This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President [Paperback]

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 13, 2010

In January 2006, after the Republic of Liberia had been racked by fourteen years of brutal civil conflict, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf—Africa's "Iron Lady"—was sworn in as president, an event that marked a tremendous turning point in the history of the West African nation.

In this stirring memoir, Sirleaf shares the story of her rise to power, including her early childhood; her experiences with abuse, imprisonment, and exile; and her fight for democracy and social justice. She reveals her determination to succeed in multiple worlds, from her studies in the United States to her work as an international bank executive, to campaigning in some of Liberia's most desperate and war-torn villages and neighborhoods. It is the tale of an outspoken political and social reformer who fought the oppression of dictators and championed change. By telling her story, Sirleaf encourages women everywhere to pursue leadership roles at the highest levels of power, and gives us all hope that we can change the world.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Forbes lists Sirleaf, the 23rd president of Liberia and the first elected female president on the African continent, among the 100 Most Powerful Women in 2008. In and out of government, in and out of exile, but consistent in her commitment to Liberia, Sirleaf in her memoir reveals herself to be among the most resilient, determined and courageous as well. She writes with modesty in a calm and measured tone. While her account includes a happy childhood and an unhappy marriage, the book is politically, not personally, focused as she (and Liberia) go through the disastrous presidencies of Samuel Doe and Charles Taylor. Sirleaf's training as an economist and her employment (e.g., in banking, as minister of finance in Liberia, and in U.N. development programs) informs the perspective from which she views internal Liberian history (e.g., the tensions between the settler class and the indigenous people) and Liberia's international relations. Although her focus is thoroughly on Liberia, the content is more widely instructive, particularly her account of the role of the Economic Community of West African States. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Africa’s first elected female president, Sirleaf chronicles her rise from an abused young wife and mother to a woman with a career in government finance and international banking to the president of Liberia since 2006. Sirleaf confronted corruption and incompetence through several Liberian governments and suffered imprisonment and exile for her controversial positions before ultimately returning and challenging the long and troubled history of her nation. Liberia was created by the U.S. to repatriate former slaves, creating a tension between Americo-Liberians and indigenous peoples that continues. She recounts her struggles at home and abroad; she watched dictator Samuel Doe and later Charles Taylor destroy Liberia while she continued to criticize U.S. involvement with corrupt regimes. Having no colonial power to overcome, Sirleaf contends that Liberia has often struggled to develop and maintain a sense of true national integration, something she has sought to achieve as she has worked to bring economic and social stability to her civil-war-torn nation. An inspiring inside look at a nation struggling to rebuild itself and the woman now behind those efforts. --Vanessa Bush --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (April 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061353485
• ISBN-13: 978-0061353482
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.9 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > History > Africa > West Africa

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbeaten and Unbossed April 9, 2009

By Lecil Wills

Format:Hardcover

This is a very honest autobiography of an extroardinary woman. Madame Sirleaf doesn't include many specific dates such as her birthdate but nevertheless guides the reader through a honest protrait of her life. She discusses the hardships of her tribal and mixed race origins, as well as the elite Americo-Liberian background she was born into as the daughter of a lawmaker and teacher. She talks honestly about her strained marriage which she entered into at age 17. She even relates how her pocessive husband put a gun to her head inorder to control her. Yet she managed to leave her husband, despite having four boys to raise and pursue her career as an economist and technocrate. A brilliant and confident woman who refused to except her nations and genders limitations, refuse to give up her beliefs despite being jailed and threatened by brutal dictators, would go on to become a folk hero in her native land and revered throughout the world. Sirleaf worked for and ruffled the feathers of every President she worked for in Liberia from Tubman to Tolbert to Doe and Taylor in a span of nearly 40 years, until she herself at age 67 became the first woman to be elected President of an African nation. Her ability to rise through the male dominated Liberian and International Monetary culture, is what makes her story so compelling and an inspiration to women around the globe. And her ability to incorporate Liberia and her own legacy in an acurate historical perspective makes this an very important work for scholars around the world.

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Important, Illuminating, and Timely April 17, 2009

By Layli Maparyan

Format:Hardcover

H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's rise to power in Liberia as the first democratically elected woman president in Africa stands as one of the most definitive events of 21st century politics. Not only does her presidency firmly establish the integral importance of women leaders on the world stage, but her unique positioning as a woman with both African and Western roots -- genealogically, geographically, and intellectually -- signals a new kind of 21st century leadership consciousness of which we can suddenly see reflections everywhere. This new memoir traces her rise to power and the development of her distinctive leadership style, reveals her innovative philosophies of governance, and offers her timely reflections on current world affairs and pressing global concerns.

Those who found the Liberian civil conflict from 1989-2003 confusing and confounding will also find that this book provides illuminating insights about what happened and why. More importantly, President Sirleaf offers guidance through example and commentary about how to move beyond political and social conflict to peace, reconciliation, development, and, ultimately, prosperity. President Sirleaf's gift is the ability to look at the big picture and hone in on how people with fundamental disagreements and historical animosities can be harmonized and coordinated into a thriving open society that cultivates dissent under the banner of democratic process. The words "visionary pragmatism" (see Stanlie M. James and Abena P.A. Busia's academic book, Theorizing Black Feminisms: The Visionary Pragmatism of Black Women) come to mind.

Despite the challenges that President Sirleaf, and indeed Liberia, still face, we observe in this book a vision, a plan, sound strategy, and dogged determination in action. What President Sirleaf evidences in her story is how realpolitik and peacemaking can and, arguably, must be reconciled and integrated for effective 21st century leadership. While certain aspects of this book are clearly addressed to other world leaders, whether political or economic, and other aspects are clearly addressed to the Liberian citizenry, the generality of this text is addressed to everyday people worldwide who are genuinely concerned about social change and peace and are looking for both inspiration and real world example. Additionally, in my view, this book is well situated to help rehabilitate the relationship between the US and Liberia in ways that will ultimately set a new model for altering North/South and donor nation/developing nation relations more generally.

My only criticism of this book - which is really just a jumping off point for discussion - is President Sirleaf's treatment of the ongoing debate about African values (collectivism) vs. Western values (individualism). While her discussion is illuminating and nuanced, my sense is that this is no longer an either/or question but rather one which must be approached with an eye towards unapologetic integration of these two value sets. However, she more than makes up for this limitation in her cogent advocacy of gender development and gender mainstreaming as a feature of the way forward, not just in Liberia but worldwide.

No leader is perfect, but some leaders really change the quality of life on Earth. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia is one such individual and we have the good fortune to read all about it in This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President. I recommend this book highly, and, if you are similarly concerned with women, politics, and peace, offer the following suggestions for further reading: Unbowed: A Memoir by Wangari Maathai, Love and Courage: A Story of Insubordination by Pregs Govender, Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza, Learning True Love: Practicing Buddhism in a Time of War by Sister Chan Khong, and It's Always Possible: One Woman's Transformation of India's Prison System by Kiran Bedi.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This Child Will Be Great June 20, 2009

By J. McCrary

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President

President Sirleaf's absolutely riveting memoir clearly explains how and why Liberia imploded in 1980. She gives us an unvarnished look at Liberia's founding in 1822 by freed American slaves, carries us through the superficially peaceful Tubman years, and explains how her country's history and American ties led to the horror of 14 years of total anarchy. She ends her story with hope, pride, and plans for both Liberia and Africa.

Her personal story is a strong, honest and inspirational narrative. From an abused teenage wife to a United Nations assistant secretary general, from living in exile to being elected president, she has lived an amazing life and she tells the story well.

My family lived in a mining town in the Liberian bush from 1964-1972. We knew many of the problems that the country faced, and we had fears for its survival. President Sirleaf's memoir makes me want to return to help rebuild this remarkable country.