Madame President

I considered putting this one off for a bit because I felt run down and the idea of reading about civil war and a pandemic wasn't too appealing, but I'm glad I read this one.

While Cooper details incredible violence (coup, genital mutilation, gang rapes, civil war, mass murder to name a few) she intersperses these decades of unrest with humorous or inspiring anecdotes to keep things from getting too dark.

Madame President not only tells the story of a strong, but imperfect woman, it also tells the story of the power of women en masse. Sirleaf never could have risen to the Presidency on her own despite her experience and education. She did so with the support and action of women who were tired of seeing men reap the rewards of their work while they starved. It is a documentation of how things truly get done once women take up the helm and get it done.