This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "Becoming" by Michelle Obama. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
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Are you going to be discussing Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming in your next book club meeting? Are you looking for discussion questions about the book?
Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming is a reflection on Michelle’s life and how she came to be the first lady. Through ambition and hard work, she excelled in Ivy League universities and throughout her career.
Keep reading for Becoming book club questions to discuss.
Becoming Book Club Questions
Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming delivers candid reflections on the life of the first African-American first lady. Offering a window into her personal evolution, Michelle details how ambition, hard work, and embracing her authentic story helped her journey from her family’s Chicago working-class neighborhood to a 47th-floor law office, then to the White House and beyond. Below are Becoming Michelle Obama book club questions to discuss:
Who Were Your Doubters?
When Michelle told her high school counselor she’d like to apply to Princeton, the counselor told her she “wasn’t Princeton material.” But Michelle ignored her advice and got into Princeton anyway.
- Think of a time when you voiced your ambitions, and someone responded by doubting you. Who was it, and what did they say?
- What impact did their words have on you? Did you go ahead with your plans anyway or change them?
- List three reasons why that person was wrong about you.
How Did Your Hometown Shape You?
Michelle’s South Shore neighborhood shaped her in a profound way. As she says, where we come from has a strong effect on the person we become—it’s a major contributor to our character.
- Describe the neighborhood or region you grew up in. List two advantages and two disadvantages of growing up there.
- Considering your answers to the question above, how did that environment shape who you are today?
Knowing When to Swerve
Michelle Obama writes about being a “box checker” as a child, someone who strives for perfect attendance and straight A’s. She followed a straight-line path to success, checking off one box after another until she reached her academic and career goals. But later in life, she learned she had to “swerve” to adjust to life’s circumstances. (For example, she veered away from corporate law to a more meaningful but lesser paying job.)
- In general, do you see yourself as someone who checks boxes or someone who swerves? (To think of it another way: Do you see yourself as a meticulous planner or as someone who is more spontaneous in your decision-making?) What makes you say this?
- Give an example of a time that your approach—either box-checking or swerving—worked well for you.
- Have you ever blindly worked so hard toward achieving something that you didn’t realize you were on the wrong path? How did you realize it and what did you do then?
- Have you ever veered off your predetermined life plan when you’ve wanted or needed to? If so, describe your swerve and its outcome—whether or not it worked out well.
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Like what you just read? Read the rest of the world's best book summary and analysis of Michelle Obama's "Becoming" at Shortform .
Here's what you'll find in our full Becoming summary :
- How Michelle Obama went from the South Side of Chicago to the White House
- Why much of her success came from her being determined from a young age
- How Michelle Obama continues to push herself and discover new opportunities
