MADAM SECRETARY VICE PRESIDENT

MADAM SECRETARY VICE PRESIDENT

MADAM SECRETARY VICE PRESIDENT

The harrowing, but triumphant story of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, leader of the Liberian womens movement, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, and the first democratically elected female president in African history.

When Ellen Johnson Sirleaf won the 2005 Liberian presidential election, she demolished a barrier few thought possible, obliterating centuries of patriarchal rule to become the first female elected head of state in Africas history. Madame President is the inspiring, often heartbreaking story of Sirleafs evolution from an ordinary Liberian mother of four boys to international banking executive, from a victim of domestic violence to a political icon, from a post-war president to a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and bestselling author Helene Cooper deftly weaves Sirleafs personal story into the larger narrative of the coming of age of Liberian women. The highs and lows of Sirleafs life are filled with indelible images; from imprisonment in a jail cell for standing up to Liberias military government to addressing the United States Congress, from reeling under the onslaught of the Ebola pandemic to signing a deal with Hillary Clinton when she was still Secretary of State that enshrined American support for Liberias future.

Sirleafs personality shines throughout this riveting biography. Ultimately, Madame President is the story of Liberias greatest daughter, and the universal lessons we can all learn from this "Oracle" of African women.

Review
PRAISE FOR MADAME PRESIDENT

"Madame President is more than the life story of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who broke political and cultural barriers in becoming the first woman to be elected president of an African nation. It is the expansive and penetrating narrative of a country, Liberia, that sweeps across continents and time...It moves swiftly through decades, eventually addressing the Ebola crisis that became the nadir of Sirleafs two terms in office...[Cooper] writes vividly and with authority...her book is impressive for both its detail and the insight it provides into a historic figure. Throughout, she offers an unflinching look at the reserved Sirleafs personal life and presidency, which comes to an end this year, while also telling of Liberias pain and pride."
--Washington Post

About the Author
Helene Cooper is the Pulitzer Prize–winning Pentagon correspondent for The New York Times, having previously served as White House Correspondent, diplomatic correspondent, and the assistant editorial page editor. Prior to moving to the Times, Helene spent twelve years as a reporter and foreign correspondent at The Wall Street Journal. She is the author of the bestselling memoir, The House at Sugar Beach (Simon & Schuster, 2008). She was born in Monrovia, Liberia, and lives in the Washington, DC area.