Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #770235 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

From Booklist
Hill leaves Britain to become a teacher in Eritrea. Culturally, tiny Eritrea marks a transition point between the Middle East and Africa, its language Semitic, its spirit African. Because of Eritrea's years as an Italian colony on the strategic Horn of Africa, its capital city, Asmara, has an unexpectedly rich art-deco architectural heritage. Eritrea had long sought independence from neighboring Ethiopia, and in 1993 it achieved its goal; but Ethiopia could not accept the plebiscite. In 1996 Hill plunged headlong into Eritrean life, sharing the privations of a nation at war but also finding great hopes and dreams among its people. Hill traces the country's history from its fabled biblical past through its subjugation first to European, then African domination. Hill does not idealize those he encounters, and he tells graphic stories of female mutilation practiced by women upon each other, mothers on daughters. Although this is an autobiographical account, Hill focuses his text on Eritreans themselves, not on himself. Photographs help the reader visualize the exotic settings. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

The Sunday Times
“A love letter to the country he had to leave… a brief and beautiful moment of calm between storms.”

Kirkus Reviews
“Hill digs deeply, humanely, and with political keenness into the country’s history.”

Customer Reviews

30 years of war: the Aftermath + more war

Looking at a map of Africa, this country with so much coast line should be prime real estate. There should be harbors, hotels and snorkeling galore. Unfortunately, what it has had has been war. Maybe even more to come.

Last year I read Michela Wong's "I Didn't Do It For You" which details Eritrea's very sad history. Justin Hill's "Ciao Asmara" brings the country much more to life. His light prose style belies strong content and incisive observations.

Through his experiences teaching (teachers chase the students into the classrooms with sticks; class size may be 75 students; with only a few rooms schools have 2 shifts) making friends among the those from "The Field" (who seem to have something like a post partum depression) and meeting various long and short term travelers (from those studying rare fish to those seeking a retirement home), you learn what it is like in the aftermath of a 30 year war. Not only have the people been physically and emotionally damaged, education is hard to come by, and even if you have it, with the economy in shambles, you can't use it. Those who are best off are those with relatives abroad and the veterans who have managed to secure gov't jobs.

The book has some photos that leave you wanting more. You can get more elsewhere on the net (esp. the Art Deco buildings) by searching Eritrea.

The description of Hill's evacuation is great ("Don't jerk me around!" "Fill out the BLUE FORMS!" "I can't deal with this.") and how luggage maximums are reduced by the hour.

If, like me, you're like "travel" books that introduce you to different people more than the food or sites, this book is for you. Other good reads describing day to day life include South of the Clouds (China), The Califf's House (Casablanca) and Es Cuba.

An interesting find
I noticed this book by chance on a library shelf while searching specifically for something else; it looked interesting, so I got it out as well. Pretty comprehensive look at post-independence Eritrea at a grasp-able level, including photos. Would make a great book to take along while traveling, etc.