Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is an American author and attorney. She served as the First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. As an author, she is renowned for her memoirs, which detail her time in the White House.
Michelle Obama was born in Chicago, Illinois. She studied sociology and law at Princeton University and Harvard Law School.
Michelle began her career at Sidley Austin, a law firm in Chicago, where she met Barack Obama. Her career also includes roles in nonprofit organizations and the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Throughout 2007 and 2008, she actively campaigned for her husband's presidential candidacy and delivered a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in 2008. Obama has been a strong advocate for women, education, and health.
"I am always hopeful about what I can do to make a difference," Michelle Obama has said regarding her advocacy work. In 2018, she published a memoir titled Becoming that significantly impacted her literary career. The book describes her childhood, education, and experiences as First Lady. It quickly became a bestseller, selling over two million copies shortly after its release.
The book is divided into three sections: Becoming Me, Becoming Us, and Becoming More, which sequentially explore her early life, marriage, and time as First Lady. The memoir set records for its sales and was praised for its depth and openness.
Following the success of Becoming, Michelle continued to influence through The Light We Carry, published in November 2022. This book emphasizes resilience and adaptability and discusses the personal tools she uses to overcome challenges. Both books were accompanied by extensive promotional tours and received critical acclaim for their audio and documentary adaptations.
Michelle Obama's works have earned her multiple awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for the audiobook of Becoming and nominations for The Light We Carry.