audiobook This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in History

Review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. "History" not "Memoir"By Patricia L. MorganThis review request is well-timed - my Book Club will talk about this book tonight and my opinion may be over-ridden. I looked forward to reading this book due to its timely subject (first female President in Africa) and timely subject matter (how a third world country was tossed into total chaos when "democracy" failed). Thus I encourage readers interested in female leadership and the fragility of political systems to read the book. My gripes with it are with how it is written; not what it is written about. First; the book contains "everything you ever wanted to know about Liberia and Ms. Sirleaf and much you don't need to know if you never knew anything about either Liberia or Ms. Sirleaf." In other words; in my opinion; Ms. Sirleaf needed a stronger editor; if not a ghost writer. The book is ponderous in sections ... I rarely "leaf through" a book; I did so at times with this book. Second; and important to me; Ms. Sirleaf did not convey an emotional sense of her journey. For example; she left her children with others while she attended schools and worked abroad; which surely would grip a mother with sadness. It is not conveyed. Further; she was imprisonedand in mortal danger from unstable political enemies; sufficient to terrorize most people (I'd think). She did not convey terror but rather tended to convey; more or less; that she was either "lucky" or felt "safe" in her gut. This while in a jail from which others routinely "disappeared!" I was left thinking that perhaps Ms. Sirleaf felt she had to always portray "strength;" which no human being; save the disordered; can reasonably do at all times. Nor should any of us be expected to do so. Thousands upon thousands of Ms. Sirleaf's countrymen were killed by political leaders andwarmongers ... Ms. Sirleaf seemed to want to convey that she simply glided above the fray; always challenging and speaking truth to power; but somehow always surviving relatively unscathed; often rescued by the intervention of international colleagues or business acquaintances. She did not develop fully how those relationships came to be so strong either. I'm glad she survived; but I would have appreciated her conveying some sense of human vulnerability. (At one point; Ms. Sirleaf must be whisked out of the country under cover of darkness. I was reminded of Marie Antoinette and her family attempting to escape from Paris; an episode that had my heart racing as I read about it. Ms. Sirleaf crouching in the back of a car in her jeans? Shrug. The dangerous immediacy of the matter was not conveyed to me. It could have been.) Perhaps if Ms. Sirleaf had spent less time on Liberian history and statistics; she could have spent more time telling me about herself ... and not just her "resume." I came away feeling she sort of simply believed the title of her book - she was the child mentioned and she WOULD BE great! Check it off on the Bucket List! OK - but for someone who let me in to learn all sorts of (to me; modestly interesting) information about international banking and African inter-relationships; Ms. Sirleaf did NOT let me in to her feelings. Yet; the book is called a "Memoir;" not a "History." I think it was in fact the latter - on both subjects - Liberia and Ms. Sirleaf.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A very well written autobiography - meaningful beyond most political reviewsBy GrizzrobI finished this ebook with a renewed respect for Pres. Johnson. The text and thoughts were very well composed and fluent. This book is a good read for anyone interested in the past; present and future direction of Liberia and Africa in general. Ms. Johnson spends valuable time and effort describing her unique and courageous views on Liberian policy and historical mistakes.On a trip to Liberia not too long ago; she was on my same flight and walked around the plane to greet me and the other passengers - I appreciated her down to earth attitude then; and even moreso now after reading this book. Her visceral account of the absolute horrors that have pillaged Liberia was gripping. She wrote it like she claims to live - without fear. I appreciated her blunt accounts of the attitudes of her countrymen - enemies and firiends. There were a very few passages that seemed self promoting and maybe a little grandiose; but Ms. Johnson is a politician; after all.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Just get on with it....By S.This book is so well written and easy to read. The life story of Ms Sirleaf is fascinating and should be read by all women especially young women. If Ms Johnson Sirleaf can survive growing up with an ill father; an abusive husband; a coup in her country to become the leader of her country we should all throw out excuses and just get on with it.