This Child Will Be Great

I just won a $100 Amazon Gift Card! (Nice!) I am on a mission to find a few good reads to dig into...

I absolutely love non-fiction books, particularly ones about people around the world who have achieved something great. When I came across a review of a new book by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Africa's first female President!), I couldn't wait to add it to my shopping cart. I have become even more interested in visiting Liberia since she has been in office (I had always been intrigued by the country's African-American founding). I even had the privilege of seeing her speak in person when working the Clinton Global Initiative Conference a few years ago. Not only is she Africa's first woman President, she is an economist, a Harvard graduate, a former bank executive and former Minister of Finance! She was recently listed in Forbes Magazine among the "100 Most Powerful Women in the World". Check out the summary of the book below. Also, let me know if you have any book suggestions for me. I look forward to the dialogue!

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 inside 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. This compelling tale of survival reveals Sirleaf's determination to succeed in multiple worlds: from her studies in the United States to her work as an international bank executive to her election campaigning in some of Liberia's most desperate and war-torn villages and neighborhoods. It is also the story of an outspoken political and social reformer who, despite danger, fought the oppression of dictators and championed change. By sharing her story, Sirleaf encourages women everywhere to pursue leadership roles at the highest levels of power, and gives us all hope that, with perseverance, we can change the world.