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The Meaning of Michelle
The Meaning of Michelle: 16 Writers on the Iconic First Lady and How Her Journey Inspires Our Own | Veronica Chambers
23 posts | 12 read | 54 to read
**One of BookRiot's '11 Books to Help Us Make It Through a Trump Presidency'** Whenever I think about Michelle Obama, I think, When I grow up, I want to be just like her. I want to be that intelligent, confident, and comfortable in my own skin. Roxane Gay Even after eight years of watching them daily in the press, the fact that the most powerful man in the world is a Black man is still breathtaking to me. The fact that he goes home to a tight-knit, loving family headed by a Black woman is soul-stirring. That woman is Michelle. Michelle. That name now carries a whole world of meaning... From the Preface by Ava DuVernay Michelle Obama is unlike any other First Lady in American History. From her first moments on the public stage, she has challenged traditional American notions about what it means to be beautiful, to be strong, to be fashion-conscious, to be healthy, to be First Mom, to be a caretaker and hostess, and to be partner to the most powerful man in the world. What is remarkable is that, at 52, she is just getting started. While many books have looked at Michelle Obama from a fashion perspective, no book has fully explored what she means to our culture. The Meaning of Michelle does just that, while offering a parting gift to a landmark moment in American history. In addition to a tribute to Michelle Obama, this book is also a rollicking, lively dinner party conversation about race, class, marriage, creativity, womanhood and what it means to be American today. Contributors include: Ava DuVernay, Veronica Chambers, Benilde Little, Damon Young, Alicia Hall Moran and Jason Moran, Brittney Cooper, Ylonda Gault Caviness, Chirlane McCray, Cathi Hanauer, Tiffany Dufu, Tanisha Ford, Marcus Samuelsson, Sarah Lewis, Karen Hill Anton, Rebecca Carroll, Phillipa Soo, and Roxane Gay
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review
sarahlandis
Mehso-so

This book was ok. I absolutely love the idea of a book solely about Michelle and how inspiring of a human she is... But somehow each of these 16 stories sounded almost identical (with a few standouts). They each focused on the same important feats of Michelle and had incredibly similar themes. While they were easy and nice to read, the collection was overall slightly boring due to repetitiveness.

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peacegypsy
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I hadn‘t heard of this, but I grabbed it off of the library shelf today. I‘m interested in how the various writers portray Michelle, especially after reading Morgan Jerkins‘ insights into black women. Plus, I miss this FLOTUS! 😊📚🇺🇸

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PNWBookseller85
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Catching up on #riotgrams day 16 #blackhistory.

108 likes1 stack add
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BookishMe
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amma-keep-reading
Pickpick

I admit to being biased and hopelessly in awe of Michelle Obama and for that reason alone I HAD to read this book. Michelle Obama is a she-ro for many people. I enjoyed reading how Michelle, the person has influenced the writers in this anthology. Although, she is definitely held on a pedestal, it is not because she is a marytr but because she is an inspiring example for how to be a truly authentic person.

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Kerrbearlib
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The audiobook I've been listening to today. ❤️

#audiobook #cloudlibrary #michelleobama

4 likes2 stack adds
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rachellayown
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Pickpick

I flew through this wonderful audio book! I really enjoyed the perspectives by different writers about what Michelle Obama means to them and about her legacy. I love our former First Lady and loved this tribute to her. (Though it also made me sad about what we've lost at the White House!) It's a short book, but quite wonderful.

MicheleinPhilly 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 8y
Christine 8y
60 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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FairyHighRoad
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#funfridayphoto The book closest to me is my current read. 👽

PNWBookseller85 Mine too! 8y
FairyHighRoad @BeckyMerilatt I wouldn't mind being stuck on a UFO with this book 😄 (edited) 8y
12 likes1 stack add2 comments
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PNWBookseller85
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#funfridayphoto - closest book to me! Luckily sitting on top of a pile of New Yorker magazines. Souvenirs from my time on earth 🌏? Please keep me, aliens 👽- I mean, I'm assuming it's a tardis and a timelord.

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Ellen
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"Hope is contagious"
Ending #blackhistorymonth with current events, this anthology edited by the lovely Veronica Chambers shares 16 perspectives on Michelle Obama's impact and legacy. #signedsundays

26 likes1 stack add
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PNWBookseller85
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My Valentine's Day present from my husband. He picked it out after I told him about a dream I had about running into the Obamas, in which they were both about 12 feet tall and glowing.

71 likes1 comment
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Graciouswarriorprincess
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My library haul!

DebinHawaii Nice haul! 📚👍 8y
53 likes2 comments
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FairyHighRoad
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I need to stop buying books!!! 📚

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ephemeragrrl
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Pickpick

Exceptional. Excellent critiques of Lady O, reminding us how damn lucky we are to be alive right now, to have had these eight years. The future may be perilous and painful but Barack & Michelle are still walking with us.

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CoffeeK8
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A little pick me to let me forget about the state of the world for a little while.

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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post! It's always interesting to see how others view the same topics you do. And the people whose views I'm most interested in are the writers in the world. As such, I think I'll give this book a go and see what folks have to articulate! #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

Dolly 🙂 8y
TrishB I' m looking forward to this, but not out yet in the UK. 8y
Graciouswarriorprincess I just checked this out on Friday. Anxious to start it this week.😀 8y
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Buddys_Momma Got this in the mail on Saturday, starting it this week 😀👍🏽 8y
dariazeoli Read it this weekend. I enjoyed it! 👍🏻 8y
MrBook @Dolly ☺️! @TrishB Oh, wow, really?! One would think the publishers & stores would be jumping on this with the timing and all, ya know? @Graciouswarriorprincess 😊👍🏻! @Buddys_Momma #Bookmail, the best mail 😉! @dariazeoli 😁👏🏻! 8y
LitsyGoesPostal 😊👍🏻 8y
110 likes16 stack adds7 comments
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dariazeoli
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Raise your hand if you felt like this at all in the past 3 days!

Sass aside, I'm halfway through the anthology tagged here and really enjoying it. I love that for 8 years, such a decent family lived in the White House. Credit to MO 🙏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

#LitsyAtoZ #LetterM

BookishMarginalia 🙋🏻 8y
sprainedbrain 🙋🏻 8y
KellyK 🙋🏻 8y
20 likes3 comments
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Buddys_Momma
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How to Give Side Eye with Class and Elegance.

Donna_sBookMinute Her complexion is immaculate. 8y
Buddys_Momma @Donna_sBookMinute It is! She is such a beauty ❤️️ 8y
21 likes2 comments
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dariazeoli
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I wish I was doing #24in48, but starting this anthology while still lying in bed on a Saturday morning will have to do.

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Graciouswarriorprincess
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My TBR pile for #24in48. What are you reading this weekend? #readathon

Betty Mostly graphic books 8y
Reviewsbylola March 2 & 3 are in my stack too! 8y
68 likes4 comments
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BookishMarginalia
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Another recommendation: read this essay collection praising our outgoing FLOTUS as part of the #antiinauguration this January 20th. Seems like a good use of my time! #WeHoldTheLine https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01HB7GHF6/ref=pd_aw_sim_351_of_10?ie=UTF8&psc=1&... -- And it includes an essay by Roxanne Gay!

saresmoore 😍 Yes! Oh and I'm being so strong in my #bookbuyingban. What would Michelle Obama do? 🤔 8y
BookishMarginalia @saresmoore Go to the library? 🤓 8y
saresmoore @BookishMarginalia That's it! Thank you for sharing this, by the way. 8y
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ruthemmielang I'm going to miss her so much 😭 8y
kiminreverse I love her! 8y
[DELETED] 1409720085 Ugh, I feel sick. 🤢 I'm going to miss the Obamas so much. 8y
mklong Oh god I can't. I just can't say goodbye! 8y
DyAnne I just can't let them go. It hurts so much. 8y
TrishB Not out in the UK til next month, but really interested in reading this. 8y
dariazeoli Yay, it was available on Overdrive! 8y
melbeautyandbooks She is an inspiration! Miss her already. 8y
162 likes15 stack adds11 comments
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shawnmooney
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I need some help with my algebra: this book, which I am dying to read, is 288 pages. How many pages a day should I read so that I don't finish until Trump is impeached?

SuperPunkNinja I think you're safe if you read at a brisk pace. 😀 8y
dariazeoli I mean, you have at least a week, right? 😬 8y
BookishFeminist You can't read this fast enough 😬 8y
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shawnmooney @McShelfington @dariazeoli @BookishFeminist Did I ever need your dashes of optimism today after everything that stained the news yesterday! 💖💖 8y
moranadatter I'd love to help, but there are too many variables. 8y
50 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Christine
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Pickpick

Oh how I love our First Lady, and this feels like a fitting tribute to her. Some essays were stronger than others, but overall I really enjoyed the collection. I particularly loved "On Being Flawlessly Imperfect" by Tiffany Dufu and "She Slays" by Tanisha C. Ford, as well as parts of many other essays that focused on her impact on Black American culture and identity. (And I expect to love the Roxane Gay piece but it wasn't included in my galley!)

48 likes7 stack adds