Task 18: Read a book by/about a non-Western world leader

[Sherri]

I finished American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson for this prompt. 4 stars. It was about an African American Women that worked for the FBI & was contracted to the CIA. She was sent to Burkina Faso to get close to Thomas Sankara. Fiction.

[Dawn]

Would Mary, Queen of Scots count as a world leader?

[Regan]

Dawn wrote: "Would Mary, Queen of Scots count as a world leader?"

I would say she probably counts as a world leader, but she's definitely not non-western

[Sarah]

I did Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War which was really good, albeit super heavy. It was a fairly quick read too. Makes me want to read Madame President: The Extraordinary Journey of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf now!

[Octavia]

I read Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff for this, and it was excellent. Quite dense, though - I had to read a chapter at a time and then put it down for a while.

[Maria]

Just started Cleopatra: A Life By Stacy Schiff on the advice of some of these posts. listening to the audiobook and its fascinating.

[ekr]

Any graphic novel/nonfiction or kidlit suggestions? I, for one, am interpreting “world leader” broadly and am not limiting it to heads of state.

[Zoe]

I haven't seen referenced here, so shouting out the book I'm planning to read - "Getting Away With Murder: Benazir Bhutto's Assassination and the Politics of Pakistan", written by Heraldo Munoz, who was appointed by the UN as lead commissioner to investigate the assassination. Think this will appeal to others interested in female world leaders!

[Bobby]

rae wrote: "Any graphic novel/nonfiction or kidlit suggestions? I, for one, am interpreting “world leader” broadly and am not limiting it to heads of state."

How about two world leaders? (They were both U.S. presidents, but the story extends before and after their presidencies.)

Worst of Friends: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and the True Story of an American Feud, by Suzanne Tripp Jurmain

[Azuki]

I considered reading about Emperors and Empresses of Japan or China, or the sequel to The Twentieth Wife which I really love, about a Mongul Queen.

I decided, however, to read a book by Thich Nhat Hanh, while he's not as active politically as The Dalai Lama, he definitely qualifies as a global spiritual leader. Someone leading the world to be a more peaceful and kind place. Who says leaders have to be someone waging war?

His books are short and easy to read, and I think I can use his teaching to be more mindful and peaceful as the holiday season approaches.

[Regan]

rae wrote: "Any graphic novel/nonfiction or kidlit suggestions? I, for one, am interpreting “world leader” broadly and am not limiting it to heads of state."

The Royal Diaries series was one that I remember really enjoying as a kid. They have a number of nonwestern world leaders and are, as the title suggests, written as diaries. Some good examples are:
Cleopatra VII
Nzingha
Kaiulani
Anacaona
There are some others if you want to extend "world leader" to include non-ruling members of the royal family