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Michelle Obama, on The Way to Achieve a New Milestone With Her Book, ‘Becoming’

Is there anything Michelle Obama couldn’t do? Over the years, the former first lady of the United States has proven she’s more than that title alone.

And now, she’s achieved even more with the success of her memoir, Becoming.

A record-breaker

Obama during an interview with Oprah Winfrey about her book

First published in November last year, Becoming is still selling like hotcakes. In fact, its solid sales numbers are said to be a rare feat in the current state of publishing. Penguin Random House estimates that Obama’s memoir has sold a total of 10 million copies. This number includes sales from physical copies, audiobook and e-book versions of the book.

Because of this massive number (which is still moving up as more copies are sold), people are saying that the 55-year-old’s work is the best-selling memoir to ever be published. Penguin Random House’s chief executive even came out to say that he’s never seen such numbers from any other book they’ve published in the same genre. It seems like the $30 million book advance they gave Obama to write it is well worth the price.

The book offers an intimate look at the private life of one of the most progressive and beloved first ladies in American history. It offers a rare glimpse into Obama’s childhood, her days as an Ivy League student and, of course, her time at the White House.

Fastest Selling Book

The couple first met while they were working at a legal firm after law school. They’ve been married for almost 27 years.

Not only is Becoming a confirmed bestseller, it’s also one of the fastest selling books of 2018. It sold a whopping 725,000 copies just on its first day of release. Two weeks later, it sold a total of 2 million copies. It would end the year with the distinction of being the biggest-selling hardcover book.

According to sources, Obama was able to bolster her sales because of the extensive tour she went on to promote her book. The tour saw the lawyer and mother of two at large speaking events and high profile talk show appearances. Most notable of these is her interview with media personality Oprah Winfrey who also happens to be a close friend of hers.

While Obama definitely had to take the backseat to support her husband Barack Obama during his two terms as president, she’s now even besting him when it comes to sales. Barack’s two memoirs, The Audacity of Hope and Dreams From My Father, sold a combined total of 7.5 million copies. That’s not even half of his wife’s total sales.

Other Works

Obama has previously released a couple of other books including one about gardens

Although without a doubt the most successful to date, Becoming, isn’t Obama’s first published book.

One of her previous bestsellers includes American Grown, which is a book about the kitchen garden she planted in the White House as well as other gardens in America. The White House garden was first cultivated in 2009 as part of the then-first lady’s Let’s Move!, a campaign against childhood obesity. Proceeds of the book’s sales were donated to the National Park Foundation.

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