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Imelda: Steel Butterfly of the Philippines
Imelda Marcos - famous for her 1,060 pairs of shoes – was also one of the most powerful and controversial figures in world history. She was extraordinarily beautiful, charismatic, determined – and savage.
“ Steel Butterfly of the Philippines,” a uniquely unauthorized biography by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Katherine Ellison, describes the Philippine first lady’s rise from near-poverty to unimaginable riches, her surprisingly tenacious attempt to take over as dictator, and her fatal grudge match with her chief political rival, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino.
"The research here is superb, the writing is gripping and graceful."-The Washington Post
After helping reveal Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos’ multi-billion-dollar corruption in a Pulitzer-prize-winning newspaper series, Ellison returned to the Philippines, New York City, and Washington, D.C. to interview scores of Imelda’s relatives, friends, bodyguards, “Blue Ladies,” political rivals and allies, as well as every U.S. Ambassador to serve in Manila during the Marcos’ 1965-1986 regime.
Acclaimed by The Washington Post for its exceptional research and compelling writing, Ellison’s book chronicles Imelda's journey from her modest upbringing on the island of Leyte to her powerful role beside her husband, who called her his “secret weapon.” Fueled by fortunes in US aid, and for years extolled by US media, which compared the Marcoses to the Kennedys’ “Camelot,” the Philippines’ “conjugal dictatorship” soon devolved into unrivaled extravagance, corruption, and harrowing human rights abuses.
Delving into the intricacies of the Manila-Washington dynamics in the context of one of history’s weirdest-ever binational relationships, Ellison also explores Imelda's voracious pursuit of US real estate, including the acquisition of New York's Crown Building; her meetings with Muammar Qadafy, Yuri Andropov, Fidel Castro and Madame Mao, and her attendance at such fabulous events as Iran’s 2,500th-anniversary festival and the coronation of the King of Nepal. Ellison also provides startling, never-before-reported evidence of Imelda’s clandestine involvement in Benigno Aquino's assassination.
Imelda, now in her 90s, and at the helm of a political dynasty with her son, President Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos Jr., appears to have triumphed over her critics, even inspiring a cheerful recent Broadway musical.
Get “ Steel Butterfly of the Philippines” to learn the much more fascinating truth.
"Katherine Ellison has a reporter's zeal for finding the story within the story. Her book is full of surprises."-David Haward Bain, author of Sitting in Americans in the Philippines
Katherine Ellison is a former foreign correspondent and author and co-author of a dozen books, including the family ADHD memoir, “ A Year of Paying Attention.” She has reported for publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Smithsonian, and The Atlantic.
“ Steel Butterfly of the Philippines,” a uniquely unauthorized biography by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Katherine Ellison, describes the Philippine first lady’s rise from near-poverty to unimaginable riches, her surprisingly tenacious attempt to take over as dictator, and her fatal grudge match with her chief political rival, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino.
"The research here is superb, the writing is gripping and graceful."-The Washington Post
After helping reveal Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos’ multi-billion-dollar corruption in a Pulitzer-prize-winning newspaper series, Ellison returned to the Philippines, New York City, and Washington, D.C. to interview scores of Imelda’s relatives, friends, bodyguards, “Blue Ladies,” political rivals and allies, as well as every U.S. Ambassador to serve in Manila during the Marcos’ 1965-1986 regime.
Acclaimed by The Washington Post for its exceptional research and compelling writing, Ellison’s book chronicles Imelda's journey from her modest upbringing on the island of Leyte to her powerful role beside her husband, who called her his “secret weapon.” Fueled by fortunes in US aid, and for years extolled by US media, which compared the Marcoses to the Kennedys’ “Camelot,” the Philippines’ “conjugal dictatorship” soon devolved into unrivaled extravagance, corruption, and harrowing human rights abuses.
Delving into the intricacies of the Manila-Washington dynamics in the context of one of history’s weirdest-ever binational relationships, Ellison also explores Imelda's voracious pursuit of US real estate, including the acquisition of New York's Crown Building; her meetings with Muammar Qadafy, Yuri Andropov, Fidel Castro and Madame Mao, and her attendance at such fabulous events as Iran’s 2,500th-anniversary festival and the coronation of the King of Nepal. Ellison also provides startling, never-before-reported evidence of Imelda’s clandestine involvement in Benigno Aquino's assassination.
Imelda, now in her 90s, and at the helm of a political dynasty with her son, President Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos Jr., appears to have triumphed over her critics, even inspiring a cheerful recent Broadway musical.
Get “ Steel Butterfly of the Philippines” to learn the much more fascinating truth.
"Katherine Ellison has a reporter's zeal for finding the story within the story. Her book is full of surprises."-David Haward Bain, author of Sitting in Americans in the Philippines
Katherine Ellison is a former foreign correspondent and author and co-author of a dozen books, including the family ADHD memoir, “ A Year of Paying Attention.” She has reported for publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Smithsonian, and The Atlantic.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1988
38 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Ellison
18 books67 followersKatherine Ellison is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist, former foreign correspondent, writing consultant, and author of four books, including The Mommy Brain: How Motherhood Makes You Smarter. The mother of two sons, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area."
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 12, 2016
Read for the geocaching challenge. This is a good read, so fair play to the author. I would never ordinarily have read about Imelda Marcos, a figure to despise. This did not alter my opinion! A well-shod (heeled) woman naked of scruples and ruthless towards her own people.
December 31, 2008
Imelda, you are a crook with good shoes.
June 17, 2024
"Imelda: Steel Butterfly of the Philippines" by Katherine Ellison is an enthralling and unexpectedly funny unauthorized biography that delves into the life of one of history's most captivating figures. Ellison masterfully narrates Imelda Marcos' dramatic rise from poverty and early love of America to wealth and power. What sets this biography apart is its ability to weave humor into the narrative, making Imelda's persona both fascinating and surprisingly entertaining. Ellison's research provides a compelling and multifaceted portrait of a previously unknown- to- me figure. I downloaded this book to listen to on a flight, and I am so glad I did so!
October 13, 2019
The book was very informative and very factual in its approach to a very complicated subject. Imelda Marcos has made a name for herself thru her actions and this book expertly details what those actions were and in what context / situations they were done in. A highLy recommended read.
March 11, 2025
4/5 STARS! I had no idea who Imelda was but instantly became engrossed in her life story. It's a fascinating train wreck of a toxic marriage, & getting caught up in politics and money. An insane true story that is hard to believe actually happened. The audiobook is definitely a must listen!
July 21, 2024
This is an unauthorized biography of Emelda Marcos who grew up in poverty and became the rich power behind the throne of the leader of the Philippines for many years. At one time she was secretly the owner of several of the largest buildings in New York City which she called the crossroads of civilization. She is often known as the owner of over a thousand pairs of shoes. The story tells about her life from childhood to fame and fortune and how it all ended. It was enlightening to learn so much about the Phillippines, its history, its politics and its interaction with so many famous Americans. I learned a lot listening to this Audible production read by the author.
June 24, 2024
Audiobook: This was my first experience with Katherine Ellison's work. It was a book about the life of Imelda Marcos, who once was the first lady of the Philippines. I was amazed at the depth and amount of research that went into this book. The facts of Imelda's life were presented clearly. The story was easy to follow. I liked that the details were not presented in a sensationalized way. Katherine Ellison's narration was fine in that her voice was easy to understand; however, there were a few times when she had to start a sentence or group of words over. Katherine did speak a little fast, and her voice had little tonal variation. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review which included my opinions.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews