Ciao Asmara

£7.99

Hill¿s account of his time in the African state of Eritrea is a welcome addition to the literature available on contemporary Africa. The author recounts a remarkable historical legacy, from Eritrea¿s creation through to the hostilities of the twentieth century. A former Italian colony and under Ethiopian control since 1950, armed conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea ignited in 1961 and war ensued for the next thirty years. Independence was finally declared in 1993. Hill introduces us to the people he met and the land he explored. Ardently protective of their independence, the struggle to re-build on both a personal and national level is all too apparent, as is the awareness that with freedom comes new challenges. This is a personal and engaging travelogue, providing a unique insight into a nation that I for one had known very little of.
Reviewed by Paul Harniess, European Books buyer, Stanfords Covent Garden

Shortlisted for the 2003 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award.