Michelle Obama Hits the Road In Support of New Memoir
By Tim Chan LOS ANGELES (Variety.com)
Obama’s book, “Becoming,” arrives Nov. 13 and will be published in 24 languages. The memoir will be released in both print and digital formats by Crown Publishing Group. She will narrate an audio edition , under the Penguin Random House Audio imprint, that will be issued as both a digital download and physical CD .
Thanks to a large number of pre-orders, “Becoming” has already landed on Amazon’s best-sellers list prior to its realease. At press time, it was sitting at No. 13 on the Amazon charts .
Obama is embarking on a 10-city U.S. book tour this week to promote her memoir. Produced by Live Nation, the tour kicks off in Chicago on Tuesday before making its way across the country. Each stop will feature the former first lady being interviewed by a notable friend, while also taking questions from the audience. Oprah Winfrey moderates Tuesday’s event, and other tour appearances will include people like Valerie Jarrett, Tracee Ellis Ross, Reese Witherspoon. Sarah Jessica Parker will moderate the final tour stop in Brooklyn on Dec. 19 .
“Becoming” tells the story of Obama’s rise from her childhood in Chicago’s south side, to her eight years working alongside her husband, former president Barack Obama, in Washington D.C. As the first African-American First Lady, Obama made it her mission to promote diversity and inclusivity, both in the White House, and around the world. The former lawyer and Associate Dean of Students also used her position to advocate for female entrepreneurship, higher education, and the importance of living an active lifestyle.\
In her memoir, Obama reflects on some of her toughest moments in the political spotlight, and shares how she had to learn to juggle the expectations of being first lady, with the day-to-day demands of being a wife and mother. She also reveals her biggest triumphs — both personal and professional — while looking back at some unexpected disappointments as well.
“Writing ‘Becoming’ has been a deeply personal experience,” Obama said in a press release. “It has allowed me, for the very first time, the space to honestly reflect on the unexpected trajectory of my life. In this book, I talk about my roots and how a little girl from the south side of Chicago found her voice and developed the strength to use it to empower others. I hope my journey inspires readers to find the courage to become whoever they aspire to be.”
Penguin Random House is donating one million books in the Obama family’s name to First Book, a Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit that seeks to promote equal access to education by providing books and learning materials to school children in the U.S. and Canada.
“Becoming” is available to order on Amazon and Amazon Kindle . You can also download and listen to it for free on audiobook with a 30-day free trial to Amazon Audible . Tickets for Obama’s book tour are still available here . A limited number of VIP meet and greet packages with the former First Lady are also available.
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