Best Books On Ethiopia

Best Books On Ethiopia History

A History of Ethiopia

A History of Ethiopia by Harold Marcus is one of the best books on Ethiopian history that were ever written. Marcus tells the story of this fascinating country, covering everything from prehistoric times to the present day.

The book focuses on the political history of Ethiopia, with detailed accounts of the country’s various leaders and their political actions. It’s not a great book if you’re more interested in the cultural history of Africa’s oldest nation, but it certainly is one of the best and most comprehensive accounts of the political history of Ethiopia.

A History of Modern Ethiopia

A History of Modern Ethiopia is a book by Bahru Zewde, one of the leading historians from Ethiopia. The book covers the period between 1855 and 1991, offering a detailed and factual overview of the country’s recent history. Learn about the geopolitical importance of Ethiopia in the region, and about the economic and political history of this country.

The Emperor: Downfall of an Autocrat

The Emperor is a book by Ryszard Kapuscinski, a Polish foreign correspondent who traveled to Ethiopia following the deposition of Haile Selassie in 1974. Kapuscinski interviewed many members of the imperial circle and people who spent time with the famous emperor, to piece together this detailed account of his fall from power.

The result is a fascinating story of an emperor who ruled for forty-four years living in the lap of luxury, while his people struggled with poverty and starvation.

Ethiopia and the Origin of Civilization

Ethiopia and the Origin of Civilization is an essay by John G. Jackson that explores the role and importance Ethiopia had in the history of civilization.  The author considers all relevant research and evidence in archaeology, history, classical antiquity, and comparative religion, and sums them up perfectly in this short but very informative essay.

If you’re interested in learning about Ethiopia’s influences in the early development of civilization and you can’t be bothered to read a proper book, this 34-page essay is exactly what you’re looking for!

Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-1941

Prevail is a novel by Jeff Pearce that describes a very specific period in Ethiopian history. Pearce writes about Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia, the war that’s mostly forgotten by now, and the resistance of the African country. It’s quite a long read – about 640 pages spanning a period of six years, but it’s the best book on this specific period of Ethiopian history.

Best Books Set In Ethiopia

Cutting For Stone

Cutting For Stone is a novel by Abraham Varghese. It tells a story about twin brothers who were left on their own since birth – the mother died during childbirth and the father had forsaken them. They’re raised by a pair of physicians from Missing, who happen to fall in love while caring for the twins.

The story is emotional, but the novel is not just about the brothers’ lives as it also describes in detail various medical procedures, as well as political happenings in Ethiopia during the second half of the 20^th century.

Beneath the Lion’s Gaze

Beneath the Lion’s Gaze is a novel by Maaza Mengiste, a famous Ethiopian-American writer. The book tells the story of the Ethiopian revolution and the lengths humans will go to for freedom. It’s a tale about a family – the father is a doctor who has been ordered to report the jail, while his dying wife takes care of their two cons.

The heartbreaking family dynamics are described against the background of changing politics in Ethiopia, as Haile Selassie is overthrown and replaced by the Derg.

The Hospital by the River

The Hospital by the River is a story about Catherine and Reg Hamlin, two gynecologists who left their homes in Australia to travel to Ethiopia and establish a midwifery school there. Fast forward to forty years later and Catherine is still in the same place, running one of the most incredible medical programs on our planet.

Both Catherine and Reg have spent decades treating countless women for injuries sustained during labor, and this book is a fascinating account of their accomplishments that have saved the lives of tens of thousands of Ethiopian women.

Notes From the Hyena’s Belly

Notes From the Hyena’s Belly is a novel by Nega Mezlekia, an Ethiopian writer. The book is best described as partly a social history and partly an autobiography, as it portrays Ethiopia during the 70s and 80s of the previous century. The novel speaks about famine, civil war, mass execution, and the author’s personal experience of life in Ethiopia during this challenging period.

Mezlekia also offers a portrayal of the cultural and spiritual life in the country, as well as the struggle between conflicting communist and Western European influences that eventually caused the downfall of Ethiopia’s political structure.

The Wife's Tale: A Personal History

The Wife’s Tale: A Personal History is a memoir written by Guardian journalist Aida Edemariam. Edemariam writes about the life of her grandmother, Yetemegnu, who was born in Ethiopia in the early 20^th century. Yetemegnu was married and a mother before her fifteenth birthday, and she ultimately lived to be 95 years old, meaning she has lived through the most tumultuous period in Ethiopian history.

She’s seen it all – the Fascist revolution, the bombarding by the Allies, the Marxist revolution, and pretty much everything else that had happened in Ethiopia in the 20^th century.

The non-fiction book is an enthralling tale of a women’s life, set against the changing political background of a struggling country. Offering an insight into both the culture and history of Ethiopia, The Wife’s Tale remains one of the best books on Ethiopia for people who are eager to truly understand the fascinating country.

Best Ethiopia Travel Books

Ethiopia (Bradt Travel Guide)

Bradt’s travel guide for Ethiopia is a must-have for anyone who is planning a trip to this country. It’s a very detailed guide that provides travelers with valuable information on Ethiopia’s most famous sights, as well as the country’s best-hidden gems.

With incredibly detailed maps and extremely useful descriptions of hotels and various other tourist accommodations, Bradt’s guide to Ethiopia has remained the best and most relevant authority on the subject for more than two and a half decades!

Lonely Planet Ethiopia & Djibouti

Lonely Planet Ethiopia & Djibouti is a travel guide to two of the countries in the Horn of Africa. It offers detailed information on the best things to do and see in the two countries, with colored maps and images throughout the entire guide.

Lonely Planet also includes customizable itineraries, cultural insights, and valuable insider tips for first-time visitors. It’s one of the best offline travel books on Ethiopia, full of valuable tips for anyone who is traveling to this African country for the first time.

Ethiopia - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Pick up Culture Smart!’s guide to Ethiopian customs and culture if you want to understand the values and local culture in Ethiopia. The guide is full of valuable information for all first-time travelers to the African country, and it will help you understand the etiquette in socializing and daily life in Ethiopia.

It also helps travelers make the most of their visit to this fascinating country, with chapters that talk about Ethiopian history, traditions, attitudes, and values.

Coffee Atlas of Ethiopia

The Coffee Atlas of Ethiopia is probably the best book on Ethiopia for coffee lovers. The book offers a plethora of information on Ethiopian coffee, including everything from key elements of coffee production to detailed maps of forests and farms where the popular bean is cultivated.

The atlas also offers quite a detailed insight into the cultivation of coffee beans throughout Ethiopia, as well as maps of the various transportation networks that ensure the final product makes it to countless destinations all over the world. It’s the perfect book to pick up and read while sipping your morning coffee!

Ethiopia (Travel Photography, Books about Africa): A Photographic Tribute to East Africa's Diverse Cultures & Traditions

At the time of writing this article, this photography book has not yet been released, but it remains #1 on the list of all travel guides through Ethiopia. It’s a remarkably anticipated photography book with a huge collection of images by photographer Joey L.

It took thirteen years to create this spectacular book, which features everything from photos of Ethiopia’s most beautiful landscapes to images depicting prominent Ethiopians. If you’re looking for the best coffee table book on Ethiopia that’s full of incredibly gorgeous images, this is the one to pick up!

Best Miscellaneous Books On Ethiopia

The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears

The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears is a novel by Dingaw Mengestu, an Ethiopian-American novelist. The fiction novel tells the story of an Ethiopian immigrant who fleed the country during the revolution and is now living in the United States.

The protagonist, Sepha Stephanos runs a failing grocery store in Washington D.C. and is struggling with an identity crisis. The plot shifts from past to present at times, telling the story of the struggle many immigrants face even today – the struggle to balance between their identity gained at birth and their new identity of an American immigrant.

My Life, My Ethiopia

My Life, My Ethiopia is an autobiographical novel by Mary Tadesse. She was one of the highest-ranking women who served in Haile Selassie’s government, and her life story is utterly fascinating. Tadesse grew up in Ethiopia in the 30s and 40s, in a small Catholic family.

She writes about the unraveling of her ideals and the political happenings in 20^th-century Ethiopia, providing the reader with an insight into her personal life and experiences. Mary Tadesse is considered one of the greatest women leaders of Ethiopia of all time, and even she was eventually forced to flee the country and spend her twilight years in exile.

In Search of King Solomon's Mines

In Search of King Solomon’s Mines is a travel book by Tahir Shah, but it’s not exactly a standard book about travel. Instead of describing Ethiopia’s landscapes and cultural attractions, Shah takes the reader along with him on the quest of finding the mythical mines of King Solomon.

He examines the different clues from the stories of other travelers that had attempted the same before him, and eventually, they take him to Ethiopia, the country whose empress is a descendant of King Solomon.

On his quest to find the fabled mines, Shah feeds wild hyenas, visits an illegal gold mine, and even rides around in Haile Selassie’s jeep. The accounts of his travels are documented with photographs throughout the memoir, making for a fascinating and at times unbelievable read.

Sweetness in the Belly

Sweetness in the Belly is a fictional romance novel by Camilla Gibb. It tells the story of Lily, a young woman who grew up in a Morocco Sufi shrine after the murder of her British parents. She embarks upon a pilgrimage to Ethiopia, where she stays to teach the Qur’an to kids and ends up falling in love with a doctor.

However, Lily is struggling with her identity due to being perceived as a foreigner, and eventually, she flees the country for England. The novel describes the history of Ethiopia in the latter half of the 20^th century quite well, as well as the life of refugees in London. It’s a mesmerizing read, covering romance, history, and culture all at the same time.

There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Her Country's Children

There Is No Me Without You is a touching story of Ethiopia’s two plagues – AIDS and orphaned children. Melissa Fay Greene writes about the actions of Haregewoin Tefarra, a middle-aged woman who opened the doors of her home to Ethiopia’s orphans following the death of her daughter.

She struggled with depression until a local priest brought her two children to take care of, both of whom were AIDS orphans.

This gave the woman a sense of purpose in life and ultimately led her to take in more and more children until she simply couldn’t anymore. Today, Tefarra runs a school, a shelter for ill mothers, a daycare system, and she helps with the adoption of Ethiopian orphans into families that will take excellent care of them.