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iamsammie27's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Racism, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
serendipitysbooks's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I found this biography of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia from 2006-2018, to be both informative and readable. Not only was she Africa’s first female elected head of state but she was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 for her efforts to bring women into the peace process.
This book follows her from her childhood through to the end of her presidency, including education in the United States, an abusive marriage, positions at Citibank and the World Bank, and a term of imprisonment.
I was especially interested in the challenges she faced trying to unify the country after a period of horrific civil war (warning to sensitive readers that details of this period do not make for easy or pleasant reading), the way she leveraged her international connections to arrange both debt forgiveness and foreign loans, and the way she utilised the power of women during the 2011 elections. Her response to the Ebola crisis was of special interest in light of the Covid pandemic. I appreciated the way this book included her failures as well as successes. Like all leaders she was far from perfect and her flaws are just as important as her strengths.
This book follows her from her childhood through to the end of her presidency, including education in the United States, an abusive marriage, positions at Citibank and the World Bank, and a term of imprisonment.
I was especially interested in the challenges she faced trying to unify the country after a period of horrific civil war (warning to sensitive readers that details of this period do not make for easy or pleasant reading), the way she leveraged her international connections to arrange both debt forgiveness and foreign loans, and the way she utilised the power of women during the 2011 elections. Her response to the Ebola crisis was of special interest in light of the Covid pandemic. I appreciated the way this book included her failures as well as successes. Like all leaders she was far from perfect and her flaws are just as important as her strengths.
quinnster's review against another edition
4.0
I considered putting this one off for a bit because I felt run down and the idea of reading about civil war and a pandemic wasn't too appealing, but I'm glad I read this one.
While Cooper details incredible violence (coup, genital mutilation, gang rapes, civil war, mass murder to name a few) she intersperses these decades of unrest with humorous or inspiring anecdotes to keep things from getting too dark.
Madame President not only tells the story of a strong, but imperfect woman, it also tells the story of the power of women en masse. Sirleaf never could have risen to the Presidency on her own despite her experience and education. She did so with the support and action of women who were tired of seeing men reap the rewards of their work while they starved. It is a documentation of how things truly get done once women take up the helm and get it done.
While Cooper details incredible violence (coup, genital mutilation, gang rapes, civil war, mass murder to name a few) she intersperses these decades of unrest with humorous or inspiring anecdotes to keep things from getting too dark.
Madame President not only tells the story of a strong, but imperfect woman, it also tells the story of the power of women en masse. Sirleaf never could have risen to the Presidency on her own despite her experience and education. She did so with the support and action of women who were tired of seeing men reap the rewards of their work while they starved. It is a documentation of how things truly get done once women take up the helm and get it done.
voidboi's review against another edition
3.0
This book is incredibly informative about Johnson Sirleaf and recent Liberian history, especially the ways that economics and gender politics factored into huge events like the civil war and ebola crisis.
However, this wasn't my favorite writing style for a biography. I know much about the events in the subject's life, but not much about her personally. There's a level of detachment throughout the book; it doesn't feel like the author spent as much time with Ellen as she did.
I also disliked the way trauma was described and reemphasized- it felt insensitive, sensationalist, and exploitative. I recognize that it is truly difficult to effectively relate the horrors of war and poverty, but this one missed the mark for me.
This is definitely an important history, and I'm glad it was told. I just wish the author hadn't relied so much on it telling itself, because it often falls flat.
However, this wasn't my favorite writing style for a biography. I know much about the events in the subject's life, but not much about her personally. There's a level of detachment throughout the book; it doesn't feel like the author spent as much time with Ellen as she did.
I also disliked the way trauma was described and reemphasized- it felt insensitive, sensationalist, and exploitative. I recognize that it is truly difficult to effectively relate the horrors of war and poverty, but this one missed the mark for me.
This is definitely an important history, and I'm glad it was told. I just wish the author hadn't relied so much on it telling itself, because it often falls flat.
sujata's review
4.0
This was excellent. And wonderful and tough to read after the 2016 US presidential election so many different reasons.