Book Reviews
"This wonderful memoir took me back to my own youth in Ethiopia. The author brings the country and its beauty to life...
capturing the charm and dignity of its people."
“A riveting dispatch from a bygone era, as a young American girl comes to Ethiopia as a
privileged foreigner and leaves with an Ethiopian heart.”
"The author's rich narrative illuminates a unique culture and the wrenching impact of events she could barely fathom."
"This poignant memoir brought me closer to my childhood. I wish I had read it during my own adolescence."
Flowers & Locusts
MY CHILDHOOD IN ETHIOPIA
The haunting memoir Flowers & Locusts opens a window on the legendary kingdom of Ethiopia through the extraordinary childhood of an American girl. The author's father brought his family there from New York City to become official adviser to Emperor Haile Selassie. The arc of the story is set against the unrest that leads to the downfall of the king, sweeping the girl into momentous and sometimes terrifying events that tested her young spirit.
The memoir is also a meditation on the joys and pain of childhood, as the girl finds solace in her passion for horses and shares adventures with a beloved younger brother. In a remote and mysterious realm of beautiful wild flowers sprung up after heavy rains and of cycles of locusts that devastate the countryside, the girl learns lessons about living from her larger-than- life father, gracious southern mother, and rebellious older sister. Interwoven is the wisdom of the family's Ethiopian caregivers and a gentle boy who opens up the girl's eyes to both the splendors and poverty of the royal capital outside the family compound.
As a coming of age story, Flowers & Locusts will appeal to readers from young teens to adults. Ultimately, the book is a work of gratitude to the author’s family and the Ethiopian people. On leaving this magical country, the author feels the profound loss of the only home she’s ever known.