The former first lady's new book, "The Light We Carry," promises to take readers on an introspective journey and discuss dealing with stress and uncertainty, it looks like it will take them on a journey of reflection.
That appears to be the book's tagline. The COVID pandemic, the rise of white nationalists, and Donald Trump's presidency—followed by his followers' attack on the Capitol in January 2021—are among the topics the former first lady of the United States addresses in "The Light We Carry," which was released in 2017. She claims that each of these events had a significant impact on her and led her to search for coping mechanisms for uncertainty.
In fact, "The Light We Carry" aims to serve as a guide through the difficult circumstances we are currently experiencing.
"What I can offer is a glimpse inside my personal toolbox. This book is meant to show you what I keep there and why, what I use professionally and personally to help me stay balanced and confident, what keeps me moving forward even during times of anxiety and stress," Obama writes.
When discussing the coping mechanisms she details in her book, the author revealed that she found knitting to be one of her favourite pastimes while she was cooped up during the epidemic.
"The interesting thing about knitting and using your hands and making something is that it is meditative," she said at the Warner Theater, where she kicked off the six-month-long promotional tour. "In many ways, it is like a faith… It's a thing that shuts your worrying mind and lets your hands take over," she told DeGeneres.
She also went into detail about her family's experience during the pandemic, claiming that the Obamas were accustomed to solitude due to their eight years in the White House.
Obama also discussed her capacity for overcoming offensive remarks. "That helped me create a protective layer around my life. I understood that I alone could protect my light," she said
Additionally, she claimed that throughout her eight years in the White House, she spent too much time worrying about how others would view her. She responded, "I didn't wear braids," she said, explaining how she thought her whole family, as the first Black family to live in the White House, would be judged if she did so.
"It would have been, 'remember when she wore braids? Those are terrorist braids. Those are revolutionary braids.' So let me keep my hair straight, let's get healthcare passed,"The former first lady was quoted by US media.
She also mentioned former President Donald Trump's election, saying, "It hurt because you wonder — was it a rebuke of the eight years, the sacrifice we made? Was it complacency? What was it?"
She presents fresh responses to the query "And it stresses the necessity to think about yet another set of queries: "How do we adapt? How do we get more comfortable, less paralyzed, inside of uncertainty? What tools do we have to sustain ourselves? Where do we find extra pillars of support? How can we create safety and stability for others? And if we work as one, what might we manage to overcome together?"
Obama's third book is titled "The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times."
After the Obama family vacated the White House, she wrote her second book, "Becoming," which was published in 2018. Over 17 million copies of the memoir have been sold globally.
