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

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has received several prestigious awards, including the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom. She holds numerous degrees, among them a master's in public administration from Harvard University. President Sirleaf lives in Monrovia, Liberia.

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.

The Washington Post - Alexandra Fuller

…exceptionally well written, a true story that seems as much a thriller as it does the remembrances of an ambitious and brave woman…This timely book, essential for anyone who hopes to understand West Africa in general and Liberia in particular, is a lesson in courage and perseverance. This reader finished it hoping that the rest of Africa's troubled nations will find their own versions of "Mama Sirleaf."

Prologue 1

1 The Beginning 7

2 Childhood Ends 23

3 America Again 43

4 The Tolbert Years 65

5 The 1980 Coup 93

6 Climbing the Corporate Ladder 113

7 The 1985 Elections 119

8 The Attempted Coup 137

9 Escape 155

10 Equator Bank and the Charles Taylor War 165

11 ECOMOG 187

12 UNDP and Rwanda 195

13 War Some More/1997 Elections 205

14 Self-imposed Exile, or Exile Again 221

15 Accra and the Transition 235

16 Becoming President 245

17 Inauguration Day 269

18 The First Hundred Days 275

19 Some Challenges Ahead 291

20 The Future 309

Appendix: Inaugural Speech by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 317

Acknowledgments 335

Bibliography 337

Index 339