Winner of the Governor General's Award
A Library Journal Best Book of 2001
Part autobiography and part social histo... read full description
A Library Journal Best Book of 2001
Part autobiography and part social histo... read full description
reviews
Jul 27, 2010
Rowland
rated it: 
Wonderful book. Concise, clear writing, a remarkable tale about coming of age in Ethiopia in the era just after Heili Selassi is dethroned. This is a vivid but gentle account of his own and his countries struggle to move from the world of nomadic tribes and custom through the rigorous and corrupt control of the Catholic Church and into the dangerous world of education and western thought. His story is one of avoiding death from hunger, from warring tribes, nations and ideologies and the bereft b
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Jan 16, 2010
Jim
rated it: 
Since my wife and I are pursuing adopting a child from Ethiopia, we have begun reading books about the land and its people.
This book tells the story of a boy growing up in the late 60s and early 70s during a time of political turmoil and upheaval following the fall of Emperor Halie Selassie.
The language, phrasing, and story telling of this book is quite beautiful, helping you to enter into the mindset and culture of the land. The "meaning" of many events told i More...
This book tells the story of a boy growing up in the late 60s and early 70s during a time of political turmoil and upheaval following the fall of Emperor Halie Selassie.
The language, phrasing, and story telling of this book is quite beautiful, helping you to enter into the mindset and culture of the land. The "meaning" of many events told i More...
Aug 01, 2010
Bill
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Sep 20, 2010
Iva
rated it: 
Mezlekia shares his impressions of growing up in a very tumultuous time--the 70's and 80's in Ethiopia. He manages to become educated in spite of the poverty and being forced out of his home and serving time as a soldier. It is a sad story --he lost many people close to him-- but filled with background, folktales and history of Ethiopia. Untimately he survived to tell his story.
Nov 07, 2008
Jon
rated it:
I haven't read a war memoir this engrossing and tragicomic since probably Babel's Red Calvary. Mezlekia's journey through the whirlwind of Ethiopia's revolutions and wars is all the more remarkable because he was able to survive. With dry and sardonic wit, Mezlekia intersperses his experiences with Ethiopian fables and folklore, historical overviews, personal insight, and cultural and ethnographic information. He ended up specializing in agronomy and civil engineering, so the lengthy discussi
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Oct 01, 2010
Kristin
rated it:
As part of my search for books about Africa, I am reading this memoir of a young man growing up during a tumultuous period in Ethiopia's history. The first part of the book is a constant shift between a sort of magical thinking based on folk beliefs and real events, where the city streets are ruled by wild hyenas at night. As he enters his teen years, he gets caught in the waves of political movements and wavers between a strict academic environment and running off the join the uprising" wh
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Jan 22, 2009
Joanna
rated it:
A story of growing up in Ethiopia, it started off well but I lost interest towards the end. I felt the author tried to tell too much in one book and never really dug deep enough into any of the stories.
May 05, 2011
Debra
rated it:
Loved this book. Wonderful writing, enjoyed how the author incorporated Ethiopian folklore into the telling of his story. Good metaphors throughout.
Mar 05, 2009
How blessed we are, by accident of birth, to be Americans.
How little we understand about the rest of the world.
How little we understand about the rest of the world.
May 12, 2009
Cherish
rated it:
Fascinating, especially as I am trying to get Ethiopian culture literate
Jan 23, 2009
Alexandra
rated it:
An amazing book! So well written and very interesting and informative. I loved it!
Nov 23, 2008
Emily
rated it:
Absorbing book about Mezlekia's boyhood in Ethiopia in the 70's and 80's. During this time Haille Selassie was deposed by the junta and the country went to war with Somalia. In the midst of civil war and famine, Mezlekia remembers the rich cultural history of his country. Mezlekia loses many of the people he loved during the novel, including his parents and one of his best friends. He intersperses his narrative with traditional stories that his mother told him as a child. Very engaging.
Jun 27, 2008
Susan
rated it:
Spanning the deposition of Emperor Selassie and the term of the socialist junta supported by USSR and Cuba, this childhood memoir is evocative of today's events in other African countries. It does provide interesting insight into the relationship of Somalia and Ethiopia. It also reminds the reader of child soldiers and the wanton destruction of young lives in times like these. It was a well-written, interesting history of a young man who now lives in Canada.
Jul 24, 2010
Jen
rated it:
I'm not sure how to rate this book. This guy has an amazing life story to tell. Perfect fodder for a memoir. I'm glad I read it. It makesme want to learn more about Ethiopia. But the book's tone is somewhat detached. Perhaps this is because english is a second language. Perhaps it's some sort of coping mechanism. Either way, understandable, but that's why I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 4.
Apr 26, 2011
Salvatore
rated it:
About a boy growing up in Ethiopia, surprisingly funny, extremely well written. Would highly recommend.
Sep 03, 2008
Joy
rated it:
The first few chapters were so funny, so witty and a great mix of storytelling and history. Then he goes on and on about cave fighting and revolutions that I just don't know enough about to follow the narration. I guess he and his editor had a huge dispute over who actually wrote the book...whoever wrote the first half deserves the payout!
Dec 27, 2011
Jesse
rated it:
Another great Ethiopian writer! Nega spent most of his life growing up in Ethiopia, through the fall of the king, the ruling of the military juntas and many changes throughout the country. It was an incredibly traumatic life, but he tells the story with great humor and optimism.
Jun 17, 2008
Elisabeth
rated it:
I found myself taking the non-express bus to and from work so that I had a few extra minutes to read this book. It's an easy read and puts a human face on events, the impact of which I previously knew through the more objective and analytic lens of my work with an NGO.
Jun 25, 2008
Krisfink
rated it:
In pursuit of my quest to learn more about Africa, one country at a time, I read this book. Well written with a nice combination of narrative and fact. Helped me get a better sense of the country, its problems, and our perceptions of Ethiopia as equating famine.
Oct 12, 2007
Kate
rated it:
An lite easy way to get some recent Ethiopian history. It was great to read about places that I've been and loved, by someone who's been and (not necessarily) loved. And of course, I liked the combined aspects of history, experience and culture.
Aug 03, 2010
Samantha
rated it:
Seemed to drag a bit, although it only took me a week, it felt like I had been reading it much longer. Of course, its not a light and happy read either, which probably contributed to that feeling. But I did like the book.
Nov 18, 2011
Jeannette
rated it:
Not badly written, I found this somewhat fragmentary, particularly the ending, where all the early energy was indetectible. I gained some insight into recent Ethiopian history. But it could have been so much better.
Sep 28, 2007
Janaia
rated it:
A gripping story! Rich in wisdom, humor, and poetry, this is not simply the story of a boy coming of age, it is a portrait of a nation and its people. You should read it! Good pace and well written.
Nov 27, 2007
Bri
rated it:
Great memoir which delved into a world I knew very little about. African history is fairly new to me and Im glad I read this!
Sep 13, 2007
Timothy R.
rated it:
I don't care if the author was accused of fabricating some of his memoirs. They're fascinating tales nonetheless.
Mar 14, 2008
William
rated it:
I really liked this book. It was a coming of age, travelouge, adventure, autobiographical tour de force.
Mar 22, 2008
Briana
rated it:
Another historical fiction, from a personal point of view. Great book.
