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Read-Alikes: Becoming

If you like Michelle Obama's "Becoming," try these read-alikes. Our recommended titles feature inspiring, engaging, and reflective stories from and about famous men and women.

More than enough : claiming space for who you are (no matter what they say) by Elaine Welteroth

"In this part-manifesto, part-memoir, the revolutionary editor who infused social consciousness into the pages of Teen Vogue explores what it means to come into your own--on your own terms Throughout her life, Elaine Welteroth has climbed the ranks of media and fashion, shattering ceilings along the way. In this riveting and timely memoir, the groundbreaking journalist unpacks lessons on race, identity, and success through her own journey, from navigating her way as the unstoppable child of a unlikely interracial marriage in small-town California to finding herself on the frontlines of a modern movement for the next generation of change makers. Welteroth moves beyond the headlines and highlight reels to share the profound lessons and struggles of being abarrier-breaker across so many intersections. As a young boss and the only black woman in the room, she's had enough of the world telling her--and all women--they're not enough. As she learns to rely on herself by looking both inward and upward, we're ultimately reminded that we're more than enough"--

Spoken from the heart : A Memoir by Laura Welch Bush

In a candid memoir, the former first lady discusses the frantic and fearful months after September 11th, her trip to Afghanistan, her advocacy on behalf of women in oppressed countries, her love of libraries, and what really happens in the White House

Truman by David G McCullough

Hailed by critics as an American masterpiece, David McCullough's sweeping biography of Harry S. Truman captured the heart of the nation. The life and times of the 33rd president of the United States, Truman provides a deeply moving look at an extraordinary, singular American.

Trailblazer : a pioneering journalist's fight to make the media look more like America by Dorothy Butler Gilliam

Most civil rights victories are achieved behind the scenes, and this riveting, beautifully written memoir by a "Black first" looks back with searing insight on the decades of struggle, friendship, courage, humor, and savvy that secured what seems commonplace today - people of color working in mainstream media.

Dear Abigail : the intimate lives and revolutionary ideas of Abigail Adams and her two remarkable sisters by Diane Jacobs

Documents the intertwined stories of America's second First Lady and her two sisters, tracing their colonial childhoods, eyewitness roles in the American Revolution, and adult influence on the country's early history

Whiskey in a teacup : what growing up in the South taught me about life, love, and baking biscuits by Reese Witherspoon

Academy Award–winning actress, producer, and entrepreneur Reese Witherspoon invites you into her world, where she infuses the southern style, parties, and traditions she loves with contemporary flair and charm. Reese Witherspoon’s grandmother Dorothea always said that a combination of beauty and strength made southern women “whiskey in a teacup.” We may be delicate and ornamental on the outside, she said, but inside we’re strong and fiery. Reese’s southern heritage informs her whole life, and she loves sharing the joys of southern living with practically everyone she meets. She takes the South wherever she goes with bluegrass, big holiday parties, and plenty of Dorothea’s fried chicken. It’s reflected in how she entertains, decorates her home, and makes holidays special for her kids—not to mention how she talks, dances, and does her hair (in these pages, you will learn Reese’s fail-proof, only slightly insane hot-roller technique). Reese loves sharing Dorothea’s most delicious recipes as well as her favorite southern traditions, from midnight barn parties to backyard bridal showers, magical Christmas mornings to rollicking honky-tonks. It’s easy to bring a little bit of Reese’s world into your home, no matter where you live. After all, there’s a southern side to every place in the world, right?

Edison by Edmund Morris

Although Thomas Alva Edison was the most famous American of his time, and remains an international name today, he is mostly remembered only for the gift of universal electric light. His invention of the first practical incandescent lamp 140 years ago so dazzled the world - already reeling from his invention of the phonograph and dozens of other revolutionary devices - that it cast a shadow over his later achievements. In all, this near-deaf genius ("I haven’t heard a bird sing since I was 12 years old") patented 1,093 inventions, not including others, such as the X-ray fluoroscope, that he left unlicensed for the benefit of medicine.

Recipient of the National Medal, the nation's highest honor for libraries.