Michelle Obama

BECOMING Wins Best Spoken Word Album GRAMMY Award®

Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s recording of her multi-million-copy #1 bestselling memoir BECOMING has won the 2020 Best Spoken Word Album GRAMMY Award®.  Read in its entirety by its author, her audiobook, published in November 2018 by Penguin Random House Audio simultaneously with its Crown print and e-book editions, has spent fourteen consecutive months on the New York Times Audio Bestseller List—seven at #1.  The 19-hour recording is produced by PRH Audio’s Senior Vice President, Content Production—and multi- GRAMMY Award® winner and nominee–Dan Zitt.  Zitt also is a producer of this year’s Penguin Random House Audio GRAMMY® finalist BEASTIE BOYS BOOK.

This GRAMMY®  is also a triumph for Penguin Random House Audio, whose imprints’ productions have been awarded the Best Spoken Word Album GRAMMY® three times in the last four years.

expand
Mrs. Obama says of her GRAMMY® win, “Thank you to the Recording Academy for this honor! I had plenty of doubts about sharing so much of myself in Becoming, but this moment is another reminder that when we own the truth of who we are, we give ourselves the chance to connect with others in real, meaningful ways.” Voted by the membership of The Recording Academy®, the GRAMMY® for BECOMING was announced yesterday (January 26) afternoon in Los Angeles during the GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony®, before the nationally televised GRAMMY® broadcast. Mrs. Obama’s previous Crown book, the #1 bestselling AMERICAN GROWN: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America, was nominated in 2013 for Best Spoken Word album. PRH Audio's most recent Grammy Spoken Word Album winners: Carrie Fisher’s THE PRINCESS DIARIST (2018)  and Carol Burnett’s IN SUCH GOOD COMPANY (2017). In all, Penguin Audios and Random House Audios have been nominated in this category 45 times, and have won the prize 16 of them. Our Audio colleagues, several of whom attended the afternoon event, are deservedly thrilled about The Recording Academy® recognition for BECOMING.  Congratulations to Dan Zitt, Amanda D’Acierno, and the accomplished Group she leads.  And, of course, the biggest congratulations to our narrator and author, Michelle Obama.

Penguin Random House Adds 300,000 to the One Million Books Donated to First Book in Obama Family Name

Today, Penguin Random House joins with Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to announce that the company will donate an additional 300,000 children’s books to First Book, building upon its previously announced donation of one million of its children’s books to First Book in the Obama family’s name. Plans for the one million donation were originally announced in 2017 when Penguin Random House acquired world publication rights to publish books by President and Mrs. Obama.

expand
In celebration of the completion of the one-million-book donation in the Obama family name, Penguin Random House announces that it will donate up to 300,000 additional children’s books to First Book as part of the Hope Love Give campaign to raise one million dollars to help give one million books to kids who need them most. For every three dollars donated to First Book from now through December 31, Penguin Random House will give two new books to First Book, up to 300,000 books. Last year, during her highly successful book tour, Mrs. Obama made a surprise visit to the Para Los Niños Tina and Rick Caruso Early Education Center, an organization located in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles that receives program support from Child360, to spend time and read with a group of four-year-old children. Child360 was one of the first recipients to receive books from the company’s one-million-book donation to First Book. Markus Dohle, CEO, Penguin Random House, said: “We are honored to donate one million children’s books in the Obama family’s name to First Book. When children have greater access to our books and stories, we, together with President and Mrs. Obama, are helping to shape a literate, educated, and democratic society that will become the next generation of readers and leaders.” The Penguin Random House donations to First Book in the Obama family name were made in support of the continued publishing partnership between the company and the authors as a reflection of their shared commitment to social responsibility and to promoting literacy and education. First Book, a longstanding Penguin Random House non-profit partner, is dedicated to promoting equal access to education by providing new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need in the United States and Canada.

Michelle Obama Surprises Children at L.A.'s Para Los Niños Early Education Center as Part of PRH One Million Children's Books Giveaway

On Thursday, November 15, while in Los Angeles for her BECOMING book tour, former First Lady Michelle Obama made a surprise visit to the Para Los Niños Tina and Rick Caruso Early Education Center, located in Skid Row, to spend time and read with a group of four-year-old children from an underserved area of L..A. 

expand
Mrs. Obama’s visit, part of Penguin Random House’s donation of one million children's books in the Obama family’s name, was hosted by Para Los Niños, a leading L.A.-based nonprofit that offers a wide range of of high-quality coordinated student and community services, including three charter schools, six early childhood education centers, mental health and family support services, workforce development, and parent and community engagement to 6,000 children, youth, and adults annually. As part of Mrs. Obama’s visit, she led storytime with the students, reading both THE GRUFFALO by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, and LLAMA LLAMA RED PAJAMA by Anna Dewdney. “As one of the few early childhood centers in Skid Row, we work with some of the most vulnerable children and families in Los Angeles,” says Drew Furedi, Para Los Niños CEO. “A visit from former First Lady Michelle Obama is such an honor for us, and so inspiring for our students to set goals and instill the love of reading for life.” Para Los Niños partners with fellow nonprofit Child360. Child360 works to advance early-childhood education program quality and capacity by supporting the development of the whole child, growing a qualified and diverse workforce, and strengthening family engagement. Child360 is also one of the first recipients to receive books from Penguin Random House’s one million children's book donation in the Obama family’s name to First Book, a longstanding organization dedicated to promoting equal access to education by providing new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need. A selection of these books were available for the children to take home.  

Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden to Moderate “A Conversation with Former First Lady Michelle Obama” at ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition

Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden will moderate a conversation with former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama during the Opening General Session of the 2018 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition on Friday, June 22. This session will take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

expand
The Opening General Session will feature a performance by Trombone Shorty and students from his foundation followed by ALA President Jim Neal’s presentation of key ALA Awards. Dr. Hayden and Mrs. Obama will end the program with an in-depth conversation around Mrs. Obama’s forthcoming memoir, BECOMING (Crown Publishing Group, November 13), and the experiences that have impacted her life, her family, and the country. Dr. Hayden was sworn in as the 14th Librarian of Congress in September 2016. She is the first woman and the first African American to lead the national library. She was nominated to the position by President Barack Obama in February 2016 and her nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in July 2016. Prior to her current post, she served as CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore. She was nominated by President Obama to be a member of the National Museum and Library Services Board in 2010 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate later that year. She began her career with the Chicago Public Library and served as President of the American Library Association (2003-2004). Hayden received a BA from Roosevelt Library, and an MA and PhD from the Graduate Library School of the University of Chicago. Mrs. Obama’s highly-anticipated memoir, BECOMING will be published in the U.S. and Canada on November 13 by the Crown Publishing Group. BECOMING will also be published in 25 languages around the world. Considered one of the most popular First Ladies of recent times, Mrs. Obama in her book invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it – in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory BECOMING is an unusually intimate reckoning from a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same. Michelle Obama has described writing BECOMING as “a deeply personal experience. It has allowed me, for the very first time, the space to honestly reflect on the unexpected trajectory of my life. I hope my journey inspires readers to find the courage to become whoever they aspire to be. I can’t wait to share my story.”

Former First Lady Michelle Obama to Open 2018 ALA Annual Conference

Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is a lawyer, author, and the wife of the 44th President, Barack Obama. Through her initiatives as First Lady, she has become a role model for women and girls, and an advocate for healthy families, service members and their families, higher education, and international adolescent girls’ education. She will appear at the opening general session of the 2018 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference and Exhibition on Friday, June 22, 4:00—5:30 pm, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Her appearance at the conference is sponsored by Penguin Random House.

expand
[caption id="attachment_112390" align="alignright" width="214"] Michelle Obama, Credit David Slijper[/caption] Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s much-anticipated memoir, BECOMING, will be published in the U.S. and Canada on November 13, 2018, by Crown, and will be released simultaneously in 24 languages. Considered one of the most popular First Ladies of recent times, Mrs. Obama in her book invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. Warm, wise, and revelatory, BECOMING is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same. Michelle Obama has described writing BECOMING as “a deeply personal experience. It has allowed me, for the very first time, the space to honestly reflect on the unexpected trajectory of my life. I hope my journey inspires readers to find the courage to become whoever they aspire to be. I can’t wait to share my story.” A product of Chicago public schools, Obama studied sociology and African-American studies at Princeton University and is a graduate of Harvard Law School. Mrs. Obama started her career as an attorney at the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she met her future husband, Barack Obama. She later worked in the Chicago mayor’s office, at the University of Chicago, and at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Mrs. Obama also founded the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an organization that prepares young people for careers in public service. For more information, visit the ALA Conference website.
Load more

Worldwide Publication Date Set for Michelle Obama Memoir

BECOMING, the memoir by Michelle Obama, will be published in the U.S. and Canada on November 13, 2018, by the Crown Publishing Group/Penguin Random House. There will be a simultaneous publication of the book in 24 languages worldwide.

expand
A global publication date of Tuesday, November 13, 2018, has been set for the highly anticipated memoir by Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States of America. The news was announced on Sunday by Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, which acquired world publishing rights to the book. Titled BECOMING, Mrs. Obama’s book will be released in the U.S. and Canada in print and digital formats by the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House. An audio edition of the book, read by Mrs. Obama, will be simultaneously issued in digital and physical formats by Penguin Random House Audio. BECOMING will be published simultaneously in 24 languages around the world.                   In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African-American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare. In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, BECOMING is an unusually intimate reckoning from a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same. Said Mrs. Obama, “Writing BECOMING has been a deeply personal experience. It has allowed me, for the very first time, the space to honestly reflect on the unexpected trajectory of my life. In this book, I talk about my roots and how a little girl from the South Side of Chicago found her voice and developed the strength to use it to empower others. I hope my journey inspires readers to find the courage to become whoever they aspire to be. I can’t wait to share my story.” At the time of publication, Mrs. Obama will embark on a U.S. and international book tour, with details to be announced at a later date. Information about the book is available to consumers at www.becomingmichelleobama.com. The print edition will carry a suggested list price of $32.50 in the U.S. and $40.00 in Canada and the digital edition will be priced at $14.99 in the U.S. and $18.99 in Canada. In support of the mission of The Obama Foundation and Penguin Random House’s own commitment to social responsibility, the company will donate one million books in the Obama family’s name to First Book, a longstanding Penguin Random House nonprofit partner and the Washington, D.C.–based partner for the 2016 White House digital education initiative, Open eBooks. First Book is dedicated to promoting equal access to education by providing new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need in the U.S. and Canada. An English-language edition of BECOMING will be published in the UK and British Commonwealth territories by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Books at Penguin Random House UK. The book will be published in translation in 23 other languages, including Spanish (Plaza & Janés/Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial); German (Goldmann Verlag/Verlagsgruppe Random House); Portuguese Brazil (Objetiva/Companhia das Letras); Portuguese Portugal (Objectiva/Penguin Random House Portugal); Catalan (Rosa dels Vents/Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial); French (Editions Fayard); Albanian (Dudaj Publishing); Arabic (Hachette Antoine/Naufal); Complex Chinese (Business Weekly Group); Czech (Argo); Danish (Lindhardt og Ringhof); Dutch (Hollands Diep); Finnish (Otava Publishing Company); Greek (Athens Bookstore Publications); Hebrew (Yedioth Books); Hungarian (HVG Publishing Co.); Italian (Garzanti); Japanese (Shueisha); Korean (Woongjin Think Big Co., Ltd.); Lithuanian (Alma Littera); Norwegian (Cappelen Damm); Polish (Agora Publishing House); Swedish (Bokförlaget Forum); and Vietnamese (First News – Tri Viet Publishing Co., Ltd.).  

TSP Editor Kaitlin Ketchum on Producing CHASING LIGHT

CHASING LIGHT: Michelle Obama Through the Lens of a White House Photographer by Amanda Lucidon, was published by Ten Speed Press, a Crown Publishing Group imprint, on Tuesday, October 17.   This collection of striking and intimate photographs of Michelle Obama—many never before seen—is coupled with personal reflections and behind-the-scenes stories from former Official White House Photographer Amanda Lucidon, presented in a deluxe format. 

expand
Ms. Lucidon, who spent four years covering the First Lady, shares a rare insider’s perspective, from documenting life at the White House to covering domestic and overseas travel. Ten Speed Press Editor Kaitlin Ketchum opens a number of windows into the process of creating and publishing CHASING LIGHT in her responses to the following questions: What was involved in the process of working with Amanda Lucidon and your TSP colleagues throughout the editorial, design and production process? [caption id="attachment_8129" align="alignright" width="150"] Kaitlin Ketchum[/caption] Ten Speed’s book-making process is super creative and highly collaborative—it’s one of the reasons I love working here.  Since CHASING LIGHT was a highly illustrated book on a very tight schedule—I acquired it in April, the manuscript was due in May, and we went to print in August to go on sale in October—working closely and collaboratively with Amanda, Creative Director Emma Campion, Senior Production Designer Mari Gill, and Production Manager Jane Chinn,  was crucial to our ability to move fast.  Thankfully, Amanda was a joy to work with, and her background as a White House Photographer meant she was fearless in the face of tight timelines and quick turnarounds! In addition to working long-distance throughout the book-making process, we were fortunate to have Amanda spend a week at the Ten Speed office in California to work side-by-side with our team on the manuscript, photo selects, layout, cover, and color testing. We spread out every photo we were considering for the book on a huge table, and Amanda, Emma, and I spent hours and hours moving them around, debating the selects and order for each chapter. Amanda and I even reviewed the copyedit of her manuscript at my desk, sitting hip-to-hip and making edits together. It was fantastic—if a bit tiring for us all—to be able to spend that time working so intensively with the author, brainstorming, bouncing ideas off of each other, and poring over Amanda’s incredible archive of photos from the Obama White House. [caption id="attachment_8130" align="alignleft" width="225"] Amanda Lucidon[/caption] Amanda was involved in every decision we made about the book, and she and I were talking almost daily—sometimes many times a day—for months, hammering out every detail. It was definitely the most challenging and the most rewarding book I’ve edited in my six years at Ten Speed, and the hard work was so worth it— CHASING LIGHT is a beautiful and moving book, and a lovely tribute to Mrs. Obama. What were the most rewarding aspects of bringing this book to publication? On a large scale, it’s rewarding to see CHASING LIGHT exist in the world, especially in these dark times. Mrs. Obama was, and still is, a source of light and inspiration to so many people around the world, and celebrating her legacy isn’t just nostalgic—it’s hopeful.  It’s also rewarding to see Ten Speed publish such an important book. We may be small, and we may not be in New York, but we have some West Coast magic and produce books that are truly gorgeous and distinctive. It’s an honor to have CHASING LIGHT on our list. On a personal and professional level, it was a joy and an honor to work on this beautiful tribute to Mrs. Obama, and with an author as inspiring as Amanda. I’m constantly inspired by my authors, and it was wonderful to collaborate with Amanda, who is such a warm, brilliant, and genuine person (plus, she’s got some amazing stories from her time at the White House). Helping artists like Amanda shape their vision and bring it into the world is one of the reasons I love what I do.

Crown is N.A. Publisher of Two New Obama Books

Crown-Obama-logoMaya Mavjee, President and Publisher of Penguin Random House’s Crown Publishing Group, today announced that Crown will publish in the U.S. and Canada two separate books to be written by former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, respectively. Penguin Random House, of which

expand
Crown is a part, acquired world publication rights to both books last week from the authors’ representatives, Robert Barnett and Deneen Howell of Williams & Connolly. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Details about the books, including their respective titles and publication dates, will be announced in the future. Crown previously published President Obama’s multimillion-copy bestsellers Dreams from My Father and The Audacity of Hope, as well as Mrs. Obama’s 2012 illustrated book about the White House kitchen garden, American Grown, which was a #1 New York Times bestseller. Obama booksRachel Klayman, Vice President, Executive Editor, will edit President Obama’s book for Crown. In 2004, Ms. Klayman spearheaded the paperback reissue of President Obama’s first book, Dreams from My Father, and served as his editor for The Audacity of Hope (2006). The two books have sold nearly 7 million copies to date in the U.S., and were also worldwide bestsellers. Molly Stern, Senior Vice President and Publisher of the Crown, Hogarth, Crown Archetype, Broadway Books, and Three Rivers Press imprints, will edit Mrs. Obama’s book. The publication strategy for both books will be led by Crown senior executives David Drake and Tina Constable, who have previously partnered on numerous other noteworthy publications for the Group and who have worked on the previous books by the authors. Said Ms. Mavjee, “Crown is honored to continue its publishing relationship with President Obama and Mrs. Obama, both of whom are transformative figures in today’s world. They will write deeply inspiring and illuminating books that draw upon their rich personal experience and dedicated public service. Each publication will be a historic event.” In support of the mission of The Obama Foundation and Penguin Random House’s own commitment to social responsibility, the company will donate one million books in the Obama family’s name to First Book, a longstanding Penguin Random House nonprofit partner and the Washington, DC–based partner for the 2016 White House digital education initiative, Open eBooks. First Book is dedicated to promoting equal access to education by providing new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need in the United States and Canada. Consistent with their past practice, the Obamas also plan to donate a significant portion of their author proceeds to charity, including the Obama Foundation.

Penguin Random House to Publish Forthcoming Books by Former U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama

news-company-default-thumb-300x150(February 28, 2017)— Penguin Random House is pleased to announce that it will publish forthcoming books by former President of the United States Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. Penguin Random House CEO Markus Dohle announced today that the company has acquired world publication rights for two books, to be written by

expand
President and Mrs. Obama respectively. Terms of the agreement, in which the authors were represented by Robert Barnett and Deneen Howell of Williams & Connolly, were not disclosed. In support of the mission of The Obama Foundation and Penguin Random House's own commitment to social responsibility, the company will donate one million books in the Obama family's name to First Book, a longstanding Penguin Random House non-profit partner and the Washington, DC-based partner for the 2016 White House digital education initiative, Open eBooks. First Book is dedicated to promoting equal access to education by providing new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need in the United States and Canada. Consistent with their past practice, the Obamas also plan to donate a significant portion of their author proceeds to charity, including the Obama Foundation. Markus Dohle said: "We are absolutely thrilled to continue our publishing partnership with President and Mrs. Obama. With their words and their leadership, they changed the world, and every day, with the books we publish at Penguin Random House, we strive to do the same. Now, we are very much looking forward to working together with President and Mrs. Obama to make each of their books global publishing events of unprecedented scope and significance."