The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times

The Light We Carry continues a long tradition of US First Ladies sharing their experiences and perspectives in personal memoirs and other literature. The first was First Lady Abigail Adams’ book Letters of Mrs. Adams, a record of her correspondence that was published in 1840. Likewise, First Lady Dolley Madison, with the help of an editor, published a memoir and letters in 1886. Helen Taft, the wife of President William Taft, released her memoir Recollections of Full Years in 1914. In the following decades, other First Ladies published memoirs as well, making the practice more commonplace. Edith Wilson wrote My Memoirs, Grace Coolidge penned several memoir-style articles for The American Magazine, and Lady Bird Johnson’s A White House Diary sold more copies than her husband President Lyndon B. Johnson’s memoir. This trend continued with the memoirs of Rosalynn Carter, Betty Ford, and Barbara Bush, whose memoirs eclipsed their husbands’ book sales. The tone and content of these books differed from author to author, some focusing on light content such as clothing and social engagements and others using their memoirs as opportunities to express their opinions, defend their husbands’ administrations, and settle political scores.

By the time Michelle Obama left her position as First Lady in 2016, publishing a memoir wasn’t only common but expected. Her publisher, Crown, paid Obama $60 million for her personal memoir, Becoming, which has reportedly sold more than 17 million copies internationally since its release in 2018. This incredible success points to Obama’s popularity among Americans and shows how she connected with an international audience. Her success as an author helped solidify her reputation as a leader with her own distinct story and personality.

The Light We Carry, her second book, sets a new precedent in the niche genre of First Ladies’ memoirs because she not only includes personal anecdotes and political opinions but also directly addresses readers and offers life advice. By fusing the genres of memoir and self-help, Obama more directly engages with her supporters, sometimes explicitly referring to questions and letters. In addition, she taps into Americans’ enthusiasm for self-improvement by mimicking some of the style and diction typical of the genre. While Obama writes for a diverse audience, she frequently examines the problem of racial discrimination in the US, and repeatedly addresses the feelings of “differentness” that visible minorities may cope with throughout their personal and professional lives. Being the first Black First Lady of the United States makes Obama’s success and visibility especially meaningful to many Americans, and she addresses the significance of this representation many times in her work. These insights distinguish her work from other First Ladies’ work. She uses the opportunity to address the challenges that many Black Americans face, such as whether to conform or live authentically, and how to best confront discrimination and racist behavior. Obama uses anecdotes from her own life to illustrate her insights and relates experiences from other people of color such as judge Katanji Brown Jackson, civil rights leader John Lewis, academic W. E. B. Du Bois, and actor Mindy Kaling. Since its release in 2022, The Light We Carry has become a number one bestseller, showing Obama’s continued popularity with readers—and the public’s ongoing fascination with First Ladies.