The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
Publisher: Crown Publishing
Pub Date: 11/15/2022

Thank you to Crown Publishing for the free book and PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook in exchange for my honest review. 

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with readers, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?

Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles—the earned wisdom that helps her continue to “become.” She details her most valuable practices, like “starting kind,” “going high,” and assembling a “kitchen table” of trusted friends and mentors. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness.

“When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it,” writes Michelle Obama. A rewarding blend of powerful stories and profound advice that will ignite conversation, The Light We Carry inspires readers to examine their own lives, identify their sources of gladness, and connect meaningfully in a turbulent world.

Review: The Light We Carry is a memoir/self help book. This nonfiction book dives into overcoming self-doubt, gladness, hope, and power. Overall, I enjoyed this book. The audiobook is wonderful because Michelle narrates it herself and it felt like I was listening to a dear friend give me advice. The hardback copy was also great because she shares photos each chapter. In terms of the writing style, I really loved the way that Michelle broke down what tools and advice what worked for her along with what she would. She also stresses in the beginning that the advice she gives worked for her but for the reader to choose what may work for them and disregard what won’t. I appreciated that she acknowledged her privilege in some areas. What made this book the powerful was she shared a vulnerable side of self-doubt, fears, and anxiety but talks about what she uses to change that into something that is actionable and powerful. Highly recommend picking this up if you’re a fan of Michelle!