'Discovering Deeper Truths' at Heart of Obama's New Book

Former first lady's 'The Light We Carry' will be out on Nov. 15, 4 years after blockbuster 'Becoming'
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jul 21, 2022 7:06 AM CDT
4 Years After Blockbuster Book, Another From Michelle Obama
Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks at the Culture of Democracy Summit in Los Angeles on June 13.   (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Michelle Obama will have a book out this fall, The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times, in which she reflects upon her experiences and shares insights on navigating an increasingly stressful world. It's the former first lady's first entirely new work since the 2018 release of Becoming. That blockbuster sold more than 17 million copies worldwide, surpassing the sales of any memoir by a previous first lady or modern president, including her husband, former President Obama, per the AP.

"I've learned it's okay to recognize that self-worth comes wrapped in vulnerability, and that what we share as humans on this earth is the impulse to strive for better, always and no matter what," Michelle Obama writes in the book's introduction, included in Thursday's announcement by the Random House Publishing Group and its imprint Crown. "In The Light We Carry, Mrs. Obama offers readers 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," the publisher's announcement reads in part.

The new book isn't part of the reported eight-figure deal the Obamas reached in 2017, shortly after President Obama left office, with parent company Penguin Random House for their respective memoirs. A spokesperson declined to discuss financial terms for The Light We Carry. Crown will publish the 336-page book on Nov. 15, almost exactly four years after the release of Becoming, and has announced a first printing of 2.75 million copies for the US and Canada. Crown is also the longtime publisher of Barack Obama. A Promised Land, the first of two planned memoirs about his presidency, came out in 2020. A spokesperson declined to comment on when the next book will be released.

(More Michelle Obama stories.)

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