I would love to read or watch a conversation about literature and politics and basically anything else between Zadie Smith and Malia.
4
I love Michelle, but I do not love this comment: “Even if a book takes on serious topics, I think it should still be fun to read.”
Authors and readers, please take note that some topics and areas of life are devastating and books about these devastating things do not need to be fun to read.
5
Michelle Obama was and still is the First Lady forever on the South Side of Chicago.
5
More class and dignity in a single column than in the entirety of the years to date of the Trump White House.
26
I guess Mrs. Obama passed on the question, "if you could recommend one book to the President, what would it be?"
You missed out on a great opportunity ma'am. How about "Goodnight Moon"?
7
"An American Marriage" is a wonderful book.
Love you Michelle!
Keep inspiring us!
7
This woman continues to exude class, grace and intelligence. I hope she has been sufficiently thanked for the way she represented the United States for eight years.
18
Growing up Jewish in the suburbs of NY there was also not a lot in the world of television or books that I could relate to. Yes the characters were white but we didn’t go to church or celebrate Christmas and my split level house could never compare to window seats and secret attics of the books I read. But I loved Pippi Londstocking and I did actually look like her with reddish hair, freckles and pigtails. I have often wondered why it is I relate so much to Michelle Obama. We even have loving the Dick Van Dyke show in common. But after reading this and her book I now know. She is grounded in reality, utterly practical and pragmatic and her family comes first. I admire this woman more than I can express. I wish I could be her friend.
46
@ann Just the feeling I’ve felt in my heart, but was unable to find the words: “I wish I could be her friend”.
16
Just when I though I could not love her choices more, she mentions Pippi Longstocking--what a marvelous, unstoppable character for all girls to read about.
30
@Mege Gardner, not only for girls. Boys can easily enjoy reading about pippi. And occasionally about "that boy Emil" ;) of course just as good for girls!
6
@Mege Gardner Funny thing is that I, a Puerto Rican girl growing up in a low income community in lower Manhattan a very long time ago, also loved Pippi Longstocking. Still do, actually. I suppose she is an universal character. My liking for Michelle Obama is over the top now.
4
The reading enjoyed by the Obamas makes up for the lack of it by the next incumbent. Curious that Michelle was not asked the usual question in this series: what reading would she recommend to the current President?
14
@Christopher Hawtree
I would hope that she would recommend that Trump read a policy paper or report. Perhaps the recent report put out by his own administration on climate change.
As much as Trump has said that he has read parts of it, I don't think that anyone really believes that he has read anything more than the title on the cover.
23
@Christopher Hawtree: Haven't you heard? Trump refuses to read.
5
@Christopher Hawtree I wonder if the president has an undiagnosed & untreated reading disorder that would explain his deep aversion to reading.
1
Michele Obama is an inspiration
therefore it is a special treat
to receive her book suggestions.
There was no place for comments
in the Isabel Wilkerson Book Review
which was very insightful. I appreciated
the context of the Jim Crow era laws.
Mrs. Obama was a great source
of pride for our country and it
pains me to think of the spiteful
criticisms that she had to endure.
Not only did she survive, she
prevailed. I am very happy
for her that her book has been
well received and that life has
been good to her.
33
You know, Ezra Jack Keats never mentioned in the text of THE SNOWY DAY, that Peter is an African-American, we just saw ourselves reflected in the illustrations. Later on, as an adult, I remember reading that a schoolteacher had written to Keats that after reading his book, the children in her class had begun using brown crayons to draw themselves. Before, they had drawn themselves with pink crayons, but now they were seeing themselves.
51
@Molly Bloom I remember the moment that I struggled with how to color my own brown skin in 1st grade. The Snowy Day showed me that I could.
15
What a lovely "By The Book" interview. Love the First Lady; the smarts, the compassion, the authenticity, the humor, the style, the glamour, the "South Side" (everywhere!), and the graciousness. WE love you, Mo!
24
Gee, a former First Lady and U.S. President who have a wide-ranging love of books and are deeply thoughtful, caring and inquisitive. What a concept. I sure do miss them!
130
I am not african american but I am a brown person. The Snowy Day made such an indelible impression on me when I was 5. A brown skinned kid just being a kid, with confidence and self assuredness. Now as a middle aged woman, Mrs Obama has the same effect--A brown woman just being a human being with power, confidence and self assuredness. White people might not understand what it means to us see diversity, to see our selves represented, and to know that we can belong anywhere. But I am thrilled to death that President and Mrs Obama is going to continue being icons for all of us.
123
@Ms B
Thank you Ms. B. I was gifted this book soon after the birth of my first son. We enjoyed it together many times; once he asked innocently why Peter had brown skin, different than his own, and that led to a wonderful talk about why, and why it shouldn't matter but still does.
18
@Ms B
Amazing a book can be so lasting. It's a lovely story, I read it 48 years ago, Snowy Day has really stuck with me.
10
Ditto, gwmiller. I wanted to be first, but will settle for two (or three?).
3
I just finished "Becoming", and loved it so much that I was frustrated when I went on Amazon Books to give it a five-star review, and found the site was overloaded and couldn't accommodate any more reviews of that book. So let me say it here: the lady can write! The descriptions of her childhood neighborhood and the people in her life were as beautifully described as a seasoned novelist could have done it, propelling the reader into that world. In addition, she has a way of remarking on the deeper aspects of her characterizations that give a window into broader issues.
61
@Ellen
Of course she can write. She is a product of the Chicago Public Schools K-12. Just like Lorraine Hansberry. And me too.
8
@Blackmamba Hear, hear! I'm the product of Cleveland public schools during the '50s and '60s. No school I went to later on, including a pricey private school in Switzerland (my father's job took us overseas) was as good. In 4th grade, we parsed our little hearts out until we truly understood all the parts of speech, how they relate to one another and how to use them to give shade to meaning. I later went into publishing, thanks to my public school education, particularly grades 1-4.
It makes me so sad to see how public schooling has been not only devalued and allowed to deteriorate, but actively encouraged to do so.
6
I love how passionate and relatable she is about every thing she does. We are lucky to have her as a role model.
56
Please pass on to Ms. Obama the thanks of an ancient, retired Army/Navy vet for a wonderful reading list for our families’ New Year and for the eight wonderful years she gave in the service of our country.
92
I wonder why the interviewer did not ask the stock question "What books would you recommend that POTUS should read?"
28
@M.K. Ferris
oxymoron
5
@M.K. Ferris
I am sure M.O. is well aware of this column's usual questions. She likely requested it be omitted keeping the focus on this amazing woman and patriot.
4
One of my fav people : Michelle Obama. As a woman from a third world country, Michelle’s life could have been my version of an American dream. A few weeks ago I googled her book tour schedule to New York , yes there was one at Barkley center, yay...then the ticket price!!! Too much for me. But I’ll read the book! I’m sure I’ll enjoy it, the same i enjoyed her husband’s! Go Michelle !
24
@Miahona
She is out collecting and counting her coins.
A black female wit suggested that for the price of the book tour ticket she would expect that Barack, Michelle, Malia, Sasha and Bo would come to her home and take turns reading the book to her until she fell asleep.
1
Love her book too!
10
I'm such a Michelle fan! I loved "Becoming." (I just had to say it.)
39
@gwmiller
A wonderful interview! Really felt as though Michelle was talking directly to me as a person, and as a reader!
21