tragedy of 2016 that her quote was remembered. She spends the last portion of the book trying to answer that question. She writes about maintaining your integrity when others are losing theirs, and showing your children and others what it is like to live with love and decency. Our rage is often warranted, but the question is what are we doing with it. When faced with the problems we are currently confronting in this country and the world, we can’t afford to be tired, frustrated or cynical. It is important to make your voice heard and your work count. We need to work and earn a victory. In 2016 we didn’t do the work. More than ninety million eligible voters stayed home on Election Day. We have lived with that result for four years and we continue to live with it today.
  
  
• 
  McKinnon Bell

  so much better than Becoming! I love hearing her insights on life
• 
  Helga

  You fall you get up you carry on...
  
  An inspiring and motivating book.
  
  I believe Michelle Obama is one of those people whose mere presence and company would make you feel better no matter how stressed or dejected you feel.
• 
  Kate Olson

  Coming as absolutely zero surprise, I absolutely loved this book. I chose audio because listening to Michelle speak to me is one of the best things ever and feels like a warm hug or a phone conversation with your very favorite aunt. Somehow every single chapter and theme landed at precisely the right time for me to hear it too! I loved it all but the chapters on fear, parenting and going high were my very favorites. I also loved what she had to say about sharing your truth to let others know they aren’t alone. This book isn’t overly political per se but she doesn’t hold back in sharing her thoughts on the president who followed Bararck in the White House - but in complete Michelle Obama style with total class and your mom’s “I’m just disappointed in you, not mad” devastating effect. I immediately purchased a hard copy to add to my Obama forever shelf.
  
  Source: Audible credit
• 
  Yasmin

  It's sad when people aka trolls are so jealous of a successful Black woman that they rate a book poorly which they haven't even read or if they have they can't justify why they don't like it. I haven't read it yet but I plan to as soon as it's released. And, given all the negative ratings from those who haven't read it, while I haven't read it yet, I'm giving it 5 stars to offset those negative Nellies who have nothing better to do with their time. :( After I read it, I will be back to provide my assessment. Stay tuned!
• 
  Stephen

  insightful book from the former 1st lady in her coping mechanisms in these uncertain terms and more background of her family and herself
• 
  Debbie Zapata

  Nov 25, 125pm ~~ Review asap.
  
  Nov 26, 2pm ~~ From inside the front cover:
  "In an inspiring follow-up to her critically acclaimed, #1 bestselling memoir Becoming, former First Lady Michelle Obama shares practical wisdom and powerful strategies for staying hopeful and balanced in today's highly uncertain world."
  
  The temptation here is to allow myself to babble about my own approach to the pandemic and all the other scary things that are happening these days.
  
  Because this book makes you realize how much we are all living through together, and inspires thoughts of 'Gee, I feel that way too!' about not only pandemic issues but many other topics Michelle writes about.
  
  I have seen a question about whether or not a person should read Becoming before reading this book, and I agreed with the answer that it is not necessary but that knowing MO from her first book will help this one feel even more like a chat between friends.
  
  I will treasure both books, and like many other women around the world, I will also treasure the feeling that a famous First Lady is as real as all the rest of us.
  
  Thank you for being you, Michelle.
  
  
  
• 
  Rachel

  EXCUSE ME how did I not see this book earlier
• 
  Traci Thomas

  This wasn’t it for me. It’s very basic advice and info most people know. The stories are already in the zeitgeist. I was disappointed by this.
• 
  Alex Curtis

  This book is NOT POLITICAL. I say that in all caps, right at the start, because this is not a partisan book, as in blue versus red.
  
  I think she's beautiful inside and out and just so classy.. I wish I had her grace.
  
  
  
• 
  Karen

  I listened to this author-narrated audiobook for a book club I joined this year. I really liked it. I read Michelle Obama’s previous book (Becoming) in which she talked about her life before meeting Barack and then their subsequent life pre- and during the presidency. It was great.
  
  This books follows on “Becoming”. It’s kind of a “lessons learned” book, with each chapter written in the form of an essay, and covering a different topic. e.g. overcoming fear, the importance of friendship, the importance of being kind etc.
  
  I loved it. I found it uplifting. Her words reminded me of what drives me in life and what is meant to be treasured. The book gave me a bit more hope than I already have, and made me feel like there are others in the world who also hold hope and optimism. Very lovely read.
• 
  Jean

  I enjoyed Michelle Obama’s memoir “Becoming”. I am not so sure what I think about this book. I enjoyed the additional insight about her way of thinking and additional information not covered in “Becoming”. I felt she was answering questions posed by people who wrote her after the prior book. The book seemed to provide information on how she coped with life. She is an excellent writer and narrator.
  
  I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours and fifty-nine minutes. Michelle Obama narrated the book.
  
• 
  Cam Waller

  love you Miche but this book...did not need to exist
• 
  BookOfCinz

  Yes, I absolutely loved Becoming so when my friend gifted me with this book, I was very excited to dive into it. I think 2022 was very unceratin for a lot of people and Michelle Obama tacking uncertain times in this book helped.
  
  If I am being honest, I don't think I gained anything new from this book that wasn't already explored or touched on in Becoming. While I did like her exploration of friendship and making friends when you are older, I did not think it was as strong as Becoming.
  
  
• 
  Carol

  I LOVE the Obama's. Everything about them is classy, intelligent, and eloquent. This was no exception to Michelle Obama's follow up to Becoming. Her writing style and even her speaking (I listened to the audiobook) was so comforting and strong. However, I feel that this second book really paled in comparison with her memoir, Becoming. I think I liked her first book better because it was more anecdotal and gave more of her own personal stories growing up. The Light We Carry felt like a self-help book that wasn't really all that enlightening. The parts I enjoyed most were the more personal aspects, but she did not delve into those stories deeply. The "uncertain times" Michelle Obama refers to is about the pandemic, but I feel like I did not develop a great sense of how the pandemic shaped Michelle and influenced her. Overall, my recommendation is to definitely read Becoming first and if you're a huge fan of the Obamas, give this one a read too.
• 
  Kim Jones

  If you read or listen to any of Michelle’s books you can’t help but come away lifted, lighter, with a desire to be kinder, more thoughtful, less glib. It breaks my heart that people can be so cruel, thoughtless and condescending. I want to carry light!