The harrowing, but triumphant story of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, leader of the Liberian women s 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 Africa s history. "Madame President" is the inspiring, often heartbreaking story of Sirleaf s 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 Sirleaf s personal story into the larger narrative of the coming of age of Liberian women. The highs and lows of Sirleaf s life are filled with indelible images; from imprisonment in a jail cell for standing up to Liberia s 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 Liberia s future. Sirleaf s personality shines throughout this riveting biography. Ultimately, "Madame President" is the story of Liberia s greatest daughter, and the universal lessons we can all learn from this Oracle of African women."