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  • The Light We Carry

  • Overcoming in Uncertain Times
  • Written by: Michelle Obama
  • Narrated by: Michelle Obama
  • Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (364 ratings)

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The Light We Carry

Written by: Michelle Obama
Narrated by: Michelle Obama
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Publisher's Summary

In an inspiring follow-up to her critically acclaimed, #1 bestselling memoir Becoming, former First Lady Michelle Obama shares practical wisdom and powerful strategies for staying hopeful and balanced in today’s highly uncertain world.

There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with listeners, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?

Michelle Obama offers listeners a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles—the earned wisdom that helps her continue to “become.” She details her most valuable practices, like “starting kind,” “going high,” and assembling a “kitchen table” of trusted friends and mentors. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging listeners to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness.

“When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it,” writes Michelle Obama. A rewarding blend of powerful stories and profound advice that will ignite conversation, The Light We Carry inspires listeners to examine their own lives, identify their sources of gladness, and connect meaningfully in a turbulent world.

©2022 Random House Group (P)2022 Random House Audio

Featured Article: Great Podcast Moments with Michelle Obama


With the launch of Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast, we're shining a light on the former First Lady’s special appearances as a guest on other podcasts. Unsurprisingly, the podcast world suits Mrs. Obama—she’s easy to talk to and a good listener. We’ve dug up some of her best podcast conversations, where she opens up about her childhood, life at the White House, parenting, and so much more. Needless to say, we’re definitely listening.

What listeners say about The Light We Carry

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Easy for her

She’s had a charmed life with loving parents then loving husband. She’s never had to deal with an abusive parent or a husband who leaves you for another woman. So it’s hard to take her advice on her strengths and what to do to get success when she hasn’t struggled with immediate family turning on her. Also, it seems like she’s writing the book 10 Presse school teacher, trying to use the right wording etc.. Therefore not much personality in the book. So it’s a little bit disappointing with her trying to be so perfect. It makes it kind of boring. Although I really like Michelle Obama as a First Lady, and as a woman.

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disappointing content

I love Michelle but this book felt more like a typical self help book than anything else. I loved becoming but this one just isn't for me.

4 people found this helpful

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Excellent read

Michelle provides many tools that anyone can utilize. Growing up in a family who provided love and clear guidance, she learned to stand on your own two feet, during difficult situations. She doesn’t buy into the idea of victim consciousness, and recognizes how every action she takes impacts both herself and everyone in her sphere. Thank you for this treasure, Michelle, and all that you do to make our world the best it can be.

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Go high

What an inspiring book! While telling her own story Michelle Obama encourages us to take action, to always act with integrity and to be open-minded to everyone’s different story. Beautifully written!

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Inspired again

This book has a beautiful build to its structure. By the end I was engrossed in her message because it was so thoughtfully crafted from the start.

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Enlightening & uplifting

Even better than her first book! These are the kinds of books they should be reading in high school / college. She addresses so many of the issues we carry around on a daily basis

I will definitely be listening again

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Heartfelt and Practical

This book is full of love and hope while acknowledging the suffering and injustice in this world. I am glad she shared her thoughts and perspectives and that I was able to listen to them.

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Amazing!!

I could listen to Michelle all day, her wisdom is what we need right now.

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Inspired

Love that Michelle narrated. Her words are soothing and very encouraging. I feel more hopeful after listening to this book.

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  • Lee
  • 2023-05-17

Time well spent

Love that Michelle narrated her story it helped with connecting to her experiences.She beautifully articulates how to gain perspective around issues that are difficult to navigate. Lots of nuggets to take away from this book.

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  • Patricia Webb
  • 2022-11-29

Very Disappointing—Too Ego-filled

I was looking forward to listening to this, but I have stopped about 4 hours in because it’s her autobiography part 2 rather than actually discussing how to manage in uncertain times. She talks about herself 98% of the time and throws in one or two lines directed to help the reader learn how to manage uncertainty. She focuses on herself and her challenges—many of the same ones she presented in Belonging but does not add anything new yo the stories. It is a solipsistic view that forgets to invite the reader into the process. At times, her tone of voice sounds very preachy and holier-than-thou. Not at all what I expected from the way the book was described or how it was promoted. If you want to hear about the same stories she told in Belonging but presented in a less genuine way, the book might be for you. But if you actually want solid, practical advice about how to manage uncertainty, this is not the book for you.

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  • Bridget A. Shea
  • 2022-11-30

Boring and fluff

I am a big fan of Michelle Obama but this book drags and is slow, boring and a fluffy attempt at psychology??

51 people found this helpful

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  • Bri Black
  • 2022-11-15

This Little Light of Mine

I couldn't stop listening to this book today! I am in awe of the vastness of the space in this book.

Space to mourn the losses, big and small that we have experienced in a global pandemic. Space to weep over the choices we have made as a country.

Space to give ourselves and others grace, love and understanding.

Space to cultivate a garden of hope from the tiny choices we have the power to make in our own lives.

Space to let the hardships and traumas we face to grow a unique flame in us that we can shine outward to help those in our community.

Space to dream the biggest dreams of a world filled with brokenness but also so much love, light and connection that there is space for everyone at the table.

47 people found this helpful

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  • Anna, Huntington Beach CA
  • 2022-11-22

Exactly What I Needed To Hear Right Now

I am a white female who is almost 60 (OMG!!) and I'm going thru a rough patch with family deaths (and seriously horrible things they left behind), plus I'm not in the best financial shape. I was in a rut, with heavy anxiety, and thinking that it was too late to do anything about my straights. Michelle's words about really resonated with me. Seriously, I felt better and made changes in the first hour of listening. I finished the book in two days and have made "Going High" my motto. Honestly, we all have issues, and we unfortunately weren't raised by Mrs. Robinson, but Michelle loans her out to us and we can each learn from her wisdom! Thanks for continuing to write Michelle.

44 people found this helpful

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  • Barbara Brown
  • 2022-11-15

Wonderful, but who’s surprised?!

Though I love Mrs. Obama, it was the subtitle that drew me to this book. I also have a book club and there’s a separate guide for them which was so beautiful that they thought of that. The book is beautiful, reflective, wonderfully written. Listening to it reminded me of the uplifting, and unapologetic voice of the beautiful woman.

37 people found this helpful

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  • Emily C. Maher
  • 2022-11-15

This is Exactly the Book We Need Right Now

Thank goodness for this calm, encouraging, heartfelt rallying cry. This is exactly what we need both individually and collectively. Lately, in the news, I haven't known what to expect or what to believe about the future. Michelle Obama reminds me to put my power back in my own hands and try new and bold experiments, even when I'm scared. We are tired, and we are measuring our energy, but we are ENOUGH to move forward, both bravely and cautiously at the same time. Thank you.

24 people found this helpful

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  • tasha
  • 2022-11-17

Exceptional

I have read a few books more then once but never with an audible book. This is a master class that I will revisit over as I go on through out life apply what I continue to learn from Michelle Obama.

21 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2022-11-21

Love Michelle 1st book... this one not so much

I was so excited to get her latest book, but couldn't listen to it after a few pages her narration wasn't the same tone as the first book and annoying tone just distracted me. I may read the actual paper version.

19 people found this helpful

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  • Jerry Miller
  • 2022-12-03

Seemed a but self-satisfied and overly woke.

a bit hard to listen to a person who attended Princeton then Harvard Law school. such trials and tribulations. she writes well; but I had a tough time with her tremendous "outsider" story. A bit too much rah. rah. wokieness.

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  • VICTORIA
  • 2023-01-14

Disappointed and Cheesy

The way she speaks made me feel like I was a kid at an assembly listening to a well rehearsed “go after your dreams” speech. She also sounded like she was a bad overly dramatic actress. Do not get me wrong, I really do like her and President Obama, so I was super excited to hear her book. It’s just too Rah-Rah for me and couldn’t continue after two nights of listening to it. My mind was more focused on her strenuous voice and it irritated me more than anything. Sorry Michelle… maybe one day I’ll check out the book at a library. I’m sure this book has great info, hopefully… most readers seem to like it.

15 people found this helpful

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  • SP
  • 2023-01-12

A good read for thoughts

Beautifully written, I have loved to hear it read directly from Michelle Obama. The book contains many reflections, stories and ideas on how to move forward in different moments and aspects of your life without the presumption to tell you what to do.

1 person found this helpful

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  • ndeye
  • 2023-01-06

excellent

A sincere Book, it felt like I was in the same room with her, on thé kitchen table.
it gave me Hope again

1 person found this helpful

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  • AMF
  • 2023-01-10

Insipid

I’m a big fan of Michelle Obama and absolutely loved “Becoming”, so it pains me to write this review. Unfortunately, after that rich and riveting autobiography, this book feels like leftovers (some anecdotes are even repeated). Not only is the content a bit too fluffy for my taste, the narration is painfully slow and almost depressing (I ended up listening at 1.3x speed and still felt it was slow). The content and rendition would have been fine for a podcast, but I just don’t think this is up to the standards of an actual book.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2022-12-27

Inspirant, encourageant, constructif

Michelle Obama, comme toujours, partage sa paix accompagnée de sa détermination à créer un monde meilleur.