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

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

by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 412 ratings · 99 reviews

In this stirring memoir, Sirleaf shares the inside story of her rise to power, including her early childhood

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Hardcover, 315 pages

Published April 7th 2009 by Harper (first published 2009)

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Oct 04, 2012 Tinea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: auto-biography, colonialism-imperialism-war

The root cause of conflict is not simply poverty but poverty brought on by exclusion. Exclusion in its broadest context: exclusion from resources, from power, from education and information, from the opportunity to better one's life. (p. 305)

This is a hard review to write! I'm a little bit floored by this complicated, powerful woman. I am awed by what she has done with the adversity she overcame, and her simple but unshakeable commitment to sound, ethical governance. But I'm struck by her politi...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Abbe added it · review of another edition

Shelves: in-library

From Publishers Weekly

...more 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.)
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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

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Nov 28, 2010 di rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction-informative

This is not so much a memoir (or even a biography) of Sirleaf as it is a history of Liberia. Sirleaf's telling of her homeland's bloody past is informative, fair, & insightful. It will be interesting for me to follow Liberia's progress now. Sirleaf becoming president is probably one of those times when a ray of light shines down from the heavens.

I rated this 4 stars only because I was hoping for more of a personal account--something along the line of "Left to Tell" or "Life & Death in S...more

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May 25, 2009 Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars

I first saw Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on the Jon Stewart show and knew I had to read her book. I was not disappointed. Truth is often so much better than fiction. She became the first woman president in Africa through sheer determination, great intelligence and a belief that she was needed to help her country.

I learned so much about the history of Liberia. We have all heard about slaves returning to Africa and always assumed things worked out just fine. Her description of the colonial class and the...more

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May 23, 2009 Kristine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir-or-biography

This book is less personal in tone than many memoirs, but a reader will still learn much about this one person's life and her reaction to events in Liberia and the world. The book is measured in tone in a way that you might expect from someone who became an economist and politician -- from the force of her will and spirit as much as anything as she certainly faced many obstacles that would have derailed many of weaker heart. If this is read with that in mind, the author Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wi...more

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Apr 30, 2009 Catherine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, 50books_poc, fp, liberia

I have so many reactions to Sirleaf's memoir, it's hard to know where to begin! What a complex, thought-provoking book.

First - I learned a great deal about my own ignorance. It had never occurred to me, until reading the beginning of This Child Will be Great, that the African-Americans who settled in Liberia in the early nineteenth century were imperialists. My sense of what colonialism is (not unreasonably) tied to whiteness, particularly when I think about the development of the American natio...more I have so many reactions to Sirleaf's memoir, it's hard to know where to begin! What a complex, thought-provoking book.

First - I learned a great deal about my own ignorance. It had never occurred to me, until reading the beginning of This Child Will be Great, that the African-Americans who settled in Liberia in the early nineteenth century were imperialists. My sense of what colonialism is (not unreasonably) tied to whiteness, particularly when I think about the development of the American nation at the same time that African Americans were leaving the U.S. for Africa. But there's no question that the actions of those same African Americans, in forming Liberia out of the indigenous homelands of countless other communities, were the actions of colonizers. That brought home to me the vagaries of colonialism, and how colonialism is almost like a bacteria, an organism that seeks to replicate itself over and over in a handy host.

Second - For all that I learned about Liberia, particularly Liberia's history in the late twentieth century, I felt as if I was only learning a very small part of what there is to know. That no doubts rests upon the fact that I am - that one book can never fully tell any story. But it's also linked to -

Third - the book's author, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is Liberia's current president. As such, this is a politician's biography - it's measured and careful and while she does admit mistakes and apologize for false steps, there's a narrative drive to prove worthiness that I think is par for the course in the biography of any sitting or past-politician. (I thought of Obama's two books, and how the second lost some of the authenticity of the first, because, by the second, he was a politician, and had constituents to speak to directly. And I thought of HIlary Clinton's autobiography, issued after she'd left the White House, and how every 'truth' in there was geared to make the best of her life and the challenges she'd face, not to mention to rationalize decisions like staying with Bill.)

Still - and Fourth - this is a book that presents a unique perspective on the challenges of governing Liberia, and on the wider challenges facing West Africa. It's the last two chapters that I found most absorbing, where Sirleaf lays out her agenda, defends some decisions already made, and speaks frankly about the problems that still need to be solved. Perhaps what's most telling about those chapters is that the "I" of the rest of the book is gone - it's no longer about Sirleaf, it's about Liberia, and it's about Liberia's neighbors, and the transformation is telling.

A fascinating book, if frustrating in places.

eta: One other thing that was frustrating? Sirleaf argues that African Americans owe Liberia particular help and support - that there is a special connection between the two groups. She says she understands that for much of Liberia's history, African Americans were busy fighting their own battles for social justice, but now is the time for them to step up because things in the US, for all intents and purposes, fixed.

I don't doubt that, looking at the United States from the perspective of Liberia, it seems like African Americans are in a remarkably comfortable spot. But to so completely dismiss the systemic, institutional, continuing racism that has such an impact upon the lives of so many African Americans? Incredibly problematic.

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Oct 16, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: around-the-world-group, memoirs, non-fiction

I knew vaguely of Liberia before reading This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President--I had a distant memory of reading that it was established as a home for resettled slaves, and then I remembered reading of its violent civil war and its government's horrible support for the devastating war in Sierra Leone. Other than that, as with most of the African continent, I was woefully ignorant. I definitely would have had trouble identifying it on a map or na...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Jenny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: location-liberia, around-the-world, ebooks, read2012, biography-memoir

I saw President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf speak at the institution where I work a few years ago, and found her story to be incredibly inspiring. I was hoping the book would be more of the same. While inspiration can be found here, it is often bogged down with tedious economic detail (Sirleaf was in banking and economics) and acronyms like you would not believe.

I definitely learned some things, and I think that kept it at 3 stars for me. I don't think I was aware of anything going on in Liberia, eve...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Sadie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, memoir, non-fiction, politics

I often am confronted with people and events that are a big deal and yet I've never heard about them. This is the case with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. I suppose in the back of my mind if I try really hard I can remember some talk about Liberia's president and the fact that she is the first female president for the continent of Africa, but it wasn't until my Yale graduation last year when she was presented with an honorary degree that I realized I honestly knew nothing about her or her countries hist...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Liberia Now rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: country-on-the-rise

Quite a few people have an impressive pedigree and a cabinet full of notable awards. But the story of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is unlike most other stories. Even though she enjoyed a relatively happy childhood, she came to know hardship at a young age, especially after her father suffered a stroke. This was one of several misfortunes that young Ellen would encounter. At age seventeen she was married to an abusive husband, yet through it all she refused to become only a victim.

As Ellen Johnson Sirle...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Susan Earle rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the most amazing books I've read in the last little while. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the first woman to be elected President of an African nation. A brilliant economist and banker, she has overcome many obstacles, personally, professionally and politically. She was elected President of Liberia in 2006, inheriting a country devastated by 14 years of civil war. With a servant's heart she has worked hard to bring the people of her country together, to move forward on a path of healing...more

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May 29, 2012 Siria rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: autobiography, by-poc, current-affairs, nonfiction

This is not the best-written memoir that I've ever read. President Sirleaf spent much of her career working for corporations and large institutions, and that shows in her writing style which has a tendency to read like a development programme manifesto. I wonder if the decision to publish her memoirs now, rather than after her term in office, was motivated by a desire to capitalise on her fame as Africa's first female president; regardless of the motivation, there's more than a modicum of self-p...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: africa, socio-econ-political, women-s-issues, biography, around-the-world

A profound political memoir that captures the rich history of Liberia and its ties to America, the history of the political and social unrest that led to civil war, and the economic climate. President Sirleaf was an outspoken career woman who was often shunned by her male counterparts and at one point, jailed and forced into exile. Though she grew up with the privileged few in Liberia and had German lineage, her family also extended to the indigenous Liberian ethnic groups and in this book, she...more

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Dec 12, 2010 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: saturday-book-club

I really enjoyed this book because I learned so much about LIberia, and I felt that hers was an interesting story. Amazing history, and wonderful to finally see a ray of hope. I am keen now to continue to follow the story of Liberia. I have friends just posted there and I know they are finding life still very difficult in Monrovia. While I did not mind that Sirleaf's writing style was a bit colloquial, the parts I did not really like about the book, was her tendency to use the book to "set the r...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arts-and-historical

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 o...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Genia Lukin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-history

This was a rather interesting read, but it had certain considerable disadvantages which hurt it. Primarily, the style of the writing was rather flat and problematic. I suppose Madame Sirleaf is an excellent economist, but I'm afraid she's an indifferent writer. The topic was fascinating, but it was hurt badly by her writing an economics paper, instead of a book.

Secondly, I felt sometimes that she was, perhaps entirely subconsciously, writing a propaganda manifesto. It wasn't blatant, or terribly...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Annalvogt rated it 3 of 5 stars

Fascinating account of the political process in Liberia, especially Sirleaf's role. I would have appreciated more information about the role of the market women who helped her in her campaign, as well as other grassroots movements instead of a perspective mainly focused on state to state relationships and intergovernmental institutions, but still found the challenges of how to transform a nation racked by conflict insightful- it gave me a bit of a different perspective of what Colombia will be f...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Msgrv Csicablenet added it

Reading this story was long and tideous for me-I think most of the story is summed up in the back with her Inaugural Speech.

The fact hat she is the first woman to be Preisdent of Africa is a great accomplsihment in a Country that degrades women. She has the capacity to over come many obstalcles.

I did not like that fact that she was seperated for so many years from her children, all except one that was with her a great deal of the time.

The book is a history of Liberia during great turmoil and s...more

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Dec 18, 2010 Brianne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoirs

This is an extraordinary account of an extraordinary women. What President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been through and has experienced in her lifetime is really something. What she has survived through is remarkable. The fact that her life has become what it is is truly a testament to the glory of God. Liberia is blessed to have her as its president. What's more, President Sirleaf is a relative of my husband. So reading this book was personal; numerous names mentioned were familiar to me, or even...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Nutkin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this book and learning about a life completely foreign to my own experience. Sirleaf draws you in to what she was thinking at different points, though if feels like she does keep some of her emotion in check as she tells the story of her life, mainly focused on the political aspects or the connections she made that later helped her in political life. She is undoubtably a formidable woman.

I recommend this to anyone, but particularly those who love reading about strong cha...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Angela rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: riverview-book-club, memoir

This was my first memoir, and while I enjoyed it, it took me a while to get through it. There is some pretty heavy alphabet soup in the middle of the book, but as soon as she decides to run for president in 2005 it really takes off and get's interesting.

Johnson Sirleaf includes a history of modern Liberia, with a lot of international economics thrown in for good measure. I appreciated her unsentimental attitude and international perspective. I would absolutely recommend this book, though if you'...more

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Jul 14, 2009 Davehk rated it 3 of 5 stars

Coming as it does after a long spell of woman-forward fiction, this was a pretty interesting counterpoint - not always readable; but her tale could have ended very differently and much sooner, were it not for her strength of purpose and character.

Interestingly, she makes veiled comments about the impact of China on Africa -- it comes "at the right time" in the book, but I couldn't help but compare her brief comments on the future with what happened to Africa courtesy of the Europeans in the 18t...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: riverview-bookclub

Sirleaf is the first female president of Liberia.

I haven't read many memoirs, so I don't have much to compare it to. In this case, Sirleaf's story reads more as a series of dry events that could be one long bulleted list. I wonder if this writing style is a reflection of her time spent in the business world, where that type of writing is more common than a sentimental style. Either way, as I reflect on all she has encountered, and what she has accomplished, it is apparent that she is quite the a...more Sirleaf is the first female president of Liberia.

I haven't read many memoirs, so I don't have much to compare it to. In this case, Sirleaf's story reads more as a series of dry events that could be one long bulleted list. I wonder if this writing style is a reflection of her time spent in the business world, where that type of writing is more common than a sentimental style. Either way, as I reflect on all she has encountered, and what she has accomplished, it is apparent that she is quite the amazing human being. Here is a series of her passages that spoke to me, almost as tidbits of advice:

Still, once I took the position, I had stepped into a stream that would carry me along toward the future of my professional development. So often it is the small decisions in life that end up shaping our future the most. p 32

The learning here - pay attention to your small decisions as they may have bigger repercussions than you may originally anticipate.

All of this I said, but in the end, it was really one word - idiots - that got me into trouble. That was the word that did it. That was the word that they really, really did not like. p 123

The learning here - people may focus on one or two points and ignore the rest of your message. The theme of education, or lack there-of, is common when defining a gap for Liberians in this book. I wonder if this is why the word "idiot" offended so much - many of the regime did not have much of a formal education, and did not want to appear weak because of it.

Leadership has many challenges, and those challenges are serious. Too often people, in their eagerness to stand and shout 'Follow me!,' neglect to consider the downside. They do not, for example, consider the possibility of ostracism. But the truth is that if you want to lead and be hailed, you must also be prepared to be ostracized, because it surely will happen at some point in your career.

The learning here - there are ups and downs to any situation. Leaders may be glorified on one hand, but there will be people wanting to tear you down and you must be prepared for both aspects to move ahead.

On the challenges Sileaf faced as newly-elected president: "On that glorious day Liberians had not experienced government provided electric power for more than sixteen years... Pipe-borne water was nonexistent in the city center and parts beyond. Civil servants' salaries were in arrears and woefully inadequate at any rate. Our schools were in ruins, not just physically, but also in terms of the loss of trained teachers. Mortality rates among all sectors of our population were frighteningly high. Our hospitals lacked equipment, drugs, and most critically, doctors..." p 273

The learning here - it would be difficult enough becoming leader of a developed nation today, and yet knowing the state of Liberia and what she faced, Sirleaf fought for her election to bring change to these situations. Wow. What a strong, brave woman!(less)

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Dec 11, 2010 Jaspreet rated it 3 of 5 stars

I first picked up been enjoying This Child Will be Great:Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President written by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for the World Party Reading Challenge. In the original format, the country for the month of June was Liberia. I began reading in June, but I did not complete the book until last night. Part of my slow reading progress is the density of the book and the other is that I had other reading commitments. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It is both P...more I first picked up been enjoying This Child Will be Great:Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President written by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for the World Party Reading Challenge. In the original format, the country for the month of June was Liberia. I began reading in June, but I did not complete the book until last night. Part of my slow reading progress is the density of the book and the other is that I had other reading commitments. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It is both President Sirleaf's personal story and the history of Liberia. I learned a lot about the history of the country. A few highlights are mentioned below.

I was struck by the positive light in which President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush were portrayed. Because of the work I do and my political standpoint, I am very often critical of the former president. I enjoyed reading an outsider's perspective on how the former president handled foreign relations. It was also interesting to read about Persident Sirleaf's interactions with former president Jimmy Carter. Those sections of the book illustrated how much of a difference there can be in international perception and domestic perception of presidents. I imagine that there is also a difference in how US leaders are perceived from region to region.

Another part of the book I really enjoyed was President Sirleaf's experience running for office. I have some interest in running for public office myself, so I enjoyed hearing her accounts of how she tried to run for office in a way that would allow her to build a coalition with her opponents. The ways in which she utilized knowledge and expertise from the international community was also insightful. The thought of campaigning in the United States is daunting enough for me. I could not imagine trying to campaign in a country where where the weather determines accessibility of many areas.

Finally, I also enjoyed President Sirleaf's reflection on how being a woman impacted her experience. I was especially intrigued by how President Sirleaf believed marriage and parenthood influenced her journey. She got married very young and has been unmarried for the duration of her professional career. One thing I noticed in the memoir is how few stories there were of her interactions with her children. In her inauguration speech, I found myself nodding vigorously at her promise to invest in the education of young woman.(less)

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Feb 09, 2013 Teji rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: centennial-bookclub

This book is both memoir and history lesson. While the writing is not great and is too repetitive in many spots, it is certainly a griping story. Sirleaf is definitely a strong-willed, formidable woman-- and a survivor. I do wish that she had waited until after her presidency to write this book--I think it will be interesting to contrast what she hoped to accomplish with what actually happens. I will follow the rest of her presidency (she recently won a second 6-year term) with interest.

I did ex...more This book is both memoir and history lesson. While the writing is not great and is too repetitive in many spots, it is certainly a griping story. Sirleaf is definitely a strong-willed, formidable woman-- and a survivor. I do wish that she had waited until after her presidency to write this book--I think it will be interesting to contrast what she hoped to accomplish with what actually happens. I will follow the rest of her presidency (she recently won a second 6-year term) with interest.

I did experience one slight continuity problem where what she says happened doesn't match what she then describes happening:
" 'Tell them I will come, but, given my complexion, I need protection. They must send someone for me.' I don't know if Green ever delivered the message, but no one came. A few hours later my friend suggested that it was best that he escort me. / The streets were wild. As we drove through them, I held my breath. At one point the truck swerved into a gas station where a crowd was milling excitedly about. As the soldiers leapt out to fill the tank of the car, someone pounded on the roof and peered into the window, demanding, 'Who you got in there?' / I knew it was not an idle question, and I knew the soldiers would not necessarily protect me if the crowd wanted blood. One of the soldiers responded, 'Ellen Johnson Sirleaf! Taking her to see the man!' " p95.
So, here is my problem: if Doe never sent anyone for her, and her friend was the one her escorted her to the mansion…from where did those soldiers come?

Quotes:

"The only problem at school was that some of my classmates teased me about the fairness of my complexion. They said I was too light to be a real African and called me Red Pumpkin, a name that hurt me to the bottom of my soul." p27

"The settlers of modern-day Liberia decided they would plant their feet in Africa but keep their faces turned squarely toward the United States. This stance would trigger a profound alienation between themselves and the indigenous peoples upon whose shores they had arrived..." p6

"But the ECOMOG intervention was also a flawed operation in some ways. Much critical analysis has been written, and there remains considerable dissent about not only the legality and methods of the intervention but about whether ECOWAS shortened or actually prolonged the conflict in the long run." p190

"These were the violent years that brutalized and made brutes of an entire generation of our young people." p207
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Nov 25, 2009 Ms. Online added it

Shelves: 2009-spring-reviews

IRON LADY
Erin Aubry Kaplan

Review of This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa’s First Woman President
By Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (with Kim McLarin)
Harper

The 2006 election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as Liberia’s first woman president—the first in all of Africa!—is one of the new uncontested bright spots in the turbulent recent history of that country. But personal triumph is not the point of this memoir, despite its title. Sirleaf instead narrates the fascinating but frequently d...more

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Mar 23, 2010 Louise Chambers rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Black history, US history, African history and politics

Recommended to Louise by: Denver Public Library

Shelves: history, memoir-autobiography, politics, africa, liberia

First woman president of a Liberia, and the first woman president in all of Africa. Details the history of Liberia and how the "send the Blacks back to Africa" motif (which still resonates in the US today-unfortunately) was invented and used to broker the creation of the nascent nation of Liberia. The initial "purchase" of land, from the king who ruled in the region, for the original colony is horrifyingly similar to the "purchase" of Manhattan Island from it's native population.

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Jun 23, 2009 Jane Jackson added it

Although I have read better autobiographies, this memoir covers a lot of Western Afric's history, especially that of Liberia. She is a true role model for women every where. She is showing the world what an educated and strong willed woman can do. Our history as Americans is intertwined with Liberia as many freed slaves were sent there at the beginning of the 19th century. This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the future of African nations.

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Oct 20, 2009 Liz rated it 2 of 5 stars

I too wanted to read this book because I saw the author on the Jon Stewart Show. On the show, she was so charming! I felt the book was a history of Liberia which certainly was informative & interesting but I was looking for something more personal. There is some introspection at the end but I did not come away with a good understanding of her personality. I think she is an amazing woman & a great role model. I will follow her career with interest.

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Jul 25, 2012 Osho rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Memoir and history intertwine here, usually engagingly and sometimes with a degree of detail that's a little boring to those not conversant with recent Liberian politics. Still, Sirleaf has had an amazing life with surprisingly good outcomes, considering how chutzpahdik she's been when confronted by threats of imminent torture, rape, or death. It's quite an astonishing story.

Read with Blood Diamonds: Tracing the Deadly Path of the World's Most Precious Stones to see how the Charles Taylor years...more

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About Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the current President of Liberia. She served as Minister of Finance under President William Tolbert from 1979 until the 1980 coup d'état, after which she left Liberia and held senior positions at various financial institutions. She placed a distant second in the 1997 presidential election. Later, she was elected President in the 2005 presidential election and took office o...more

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“If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” — 33 people liked it

“Why are some countries able, despite their very real and serious problems, to press ahead along the road to reconciliation, recovery, and redevelopment while others cannot? These are critical questions for Africa, and their answers are complex and not always clear. Leadership is crucial, of course. Kagame was a strong leader–decisive, focused, disciplined, and honest–and he remains so today. I believe that sometimes people's characters are molded by their environment. Angola, like Liberia, like Sierra Leone, is resource-rich, a natural blessing that sometimes has the sad effect of diminishing the human drive for self-sufficiency, the ability and determination to maximize that which one has. Kagame had nothing. He grew up in a refugee camp, equipped with only his own strength of will and determination to create a better life for himself and his countrymen. ” — 7 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5112043-this-child-will-be-great?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348005227l/5112043.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5112043-this-child-will-be-great?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf[/url]

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

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