Michelle Obama’s best-selling memoir Becoming was released on 13 November 2018, and unsurprisingly sales have gone through the roof. It was even named the best-selling hardcover of 2018!
The best-selling memoir brings readers closer to the all-time favorite first lady as it includes details from her childhood in Chicago to her days in the White House.
According to the publisher, Penguin Random House, an astonishing 725,000 copies were sold on its release date. Meanwhile, 2 million copies were sold in North America in the first 15 days.
It was the fastest selling book of 2018!
Thrilled to be @bookbroads in Portland with a book club of young women juggling careers, relationships, family, and trying to find time for themselves too.
And you don’t have to be here to take part in this conversation—let me know what you’ve been discussing! #IAmBecoming pic.twitter.com/9MXNUMpd8o
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) March 20, 2019
To date, the sales of Becoming have exceeded 10 million copies. That includes hardcover, audiobooks and e-books!
Based on the figures, everyone is rooting for Becoming to become the best-selling memoir of all time.
“I’m not aware, in my personal experience with Penguin Random House, that we ever sold 10 million units of a memoir,” said its CEO, Markus Dohle in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
Thomas Rabe, the CEO of Bertelsmann which owns Penguin Random House, said, “We believe this could become the most successful memoir ever.”
Recently I sat down with some of @Youtube’s #BookTubers and creators to talk all things #IAmBecoming. We covered everything from marriage advice, to what it means to swerve, to my favorite books. Watch the full discussion at https://t.co/k2FBZ5LUmO. pic.twitter.com/t6851uqyG0
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) March 19, 2019
According to the Washington Post, Becoming is also the best-seller in most European countries, including Britain, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, etc.
This shows that Michelle Obama’s popularity has remained on a high since the Obamas left the White House, and she is clearly extremely well respected and admired.
There are several inspirational quotes in Becoming which we think are worth sharing:
1. “If you don’t get out there and define yourself, you’ll be quickly and inaccurately defined by others.”
2. “Do we settle for the world as it is, or do we work for the world as it should be?”
3. “Failure is a feeling long before it becomes an actual result. It’s vulnerability that breeds with self-doubt and then is escalated, often deliberately, by fear.”
4. “Bullies were scared people hiding inside scary people.”
5. “At fifty-four, I am still in progress, and I hope that I always will be.”
No doubt, Michelle Obama continues to serve as an inspiration to us all.
As I prepare for the final leg of my tour, I’m hoping to hear more from all of you who’ve been discussing Becoming in book clubs! Share your thoughts with me using #IAmBecoming. Also, your book club could get tickets to one of my events—learn more at https://t.co/tOEk59nT71! pic.twitter.com/97PnvujwCb
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) February 5, 2019
What are you waiting for, quickly grab a copy of Becoming. If you’ve read it before, let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Credit: The Washington Post, WSJ, Elle