Comments on: What to read about Ethiopia? http://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/ International development, politics, economics, and policy Sun, 20 May 2012 12:32:52 +0000 hourly 1 By: Noemihttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9611 Noemi Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:00:58 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9611 Prof. Philip Le Bel at Montclair State University, who was recently on Fulbright teaching economics in Addis Ababa, has the following recommendations: "I also commend you to a current events post source known as East Africa Forum that is issued by a good friend of mine, Shlomo Bachrach. Shlomo's postings are not edited and contain links to articles about Ethiopia from most major news sources. " Prof. Philip Le Bel at Montclair State University, who was recently on Fulbright teaching economics in Addis Ababa, has the following recommendations:
“I also commend you to a current events post source known as East Africa Forum that is issued by a good friend of mine, Shlomo Bachrach. Shlomo’s postings are not edited and contain links to articles about Ethiopia from most major news sources. “

]]> By: Alicehttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9425 Alice Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:20:32 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9425 If you fancy a diversion from the written medium, the film 'Teza' comes highly recommended http://www.tezathemovie.com/Also NPR have a feature coming up on Ethiopia - not sure exactly when it will be aired, but I think it will be fairly soon. If you fancy a diversion from the written medium, the film ‘Teza’ comes highly recommended
http://www.tezathemovie.com/

Also NPR have a feature coming up on Ethiopia – not sure exactly when it will be aired, but I think it will be fairly soon.

]]> By: Amanihttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9413 Amani Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:59:23 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9413 'There is No Me Without You' by Melissa Fay Greene is an excellent recent book.Description via Amazon: Not unlike the AIDS pandemic itself, the odyssey of Haregewoin Teferra, who took in AIDS orphans, began in small stages and grew to irrevocably transform her life from that of "a nice neighborhood lady" to a figure of fame, infamy and ultimate restoration. In telling her story, journalist Greene who had adopted two Ethiopian children before meeting Teferra, juggles political history, medical reportage and personal memoir. While succinctly interspersing a history of Ethiopia, lucidly tracing the history of AIDS from its early manifestation as "slim disease" in the late 1970s to its appearance as a bizarrely aggressive [form] of Kaposi's sarcoma in the early 1980s, and following the complex path of medication (a super highway in the West, a trail in Africa), Greene rescues Teferra from undeserved oblivion as well as rescuing her from undeserved obloquy (false accusations of child selling). ‘There is No Me Without You’ by Melissa Fay Greene is an excellent recent book.

Description via Amazon:
Not unlike the AIDS pandemic itself, the odyssey of Haregewoin Teferra, who took in AIDS orphans, began in small stages and grew to irrevocably transform her life from that of “a nice neighborhood lady” to a figure of fame, infamy and ultimate restoration. In telling her story, journalist Greene who had adopted two Ethiopian children before meeting Teferra, juggles political history, medical reportage and personal memoir. While succinctly interspersing a history of Ethiopia, lucidly tracing the history of AIDS from its early manifestation as “slim disease” in the late 1970s to its appearance as a bizarrely aggressive [form] of Kaposi’s sarcoma in the early 1980s, and following the complex path of medication (a super highway in the West, a trail in Africa), Greene rescues Teferra from undeserved oblivion as well as rescuing her from undeserved obloquy (false accusations of child selling).

]]> By: Mikehttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9409 Mike Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:36:23 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9409 For the academic angle you may want to browse the Journal of Northeast African Studies or the International Journal of Ethiopian studies. Leo Arriola has a nice article on the role of ethnicity and economic conditions in recent elections in at least one of those.I might have a couple other ideas depending on what you guys plan on doing. For the academic angle you may want to browse the Journal of Northeast African Studies or the International Journal of Ethiopian studies. Leo Arriola has a nice article on the role of ethnicity and economic conditions in recent elections in at least one of those.

I might have a couple other ideas depending on what you guys plan on doing.

]]> By: Chris Blattmanhttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9405 Chris Blattman Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:02:33 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9405 Oh. I think you're right about the Isegewa book. Embarrassing... Oh. I think you’re right about the Isegewa book. Embarrassing…

]]> By: Bethhttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9398 Beth Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:25:49 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9398 Sweetness in the Belly was a great fictional intro for me. Sweetness in the Belly was a great fictional intro for me.

]]> By: Ryanhttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9392 Ryan Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:28:39 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9392 Surrender or Starve by Robert Kaplan has been making its way through the Ghana RAs. It's an enlightening journalistic account of the famine in the 80s with a decidedly conservative, even right-wing tilt. Not what you expect to hear from a guy was buddies with Marxist Eritrean rebels. Surrender or Starve by Robert Kaplan has been making its way through the Ghana RAs. It’s an enlightening journalistic account of the famine in the 80s with a decidedly conservative, even right-wing tilt. Not what you expect to hear from a guy was buddies with Marxist Eritrean rebels.

]]> By: GeoGeekhttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9385 GeoGeek Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:06:09 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9385 Randomize Marx? Oh man, hurry up with that one.... I would *love* to read that. Randomize Marx? Oh man, hurry up with that one…. I would *love* to read that.

]]> By: Owen Barderhttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9382 Owen Barder Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:50:42 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9382 ChrisWhere to start? The Emperor is essential reading. Here is a list that should keep you going for a bit:<i>The Emperor</i> by Ryszard Kapuściński. <i>Cutting for Stone</i> by Abraham Verghese <i>Sweetness in the Belly</i> by Camilla Gibb <i>Waugh in Abyssinia</i> by Evelyn Waugh <i>The Sign and the Seal</i> by Graham Hancock (bonkers but interesting) <i>Notes from the Hyena's Belly</i> by Nega Mezlekia <i>A Year In The Death of Africa</i> by Peter GillLooking forward to seeing you Owen Chris

Where to start? The Emperor is essential reading. Here is a list that should keep you going for a bit:

The Emperor by Ryszard Kapuściński.
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb
Waugh in Abyssinia by Evelyn Waugh
The Sign and the Seal by Graham Hancock (bonkers but interesting)
Notes from the Hyena’s Belly by Nega Mezlekia
A Year In The Death of Africa by Peter Gill

Looking forward to seeing you
Owen

]]> By: Oliverhttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9374 Oliver Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:18:05 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9374 Surely Owen Barder has something for you? He lives and works in Ethiopia after all. Surely Owen Barder has something for you? He lives and works in Ethiopia after all.

]]> By: Ranil Dissanayakehttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9371 Ranil Dissanayake Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:09:21 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9371 also - "randomize Marx"? Please tell us more. I still think he was a better development economist than most of us today ( http://aidthoughts.org/?p=441 ). Sounds fascinating. also – “randomize Marx”? Please tell us more. I still think he was a better development economist than most of us today ( http://aidthoughts.org/?p=441 ). Sounds fascinating.

]]> By: Ranil Dissanayakehttp://chrisblattman.com/2009/11/11/what-to-read-about-ethiopia/#comment-9370 Ranil Dissanayake Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:46:39 +0000 http://chrisblattman.com/?p=3732#comment-9370 thanks for the recommendations. I've not read anything specifically about Ethiopia, so will try get one of the histories.small point though, Abyssinian Chronicles is about Uganda, if you're talking about the Moses Isegewa book. Can't say I was the biggest fan. thanks for the recommendations. I’ve not read anything specifically about Ethiopia, so will try get one of the histories.

small point though, Abyssinian Chronicles is about Uganda, if you’re talking about the Moses Isegewa book. Can’t say I was the biggest fan.

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