Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia
As a Christian island in an Islamic sea, Ethiopia has maintained an allure for Westerners for centuries. With the ouster of the Communist Derg in 1991, Ethiopia is again accessible to scholars and tourists, so interest is likely to intensify. Henze is a seasoned diplomat who has served in Ethiopia and written extensively on this fascinating but still mysterious (to Westerners) land. Thus, this general survey of Ethiopian history should prove invaluable for those with an interest in the region. Henze traces Ethiopia's development from the richness of the Aksumite Empire to its interaction with and resistance to the Arab Empire in the Middle Ages. His examination of Ethiopia's "opening" to the West in the eighteenth century is particularly informative, and he offers rather interesting insights regarding Ethiopia's position during the cold war struggle for influence on the Horn of Africa. This is an easily digested and very useful introduction to an ancient land and people.Jay FreemanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.