The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane - A Review

If you have been reading our reviews, you know that January is Tea Month!  It is also part of the Chinese New Year celebrations that will be happening all around the world on the 25th of  January.

It's also time to share a new book that I truly enjoyed.  The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane caught my eye on two counts.  One, I love birds, so was interested in the address and the second was the ambiguity of the title.  Who goes around being known as the "Tea Girl" and why?

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane Book Review

Lisa See, the author has extensive knowledge of what is happening in the areas where China has taken over the lands that once belonged to some really isolated tribes.  Such are the Akha, that  lived in the high mountainous regions of Laos, Myannmar, Thailand and Yunnan province in China. 

                                                           Map courtesy of Google Maps

As with many indigenous tribes, they are unaware of the political struggles or the ramifications of being overtaken by another government.   They farm and cultivate their land for their own use. Daily life is difficult enough without worrying about politics.  Rice, tea and poppies are their main crops.  Opium, derived from their crops is sold to the outside world for medicines.  They themselves have used opium for medicines for centuries.  Tea is the other common denominator.  They grow tea and cultivate the leaves of trees that are hundreds of years old.  This tea is sought after by tea aficionados from around the world.

They are a land of people who have stayed together and lived according to the laws and customs of their "tribe".  They have their own language, yet they are encouraged to learn Mandarin and leave their language behind. Education is minimal unless they show a talent for learning.  Then maybe they have a chance at a better life.  The question is, "Who's ideas of a better life will they follow?" 

Each child can confirm their lineage for 7 generations.  This is one of the most important things they know for sure.  Girls and boys can recite their lineage and will do so when they find a mate.  The elders of the community will give their permission to marry, based on that lineage!  There will be no marriages allowed that are too close in family ties.

Image from Wikipedia 

This story and it's people grabbed my attention and held it right to the very end.  I was fascinated by their customs and horrified by some of their practices too.  What really caught my interest though was how the people, because of their beliefs did things that we would consider so unacceptable.  The Akha, like many of the Asian peoples, have a profound wish that their first child be male. Because of China's one child law,  many girls are given up for adoption.   

Over the years, these girls have been adopted into American, Canadian and European households.  The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane finds herself caught up in a cultural tug of war.  Her adopted parents are caught up in it as well.  She does not look like them, She will never look like them!  Yet, her parents love her as if she were born to them like any other child.  

Her adoptive parents go through all the trials and tribulations involved when you have a child that is "different".  As many parents are aware, whenever something is NOT just so,  many questions are asked and need answers.  Yes, their child is adopted.  No, they don't know anything about why she was given up for adoption.  No, they are her parents and they love her unconditionally.  Yes, she asks questions all the time.  No we don't have the answers to all her questions.

What makes this story interesting is that bond between the birth mother and the daughter that she no longer knows.  I don't want to give anything away from this story, I want you to go and pick up the book and read it for yourself.  

My Conclusion & Final Thoughts

I learned so much about the Akha people and I also learned a lot about myself.  It was easy to put myself into the characters of this book.  What would I do?  How would I react?  How would I feel about being given away?  Where do my loyalties lie?  These are all questions you will find yourself asking as you are reading this book.

There are no right or wrong answers.  For the Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, there are lots of different answers and many roads that could be taken.  See how she deals with the way,  and the road,  her life has taken.  I promise, you will learn something about yourself in the pages of this book.

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Fiber Good Gummies Reviewed

Supplement For Adding Fiber To Your Diet

Today, I would like to review an alternative to the supplement often suggested by our physicians for adding fiber to our diets. Fiber Good Gummies are much more palatable than that awful powder that we are often directed to add to water. I'm sure if you have needed to add fiber to your diet, you know the product I am referring to. Oh my goodness that stuff makes me gag!

Fruits can be a good source of fiber
image courtesy of pixabay.com

 I know that I should eat more fruits that are rich in fiber along with other sources like beans, nuts, and some vegetables. I know that I should, but I'll be honest; I don't do a very good job of seeing to putting those things on my plate. Several times, my doctor has told me that if I don't actually eat the foods for the fiber that I should use a product as a supplement. I'm sorry, the powder forms just make me nauseous. I've tried more than once but it just feels so slimy in my mouth and tastes nasty. 

Last week, I was at the local pharmacy looking for some things that my Dad needed. I found myself on the aisle where the above mentioned powders can be found. I noticed an option that I hadn't seen before. There on the shelf was a soluble fiber supplement in the form of gummies. I almost jumped up and down with joy as I read the label on the bottle! 

The gummies are made from fruits like strawberry, apple, grape, cherry, orange and lemon. They taste pretty good and I can chew those without feeling sick to my stomach. They are easy to use, too. Basically, you chew two Fiber Good gummies twice a day. That is it, it is that easy.

Fiber Good Gummies Work

So, I purchased a bottle and began taking them that day. It has been about a week since I began chewing the little fruit flavored gummies and I can see a difference. My digestive system is working better, much better, than it was. I wish that I had visited that aisle sooner.

The next office visit that I have, I'm going to tell my doctor about these little morsels. I think sometimes they might not realize that there are alternatives to the products they often recommend. At least he might consider telling his other patients that if they can't stomach that powder stuff that they can try the Fiber Good Gummies. 

If you or someone you know struggles with providing enough fiber in their diets, give the Phillips Fiber Good Gummies a try. They have worked for me and I plan to make them a part of my daily routine from now on. 

Phillips Fiber Good Gummies

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Reviewing Acorn Spice Dish Soap by Mrs. Meyer's

I am a big fan of the Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day household cleaning products so I was excited to receive my latest shipment of dish soaps. Acorn Spice is a new favorite and it smells as wonderful as it cleans.

Reviewing Acorn Spice dish soap.

In 2018, I was introduced to the Mrs. Meyer's soaps during a visit to my son's home. I've been a satisfied customer since then. I am always looking for a cleaning solutions that use few (or no) chemicals, smells good, and cleans well. Mrs. Meyer's soaps are made using plant products and essential oils. At that time, my favorite scents were: lemon verbena, sunflower, and then radish.

With this order, I decided to branch out and try new scents. One of those is Acorn Spice. The nutty, outdoorsy, spiced scent seemed familiar. Reminiscent of holiday meals cooking in grandma's warm country kitchen. This soap leaves a wonderful aroma in the kitchen.

Mrs. Meyer's describes the scent as:

"The satisfying, nutty scent of acorn is blended with a touch of cinnamon and vanilla for an irresistible air of comfort and warmth"

In addition to the Acorn Spice, I ordered two other scents (Mint and Orange Clove). I'm stocked up for awhile with some really amazing cleaning products. 

Because I am raving about the wonderful scents, you may be wondering if these soaps are functional. I have found that these soaps cut grease better than the majority of the dish soaps available at the grocery stores. 

If your focus is putting fewer chemicals into the environment, avoiding scent-triggered migraines, enjoying clean scents in your home, or all of the above like me, I believe you'll love Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Acorn Spice dish soap too.

Related Links:

You are able to purchase Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day products on Amazon, Prime Pantry, and from the Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day website. When I am ready to order, I check all three stores in order to find the scent I want and to find the best price and shipping deals. 

You can read my original review of Mrs. Meyer's soaps here. 

Reviewing Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day soaps

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6 Ingredient Banana Loaf - Mix and Bake

6 Ingredient Banana Loaf

There are so many banana loaf recipes online that I'm hesitant to add another to the mix.

However, some people may appreciate this simple 6 ingredient recipe. It's easy to remember, and the items are what most people have in their cupboard.

This recipe has been my quick go-to solution for using up ripe bananas for over thirty years.

"This is a no egg, no milk recipe"

The Basic Ingredients:

•  3 mashed ripe bananas
•  1.5 (one and a half) cups of flour (I use white flour)
•  1 cup of sugar
•  2 tablespoons of butter (on the softer side but not melted)
•  1 teaspoon of baking soda
•  1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For Chocolate Chip Banana Loaf, add a 1/2 to 3/4 cup (your choice) of chocolate chips.

For Banana Nut Loaf, add a 1/2 to 3/4 cup of your favorite chopped nuts.

For Cherry Banana Loaf, add a 1/2 to 3/4 cup of jarred cherries (only the cherries, not the liquid)

Directions:

Everything goes into one bowl. 

Mash the bananas, then add the other five ingredients. Mix it together. It's ok if the butter isn't completely dissolved. You can bake it as is, or go ahead and add any of the suggested items above, chocolate chips or nuts or cherries. 

Put the mixture in a non-stick loaf pan. Personally, I've never used a pan that's not non-stick, so if you plan to use one, spray it with non-stick cooking spray or rub a layer of butter on it.

Bake at 325 for approximately 1 hour or until it's fully cooked. With my oven, it will cook faster. I check it at about the half-hour point by giving it the touch test on top. When I think it's fully cooked, I'll put a knife down the middle, and if it pulls out clean, it's done.

Adjustments:

Over the years I've altered the recipe from time to time. I've used more bananas (four) and sometimes fewer bananas (two). Also, the size of the bananas can call for small adjustments. If the bananas are small, then I'll use four without adjusting the flour content.

When I use four large bananas, I tend to add a bit more flour. Generally, I go by the feel of the batter. 

When I feel the batter needs additional moisture, I'll add a bit more butter - a third heaping tablespoon.

Slicing Your Banana Loaf

I always cut-up my banana loaf, then display it in a cake dish. It's a visual thing and entices the gang to eat it. 

I've cut the loaf in two ways: 

1. Once it cools, you can cut it in horizontal one inch wide pieces like you see in a bakery, then display it in a pretty cake dish.

or,

2. Cut it in two-inch wide horizontal pieces, then cut it vertically down the middle giving the pieces a larger square look.

My family prefers the chocolate chip banana loaf - Here it is, cut in larger squares as described in point number two above.

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Honey Walnut Drops – Cookie Recipe Review

I have an old Church Cookbook from my mother-in-law's collection.  It's the kind many churches put out, especially in small towns, with recipes from church members handed down from one generation to the next. Many of you probably have something similar, acquired the same way.

While browsing through this Garden City (KS) Cookbook one day before the holidays, I found a new (to me) cookie recipe with two of my favorite ingredients ~ walnuts and coconut. I thought it would be fun to share it with you today. 

Honey Walnut Drops Recipe

Ingredients:

1 c. sugar
1 c. honey
2/3 c. shortening
3 eggs
3 ¾ c. flour
1 tsp. Salt

1 c. commercial sour cream

1 c. chopped walnuts

¾ c. flaked coconut

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. soda

Directions:

Cream sugar,  honey, shortening and eggs. Mix flour (not sifted) with soda, salt. Add alternately with sour cream to creamed mixture. Stir in walnuts, coconut and vanilla.

Drop teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.  Top each cookie with walnut half and coconut. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

*Yield not given in this recipe, but I got about 6 dozen cookies from my batch. 

PS: I did not have any extra walnuts, so did not top the cookies with a one-half walnut. Lots of walnuts IN the cookies, though. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This cookie recipe was published in this Garden City cookbook in 1979, so no nutritional information is included of the kind you often find in today's recipes (such as calories, fat grams, carbs, etc.), in case you were wondering. :-). Considering the ingredients, I am sure there are a 'number' of calories in it, but, after all, it is a cookie! 

Old Joke:  Did you know that if you break a cookie in half before eating, all the calories 'fall out'? LOL. 

More About Cookies

For more cookie recipes on this site, check out ReviewThisRecipes.com

In case you want a special day to celebrate baking cookies, December 18th is National Bake Cookies Day. 

Plus, October is known as National Cookie Month, giving you a whole month to enjoy cookies (as if we needed an excuse). :)


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Review of Byrd's Famous Cookies

The Byrd Cookie Company has been an established company in Savannah, Georgia since 1924

Autumn Eats - A Review of Seasonal Cookie Cutters

Seasonal Cookies Cutters make holiday-related cookie shapes for holidays throughout the Autumn (Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas).

+All images in this article were personally taken by Wednesday Elf

(c) Written by Wednesday Elf on 1/18/2020.

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The Gregory Sisters: When Love Calls - Book 1 Reviewed

I recently read a delightful series of romantic fiction books set in the early 1910s.  The books provide a clear picture of what life in America was like for women a hundred years ago.  Specifically, women who were not married and clearly needed a way to earn a living.  They serve as a reminder of how thankful I am that I was not an adult female during the Progressive Era.  What a difference 60 years can make!

The Gregory sister's lives are turned upside down when their parents die.  Not only are they grieving the death of their parents, but they cannot afford to payoff the mortgage and family debts.  They are faced with losing their home while having to make major life changes and decisions that will effect the rest of their lives.  Neither sister has a husband, fiance, or even a prospective husband.  And, neither sister has a job.  Actually, they are all still in school, albeit, the two oldest are in vocational schools.

The first book, When Love Calls, provides the background information for the series.  The 3 sisters are in all of the books, but each book has a primary sister character.

When Love Calls Book Synopsis

 When Love Calls (The Gregory Sisters Book #1)
A NovelWhen Love Calls focuses on the oldest sister, Hannah, who is in law school.  When her parents die and the family home is repossessed, Hannah makes the difficult decision to leave school and go to work.  After all, someone has to earn money for rent, food, clothes, etc., for all 3 girls. 

Hannah feels extremely blessed when she is hired as a "Hello Girl", a switchboard operator for the telephone company. Unfortunately, the very thing that would make Hannah an excellent attorney, is the part of her personality that makes her a problem by company standards.  Hannah has a mind of her own.  She doesn't make a very good conformist follower.  Still, she tries hard because she really needs the job.

There are so many changes all at once in Hannah's life, it makes it hard for her to know who she can trust.  When the very attorney who represented the bank in their home foreclosure seems to keep turning up, Hannah isn't sure if he is trustworthy, yet she needs his help.  As it turns out, they have a lot in common.

My Opinion of "When Love Calls"

I suspect this book was named "When Love Calls" because Hannah is a switchboard operator.  However, it could easily reference how she changed the entire direction of her life because of her love for her sisters.  She answered the "call" to care for her sisters instead of finishing law school. 

Because of her life changes, she meets someone and falls in love.  Of course, he does call her on the phone occasionally.  Regardless, what is clear is that love dictates Hannah's actions. 

There are many changes in the Gregory sister's lives over the course of the series.  The one thing that is consistent is the bond between sisters.  Regardless of trials, failures, fortune, or life choices, these girls remain committed to supporting each other.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a wholesome and uplifting story of love and family.

 When Love Calls (The Gregory Sisters Book #1): A NovelCheck Price

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Valentines Reviewed on Review This Reviews!

Treasures from the Archives of Review This Reviews!

Valentine's Day has always been a fun day to take time to express our love for those really special people in our lives.  We most often think of our sweethearts on Valentine's Day.  However, once we become parents, we realize that this holiday can also be shared with our children, grandchildren, or even our own parents.  For some, that celebration extends to their siblings or other family members as well.  It is a celebration of love!

It isn't always necessary to give gifts to express our love, but most couples exchange gifts on Valentine's Day.  Because of that tradition, our contributor's have a special Pinterest board filled with suggestions for Valentines.  Not all of the articles on our board are published on Review This Reviews, but they are all written by our contributors.  Some of the featured websites are owned by individual contributors and some are other sites where our contributors publish articles.  Either way, we invite you to explore the gifts that we have given, or have received, that we have reviewed.  Hopefully, you will find a wonderful Valentine gift in our archives.

Welcome to Our Library of Valentine Reviews!

A Preview of the Pinterest Board - Valentine's Day Reviews 

This small board features the most recent 30 Valentine's Day Reviews.
Click through to Pinterest to see all of the articles that our Contributors have published
 on Review This Reviews! as well as other sites 

Valentine's Day Gifts and Fun Reviewed on Review This Reviews!

For a written list of the Valentine's Day related articles reviewed on Review This Reviews, please visit our Site Directory and select "Holidays" from the category tabs on that page.  You will see the Valentine's Day reviews listed there as well as other holiday articles.  We do love our holidays!

To see only the Valentine's Day articles on Review This Reviews!, simply click the Valentine's Day tab in the sidebar menu in the right sidebar.

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A Review of My Favorite Teas from Bigelow and Celestial Seasonings

Image © Barbara Radisavljevic

Hot Tea Warms Me up During Every Season

I am a tea drinker. Although I tried, I could never learn to enjoy coffee. As I read my friend and fellow contributor Louanne's review on hot tea, I realized I had a few favorite hot teas, as well. The ones I drink on a daily basis are pictured above. You've probably seen them in the tea aisle when you shop -- unless they are missing. I've found I can't always rely on my local stores having them in stock when I need them. Here's what I do to make sure I always have the teas I drink daily on my shelf. And here's how I drink them.

I Break All the Rules

I'm a tea heretic. I make my tea a pot at a time and reheat cold tea in the microwave as needed. When the pot is empty, I make another one. I first boil a full kettle of water in my Cuisinart Aura Kettle. I bought it and wrote that review in July, 2018. It's still serving me well after 18 months, and I expect it will last forever. 

While I'm watering for the water to boil, I prepare two of my five teapots by putting the bags in. I know I'm supposed to wait until the water boils and rinse out the pots with boiling water, but I don't. I still think the tea tastes good. I'm not a purist.

When the water boils, or slightly before for green or herbal teas, I pour it into my two prepared pots, one which makes about four cups and one which makes about two. If it's afternoon and my decaf teas are running low, I set up the larger pot with herbal and/or decaf bags. I make an herbal tea in the smaller pot, usually one my husband likes. If it's evening and my green tea is running low, I set up the large pot with my Honey Lemon Ginseng Green and the smaller pot with a decaf tea. I normally make four pots a day for the two of us to share. 

Morning Tea

Image © Barbara Radisavljevic

My preferred morning tea is Celestial Seasonings Honey Lemon Ginseng Green Teas with White Tea for Smooth Taste.  The teabags come in pairs. I use four bags in my larger teapot. This tea has just enough caffeine to ease me into my day. I like its mild taste with just a touch of sweetness. I prefer my tea with no sweeteners or milk. As you can see, the teabags are not sealed from the air. They have no strings, tags, or staples, either. This is because Celestial Seasonings wants its products to be sustainable and not put anything unnecessary into the landfills. That being said,  these bags are not as easy to remove from the pot as the less sustainable ones with strings and tags. 

Since I drink a pot of this tea every day, it goes fast. Each package is almost a week's supply for me, and I don't like to run out of it. So I order it in 6-packs from Amazon and use their Subscribe and Save plan so that I will get an even lower price and will be sure I won't run out. 

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Celestial Seasonings Green Tea Honey Lemon Ginseng with White Tea

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Late Afternoon and Evening Tea

My preferred teas for late in the day are pictured in the image at the top. Again, I break the rules. I mix the two. I've always liked the mild orange-spice Constant Comment from Bigelow. It used to be the only tea I drank for several years after a friend told me about it. I sometimes also drank Bigelow's Lemon Lift, another great black tea. But I know I should avoid caffeine late in the day.

Now I use the decaf version of Constant Comment late in the afternoon and evening and mix it with the Celestial Seasonings Honey Vanilla Chamomile. I mix two bags of each in the large teapot. As you can see, Bigelow does seal their tea bags, and they do have tags and strings.

The Celestial Seasonings Honey Vanilla Chamomile is often out of stock where I shop, so to be sure I have it when I want it, I order it through Amazon's Subscribe and Save program, too. The chamomile helps relax me before bed and the delicate honey and vanilla flavor blends well with the orange and spices in the Constant Comment. Have you experimented with mixing tea flavors yet?

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Celestial Seasonings Honey Vanilla Chamomile
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Constant Comment is popular enough that I can usually find it where I shop, but sometimes they don't carry the decaffeinated version. Not everyone carries the Constant Comment Green Tea, either. That's why I also use Subscribe and Save to get those. It usually saves money, as well.

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Constant Comment Green Tea *

Whenever and however you enjoy your tea, you may want to try one or more of the teas above that have become my favorites. And if you're not feeling up to par, you may also want to try a medicinal Life Style Awareness Tea. Learn more about all kinds of tea from Cynthia Sylvestermouse, who started this blog so that all of our contributors could share their reviews in one place.

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Grab Bars Suction Cup Style Reviewed

Lifestyle Changes For Seniors

One never knows when a lifestyle change warrants installing grab bars in our bathrooms. I would like to review a style that is easy to install, dependable, and won't break your budget. I'll also explain why my family suddenly found the need to even look for these handy bars that assist a person in getting up off of the toilet or getting out of the shower or tub, safely.

When a senior citizen falls, their lifestyle needs changes
image courtesy of pixabay.com 

Last month, I got that dreaded phone call from the hospital. The ER nurse informed me that my father had taken a serious fall and had been brought to the Emergency Room. They were certain that his left arm was badly broken and that surgery was most likely in his future. Naturally, I rushed to his side.

So, I'll spare you the gory details and only say that after three hours in surgery and a whole lot of hardware placed into his arm to hold the bones together, Dad is out of the hospital and currently staying in an assisted living facility to undergo physical therapy to try to regain mobility in his arm. Each day he seems to gain more of his strength back and is determined to get back to his own home. In order for him to go home, some things need to change in that environment. That is where my sudden need to find out about grab bars came into play.

Grab Bars Come in a Variety of Styles

 

As you can imagine, Dad will only have the use of one arm for quite a while. He is going to need to be able to keep his balance when doing simple things like bathing and getting up and down from the toilet. Obviously, we don't want him to fall again. So, in the hospital and the assisted living facility they have the grab bars that are the metal ones like we see in the handicap stalls in public bathrooms. When I began to look at those as an option, I have to admit that I was shocked at the cost of just one. I was willing to pay it, but I had other concerns besides the cost. Those metal ones have to be bolted to the wall and I wasn't feeling very confident in having them installed where Dad would need them. 

His shower/tub unit has the fiberglass surround. I worried about drilling holes in that. Would it cause the surround to have cracks and therefore leaks in the wall? What about studs for security in the installation?  What if the studs weren't in the place where the grab bars needed to be anchored? The last thing I wanted was for the bolts to pull out of the wall and cause unnecessary damage plus the fear of Dad falling.  

While searching for a solution, I came across the option of grab bars that use suction cups to adhere to the wall. Oh my goodness, I was so glad to find these! I won't have to worry about Dad's safety and we won't have to drill into his shower. They were so easy to place where he will need them and lock in place with a tab on the ends. I've since talked to a couple who installed them in their bathroom over a year ago and they are still secure and useful. That has eased my mind more than you can imagine!

So, now all I'm waiting on is for the doctor and physical therapist to say Dad is ready to go home. I'll be checking on him daily for a while, of course, but I won't have to worry about the time that I am not with him and his safety in the bathroom.

If you have an elderly family member, you might consider looking into these grab bars for them. Even if they haven't taken a nasty fall, something like this will aide them in having a safer way to take care of themselves while in their bathrooms.

Grab Bars Suction Cup Style

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Michelle Obama’s BECOMING Book Review

I am a Canadian who does not pay a lot of attention to American politics though I do remember the former First Lady, Michelle Obama, from the very first days that her husband became the President of the United States and I remember seeing her image time and time again during the years that followed.

Since the release of her book Becoming in November of 2018, I have been hearing about it. More recently, I saw that it was the Ottawa Public Library’s most requested book in 2019. Either of those reasons would have been a good reason to pick up the book but the actual reason that I read it was because it is my book club’s next book.

THE STORYLINE

I reached for the book with little in the way of expectations though I obviously wondered what all the hype was about. It seems a bit early (in Michelle's life) to label the book an autobiographical memoir but it is her story to date and it is told from her perspective so I guess it is a memoir of sorts.

Becoming is a story of gender equality, race, marriage and politics.

The first section, Becoming Me, shares the story of her childhood and education in Chicago and how she became who she is. That is, a highly educated woman, a lawyer cum public servant cum hospital administrator and a devoted wife and protective mother.

The second section, Becoming Us, covers her romance and her marriage to Barack Obama.

The final section, Becoming More, tells of the Obama family and their lives as public figures when Barack becomes the President of the United States. It tells how Michelle tried to retain some sense of her own identity and to achieve some sense of normalcy for her family. It shares the sacrifices she made when she put her own dreams aside to support her husband’s goals. Despite not being able to follow her own career path, she supported the work of her husband and turned her considerable talents to making meaningful contributions indirectly associated with his work.

BOOK VIDEOS

The first video shown here presents a short peek at the book and Michelle Obama’s story:

The second video, in which Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey surprise a group of school girls with a visit, does a better job  in my opinion of sharing some of Michelle's experiences becoming the First Lady and it gives you a feel for the story you will find between the covers of the book:

WHO WROTE BECOMING?

Even before I picked it up, I wondered if Michelle wrote the book or if she had employed a ghost writer. Could someone be so successful in so many areas of her life and also become a bestselling author?

I could not find anything definitive to answer that question. Business Insider says that Michelle used, “a team of people”, which makes sense to me and The News Record says that Michelle asked for help from a friend and that she and that friend met about the book on and off again for a period of nine years.

REVIEWS

Becoming is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me. I enjoyed it and think that no matter who did the writing it is a well written and very interesting book.

Politico Magazine called it a bit thin in areas and I agree with that statement. Politico says that Michelle was a “woman who sparkled all her life, ascending to registers of success she anticipated in middle school, only to sideline her ambitions for her husband's” and that while the book touches on all of that, we never learn in the end “What she wants to be when she grows up.”

Oprah Winfrey added the book to her book club list. She called it a tour de force and I agree with that statement. Oprah said you will laugh and you will cry. I think you will.

Both Business Insider and The Atlantic say that Becoming “is on track to become the best-selling memoir of all time.” That, in my mind, is a high recommendation for a book.

If you need any more convincing, I note that 94 percent of reviewers on Amazon and 91 percent of readers on Goodreads gave the book 4 or 5 out of five stars. Those are amazing numbers.

IN SUMMARY

I think Michelle Obama handled her life choices well at least as she reveals them in her book. Without having any way of knowing much about her life beyond what the media shares, I think that this book gives us as much a glimpse into her world as we will ever receive.

The New Yorker says that she has become one of the most popular Americans in history and I did not miss their reference to the fact that she has now had a “second coming, as an unprecedented, potentially billion-dollar American brand.” The Former President and First Lady reportedly were paid a whopping 65 million dollar advance for their memoirs. You can bet that we will be seeing Michelle Obama again and I look forward to following her continued life story.

Meanwhile, find your copy of Becoming competitively priced on Amazon by clicking right here.

See you
At the book store!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

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Buy your copy of Michelle Obama’s Becoming on Amazon.

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