The meaning of Michelle : 16 writers on the iconic first lady and how her journey inspires our own

Title:

Author:

Chambers, Veronica editor.

ISBN:

9781250114969

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

xiii, 220 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Abstract:

"Michelle Obama is unlike any other First Lady in American History. From her first moments on the public stage, she has challenged traditional American notions about what it means to be beautiful, to be strong, to be fashion-conscious, to be healthy, to be First Mom, to be a caretaker and hostess, and to be partner to the most powerful man in the world. As Hillary Clinton has said, admiringly about Michelle Obama, our soon to be ex-First Lady exemplifies "the ideal concept of American womanhood." What is remarkable is that, at 52, she is just getting started. While many books have looked at Michelle Obama from a fashion perspective, no book has fully explored what Michelle Obama means to our culture. The Meaning of Michelle will do just that, while offering a parting gift to a landmark moment in American history. This deliciously readable collection presents a chorus of diverse voices with smart, engaging perspectives on Michelle Obama. There will be a preface by Ava Duvernay and an introduction by Veronica Chambers. Confirmed contributors include Roxane Gay, Rebecca Walker, Chirlene McCray, Melissa Harris Perry, Brittney Cooper, Tiffany Dufu, Alicia Hall Moran and Jason Moran, Sarah Lewis, Dr. Janet Taylor, Benilde Little, Marcus Samuelsson, Phillipa Soo and Cathi Hanauer. "-- Provided by publisher.

Personal Subject:

Obama, Michelle, 1964-

BISAC Subject:

Bio / Leader

History / US

Subject Term:

Presidents' spouses -- United States -- Biography.

Added Author:

Chambers, Veronica

Little, Benilde. Michelle in high cotton.

Young, Damon Crushing on Michelle: or the unapologetic power of blackness.

Moran, Alicia Hall. Composer and the brain: a conversation about music, power, creativity, partnership...and the Obamas.

Cooper, Brittney C., 1980- Lady O and King Bey.

Caviness, Ylonda Gault. We go way back.

McCray, Chirlane. Two black first ladies walk into a room.

Hanauer, Cathi. Becoming the wife.

Dufu, Tiffany. On being flawlessly imperfect.

Ford, Tanisha. She slays: Michelle Obama & the power of dressing like you mean it.

Samuelsson, Marcus Cooking with a narrative.

Available:*

Format	Library	Call Number	Status
Book	Searching... Chenier Center Branch	973.932 Mea	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... East Regional Library	B Obama Mea	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Main Library	B Obama Cha	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... North Regional Library	973.932 Mea	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

A NEW IN NONFICTION PEOPLE PICK | A TIME TOP 10 NONFICTION BOOK OF 2017 | NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2017 BY: The Huffington Post * Glamour * Bustle * RedEye

A Los Angeles Times bestseller

**One of BookRiot's '11 Books to Help Us Make It Through a Trump Presidency'**
**One of The Guardian 's Essentials for Black History Month**

"Whenever I think about Michelle Obama, I think, 'When I grow up, I want to be just like her. I want to be that intelligent, confident, and comfortable in my own skin'." --Roxane Gay

"Even after eight years of watching them daily in the press, the fact that the most powerful man in the world is a Black man is still breathtaking to me. The fact that he goes home to a tight-knit, loving family headed by a Black woman is soul-stirring. That woman is Michelle. Michelle. That name now carries a whole world of meaning..." --From the Preface by Ava DuVernay

Michelle Obama is unlike any other First Lady in American History. From her first moments on the public stage, she has challenged traditional American notions about what it means to be beautiful, to be strong, to be fashion-conscious, to be healthy, to be First Mom, to be a caretaker and hostess, and to be partner to the most powerful man in the world. What is remarkable is that, at 52, she is just getting started.

While many books have looked at Michelle Obama from a fashion perspective, no book has fully explored what she means to our culture. The Meaning of Michelle does just that, while offering a parting gift to a landmark moment in American history. In addition to a tribute to Michelle Obama, this book is also a rollicking, lively dinner party conversation about race, class, marriage, creativity, womanhood and what it means to be American today.

Contributors include: Ava DuVernay, Veronica Chambers, Benilde Little, Damon Young, Alicia Hall Moran and Jason Moran, Brittney Cooper, Ylonda Gault Caviness, Chirlane McCray, Cathi Hanauer, Tiffany Dufu, Tanisha Ford, Marcus Samuelsson, Sarah Lewis, Karen Hill Anton, Rebecca Carroll, Phillipa Soo, and Roxane Gay

Author Notes

Veronica Chambers was born in Panama and raised in Brooklyn. She attended Simon's Rock College at Bard. She is a prolific writter. Mama's Girl is her acclaimed memoir. Some of her other work includes Kickboxing Geishas: How Japanese Women Are Changing Their Nation, and The Joy of Doing Things Badly: A Girl's Guide to Love, Life and Foolish Bravery. She has contributed to several anthologies and has also written books for children and teens. Her latest book as a contributor is in Michael Strahan's book, Wake Up Happy: The Dream Big, Win Big Guide to Transforming Your Life.

Reviews (4)

Publisher's Weekly Review

This charming series of 15 essays about Michelle Obama, deftly assembled by editor Chambers (Mama's Girl), finds inspiration in various facets of the 46th First Lady of the United States as her time in that role draws to a close. Chirlane McCray, First Lady of New York City, draws parallels between their respective positions in "Two Black First Ladies Walk into a Room." Amherst professor Tanisha Ford ruminates on Obama's evolving sense of style, from J. Crew to Jason Wu, in "She Slays." Chef Marcus Samuelsson shares his excitement in preparing the Obamas' first state dinner in "Cooking with a Narrative" (complete with mouthwatering menu). Rutgers professor Brittney Cooper examines the friendship of Michelle Obama and Beyoncé in "Lady O and King Bey." Many of the contributors applaud the validation they feel the Obama administration has given them. In "Crushing on Michelle," Damon Young, founder of the online magazine VSB, contrasts his own generation's experience to that of his young niece and nephew, for whom an African-American president and first lady "is literally all they know." That sense of gratitude resonates through each offering in this compilation, a warm tribute to an inspiring woman of color who has lived in the public eye for more than eight years. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Review

A collection of essays that genuflect before a first lady like no other.Though many will miss President Barack Obama, this book suggests that Michelle Obama will be missed even more and that her popularity, accomplishments, and sheer presence have bolstered her husbands. If he found a way to convince this amazing woman to accept his hand and have his children, hes exactly the type of man I want to be my president, explains Damon Young, a columnist and contributing editor for Ebony and one of the few male contributors to a collection dominated by African-American women. Hes not the only one to comment on her curvy behind, though hes the only one who uses that term. Wherever historians end up ranking the Obama presidency, early returns suggest that no first lady has been as beloved and influential since Jackie Kennedy. Michelle has served as a game changer for Black women, and it turned out all women, writes editor Chambers, giving her a singular legacy that she is still plenty young enough to extend (as Roxane Gay suggests in her concluding essay). The variety of contributors allows for different perspectives on their common subjectas a fashion icon, a cultural arbiter, the self-proclaimed mom-in-chief, partner in a mutual girl crush with Beyonc, fitness and food advocate, and a wife who supports but does not defer. 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. As Rebecca Carroll suggests, she represents at least 60 percent of what America will miss most about the Obama presidency. While writing about the first lady, most of these perceptive essayists are also writing about themselves and their country, showing the shifts in perception and possibility that she has helped inspire. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* When Michelle Obama stepped on the national stage as the First Lady, she challenged the view most Americans had about that largely ceremonial position. She had been criticized during the campaign as an angry black woman and scrutinized for everything from her bangs to her fist bumps. But all along, Obama has had admirers who applauded her sense of authenticity as well as her sense of style. Writer and editor Chambers gathered essays from a wide range of admirers who examine Obama's indelible impact on American culture as they explore what her First Ladyship has meant to them as artists, writers, social commentators, and journalists. The contributors recall Obama's Bring Back Our Girls campaign when 276 Nigerian girls were kidnapped by terrorists, and her role as mom-in-chief campaigning to fight childhood obesity. They also recall criticisms by some feminists for her traditional role and applause from black women delighted to see a traditional black family on national display. Many praise her accessibility, her combination of success and a home girl quality that has validated the ambitions of women, particularly black women. Among the 16 contributors are novelist Benilde Little; Tony-nominated actress Phillipa Soo; film director Ava Duvernay; and Charlene McCray, First Lady of New York City. This is a glorious tribute to an incredible woman.--Bush, Vanessa Copyright 2016 Booklist

Library Journal Review

Editor Chambers (Mama's Girl) has assembled an engaging and delightful collection to help readers recognize that -Michelle Obama is a distinct American icon, welcomed for her fresh approach to the role of First Lady. The essayists in this collection include women's studies and African American scholars, musicians, film industry leaders, and best-selling authors. For example, Hamilton star Phillipa Soo describes Obama's visit to her dressing room at the Public Theater, saying "this is the best piece of art I've ever seen." Many essays are lighthearted tributes to the ability of the author to relate to the experience of the First Lady as a black female professional, a "mom-in-chief," or a devoted popular culture and pop music fan. Several express their admiration for Obama's ease and refusing to give in to pressures and expectations to be someone she is not. Most express a belief that she is an example for African American girls and women to refuse limitations to dreams and goals. VERDICT Readers who wish to know more about the First Lady's influence and who want to understand her impact will enjoy the perceptions expressed in this unusual collection. [See Prepub Alert, 7/18/16.]-Jill Ortner, SUNY Buffalo Libs. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Ava DuvernayVeronica ChambersBenillde LittleDamon YoungAlicia Hall Moran and Jason MoranBrittney CooperYlonda Gault CavinessChirlane McCrayCathi HanauerTiffany DufuTanisha C. FordMarcus SamuelssonSarah LewisKaren Hill AntonRebecca CarrollPhillipa SooRoxane Gay

Preface	p. xi
Introduction: Homegirls	p. 1
Michelle in High Cotton	p. 13
Crushing on Michelle: Or the Unapologetic Power of Blackness	p. 33
The Composer and the Brain: A Conversation about Music, Marriage, Power, Creativity, Partnership ... and the Obamas	p. 45
Lady O and King Bey	p. 57
We Go Way Back	p. 69
Two Black First Ladies Walk into a Room	p. 73
Becoming the Wife	p. 85
On Being Flawlessly Imperfect	p. 101
She Slays: Michelle Obama & the Power of Dressing Like You Mean It	p. 115
Cooking with a Narrative	p. 131
Michelle Obama: Representational Justice	p. 145
The Freedom to Be Yourself	p. 155
She Loves Herself When She Is Laughing: Michelle Obama, Taking Down a Stereotype and Co-Creating a Presidency	p. 171
The Best of Wives and Best of Women	p. 181
Making Space	p. 191
Contributor Biographies	p. 199
Acknowledgments	p. 211
Notes	p. 217

Available:*

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (4)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Kirkus Review

Booklist Review

Library Journal Review

Table of Contents