i don’t think i am the right audience for this book which is quiet sad and i do have to say i expected a bit more of a wider reach of a book taking about such a powerhouse woman as michelle obama is and how much she changed lives and views for people.

but this book focused very heavily on black american women and how seeing someone they could relate too and see themselves in changed their lives.
don’t get me wrong!! it’s fantastic that so many women started to finally see representation at such a high political stand! that’s fantastic!

but it got a bit repetitive for me to keep reading similar stories in how great it was to see the obama’s reach the presidency and how that changed things.

i wanted a bit more from a book talking about the meaning of seeing sich an educated and smart person that tried (and succeeded) to keep in touch with people and make a presidential family seem less like a version of a royalty poste and more of a familiarity figure you can and should trust your kid to if you need to!

so all in all?
it’s a good book but very reader specific of who will get something from this book -in my opinion clearly.

The 16 writers, women and men, whose words compose this book, honor the former first lady, Michelle Obama. The variety of essays and contributors is a plus. It allows for a range of perspectives on Mrs. Obama's cultural impact. She is "mom-in-chief," fitness advocate, among many other roles. “The irony is that Michelle Obama makes it look so easy because she is so complicated,” writes Tiffany Dufu. “Simultaneously flawless and imperfect, she brilliantly navigates opposing forces. And in the tension, we can all see ourselves.” The essays have a personal nature to them. If you have seen the video of the little girl looking at the portrait of Michelle Obama online, that gives you an idea of what this collection of essays is like. The shifts in perception are not only in how we see Mrs. Obama, but how we see each other and ourselves

What an incredible collection of essays and reflections on former First Lady Michelle Obama. I loved it, savored it, and recommended to several colleagues here in Washington, DC. More collections like this would be terrific!

Excellent read of various people's take on former FLOTUS Michelle Obama.

This compilation of essays is a moving tribute to the way Michelle made us feel, sometimes about ourselves and often about our country and our place in it. A varied company of contributors look into every aspect of Michelle and what she represents-from her fashion to her dignity under pressure and even a look at how she represents an American perspective from across the Pacific. I really enjoyed this book as many of the introspection mirrored my own. Other essays brought new insight into the paradigm shift of this firmly down-to-earth woman living in the highest house of the land.

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, "She Slays" by Tanisha C. Ford (an analysis of her fashion evolution), and a piece by my beloved Marcus Samuelsson, as well as parts of many other essays that focused on her impact on Black American culture and identity.

What a wonderful and well deserved tribute to First Lady Michelle Obama! I don't remember exactly when I became so captivated with this amazing woman . Even though I was stuck with how drop dead gorgeous she looked at the inaugural ball in 2008, I didn't take a lot of notice of who Michelle Obama really was until into President Obama's first term. At some point it became obvious to me how fortunate we are to have had this smart, elegant, down to earth woman grace the White House and our country, if not the world with her presence.

She is so many things to so many of us but what struck me in reading this collection was what she represented to Black women and children and reading this gave me a perspective that I could never really know. One of the things that was apparent in just about all of these essays was how Michelle caused people to reflect on their own lives. I look forward to seeing what she will do in the future. No doubt, she will continue to inspire us. Highly recommended !

I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.