In 1991, Eritrea won a 30-year war for independence from Ethiopia, and in 1993, it was recognized as Africa’s newest nation after more than a century of conquest and occupation by a succession of external powers that included the Ottomans, Egypt, Italy, Great Britain and Ethiopia. Each had left its mark, while fostering a deep distrust of outsiders and a fierce commitment to Eritrea’s separate political identity. Eritrea and Ethiopia slipped into a chronic state of no-peace-no-war that kept the entire Horn of Africa off-balance for nearly two decades, the standoff ended in 2018 when a newly installed Ethiopian prime minister reached out to Eritrea and set in motion a rapid-fire series of talks among the states of the African Horn that broke down long-standing barriers and raised hopes for a new era of regional peace and cooperation. This third edition of Historical Dictionary of Eritrea contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 600 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Eritrea.

A new edition of the essential guide for independent travellers to this unusual and remarkable African country. In addition to the charms of Asmara - with its broad avenues, markets and Roman Catholic cathedral - the interior, rich in historical remains, is well worth visiting and is covered comprehensively. The main port, Massawa, is a natural gateway to the 350 islands in the Red Sea that offer superb diving, and this guide provides all the necessary information.

“Contemporary history on a grand scale . . . Wrong has given us another essential contribution to understanding the postcolonial scramble for Africa.” —John le Carré, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Scarred by decades of conflict and occupation, the craggy African nation of Eritrea has weathered the world’s longest-running guerrilla war. The dogged determination that secured victory against Ethiopia, its giant neighbor, is woven into the national psyche, the product of cynical foreign interventions. Fascist Italy wanted Eritrea as the springboard for a new, racially pure Roman empire; Britain sold off its industry for scrap; the United States needed a base for its state-of-the-art spy station; and the Soviet Union used it as a pawn in a proxy war. In I Didn’t Do It for You, Michela Wrong reveals the breathtaking abuses this tiny nation has suffered and, with a sharp eye for detail and a taste for the incongruous, tells the story of colonialism itself and how international power politics can play havoc with a country’s destiny. “Vivid, penetrating, wonderfully detailed. Michela Wrong has written the biography of a nation and more—she has excavated the very heart and soul of the Eritrean people and their country.” —Aminatta Forna, author of The Devil That Danced on Water “Engrossing, vividly written in the style of the best thrillers . . . I’ve read nothing that’s told me as much about either Eritrea or Ethiopia. It should become that standard work on the region.” —Anthony Sampson, author of Mandela: The Authorized Biography “Wrong excels as a storyteller, providing evocative descriptions of Eritrea’s dramatic topography and gripping dollops of military history.” —The Washington Post

Poetry. African American Studies. The first anthology ever published of poetry from Eritrea written in Tigrinya, Tigre and Arabic, WHO NEEDS A STORY? contains English translations and the originals of thirty-six poems by twenty-two poets over roughly the last three decades. The way that contemporary Eastern European poets were first read widely in the 1970s and South American poets in the 1960s--without whose influence contemporary poetry in English and most languages is unimaginable--now is the time for African language poets to be similarly heard, with Eritrean poets as part of the vanguard. "For at least four thousand years--from the ancient stele in Belew Kelew to the 20th century battlefields of Eritrea's heroic struggle for independence--and into the 21st century, Eritrean poets have never given up writing in their own languages, which is why their poetry thrives. WHO NEEDS A STORY? translates this remarkable legacy"--Ngugi wa Thiong'o.

This authoritative overview serves as a comprehensive resource on Eritrea's history, politics, economy, society, and culture. Located in eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea between Djibouti and Sudan, Eritrea is a poor but developing East African country, the capital of which is Asmara. Formerly a province of Ethiopia, Eritrea became independent on May 24, 1993, following a 30-year struggle that culminated in a referendum vote for independence. Written materials on most aspects of Eritrean history and culture are quite scarce. Eritrea fills that gap with an exhaustive, thematically organized overview. It examines Eritrean geography, the history of Eritrea since the ancient period, and the government, politics, economy, society, cultures, and people of the modern nation. Though based largely on the documentary record, the book also recognizes the value of oral history among the people of Eritrea and incorporates that history as well. Leading sources are quoted at length to provide analysis and perspective.