Journalist Helene Cooper wrote this moving memoir about growing up in a privileged family in Liberia. Cooper was a direct descendent of Elijah Johnson, one of the freed American slaves who founded Liberia in 1820. The former American slaves and their descendents became the ruling elite and the land barons; the native Liberians became the servants and tenants. When Helene was eight, the Coopers adopted Eunice a poor, native Liberian child to be Helene's companion and they became very close. In 1980 a coup violently overthrew the government when she was 14 years old. The family fled to North Carolina after horrific things happened to members of their family and extended family leaving Eunice behind. For years Helene turned her back on Liberia. She became a journalist traveling to all parts of the world. After a dangerous stint as a reporter covering the invasion of Iraq, she decided to go back to war-torn Liberia to see if she could find Eunice after 23 years. Helene is presently the White House Correspondent covering President Obama for the New York Times.
- Ann
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