In January 2006, after the Republic of Liberia had been racked by fourteen years of brutal civil conflict, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf-Africa's "Iron Lady" - was sworn in as president, an event that marked a tremendous turning point in the history of the West African nation. In this stirring memoir, Sirleaf shares the inside story of her rise to power, including her early childhood; her experiences with abuse, imprisonment, and exile; and her fight for democracy and social justice. This compelling tale of survival reveals Sirleaf's determination to succeed in multiple worlds: from her studies in the United States to her work as an international bank executive to her election campaigning in some of Liberia's most desperate and war-torn villages and neighborhoods. It is also the story of an outspoken political and social reformer who, despite danger, fought the oppression of dictators and championed change. By sharing her story, Sirleaf encourages women everywhere to pursue leadership roles at the highest levels of power, and gives us all hope that, with perseverance, we can change the world.

An insider account of how an African public health leader responded to an unprecedented Ebola outbreak. Tolbert Nyenswah, LLB, MPH, DrPH, was the assistant minister of health and deputy chief medical officer in Liberia when the 2014 Ebola epidemic struck. Nyenswah, the incident manager who led the response, became known as the "Ebola Czar" for his pivotal role in combating the epidemic despite his government's lack of resources. His story underscores the public health strategies that succeeded and those that failed, highlighting important lessons in managing current and future outbreaks. In Collapse and Resiliency, Nyenswah presents an insider's view of Liberia's response to the deadly Ebola epidemic. Nyenswah describes the fascinating journey from his childhood in a rural Liberian village to leading his country's response to the deadly outbreak, providing a deeply personal account of how the epidemic was finally controlled despite a depleted health care system. Prior to the Ebola epidemic, Liberia suffered from a protracted and ruthless civil war. Despite these challenges, Nyenswah and his team fostered a coordinated, community-based crisis response. Weaving together stories of effective and ineffective practices with the lived experiences that developed his skills to manage such a high-stress program, Nyenswah details how organizations worked together and what were the best public health methods to fight the spread of the disease. Unlike many books about Ebola in West Africa, Nyenswah provides both an expert account and a local voice. His story highlights the power imbalance during cooperative projects between western and nonwestern collaborators. In the only Ebola book written by a native African, the key strategist responsible for successfully ending the epidemic, Nyenswah reflects on the impacts of war and disease on the struggle to rebuild a more resilient health system and functioning society. As the world continues to reel from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, this look at a terrifying outbreak reminds us that a well-prepared public health system cannot be taken for granted.

In January 2006, after fourteen years of brutal civil conflict in the Republic of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf--Africa's "Iron Lady"--was sworn in as president, an event that marked a tremendous turning point in the history of this West African nation.

In this stirring memoir, Sirleaf shares the inside story of her rise to power, including her early childhood, her experiences with abuse, imprisonment, and exile, and her fight for democracy and social justice. Her compelling story is a tale of survival and the determination to succeed in multiple worlds--from her work and study in America to village-to-village election campaigning in some of Liberia's war-torn desperate areas and neighborhoods. It is also the story of an outspoken political and social reformist who, despite danger, fought against the abuses of ruthless dictators to champion change. By sharing her story, Sirleaf encourages women everywhere to seek leadership roles at the highest levels of power--and offers hope for everyone that, with perseverance, we can change the world.