A GREAT Book (or three!)

A few months back, I was talking with someone about Ethiopia. He explained that he had served in Ethiopia in the Peace Corp a very long time ago. He went on to talk about the Emperor Haile Selassie and how he actually saw him while he was in Ethiopia. I sort of acted like I knew all about what he was describing, but in truth, I was not really aware of all of Ethiopia's amazing history.

When we were in the process of adopting, I tried to learn about Ethiopia, but if I am being honest, I was more interested in learning about adoption agencies, procedures, and following the blogs of people who were in the process of adopting. NOW that I have been to Ethiopia (and miss it so much), I can't get enough information about the beautiful country that I have come to love.

I was buying some books on the Barnes and Noble website about a month ago, and I decided to type "Ethiopia" into the search window. I found a few great books that I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to read more about Ethiopia.

The first book that I believe is a MUST READ is Cutting for Stone. Am I the only one who had not heard about this book? It was a national bestseller. It is fiction. It is SOOOOO GOOD! If you like to read and are looking for a great book check this out! My favorite thing about the book, is that the story takes place in Addis Ababa. The author is so descriptive and does such a great job of writing, that you can feel the story come to life. There were so many parts that had me smiling because I could vividly remember the scenes that he was describing. He is a fabulous writer. The story is about twin brothers who grow up in Ethiopia throughout the 1950's-1980's. I learned so much about the Emperors in Ethiopia, the government, and what life was like in Addis Ababa. But the book is not a boring historical type of book...it has such an intriguing story line. This book is so fun to read after traveling to Ethiopia...I don't think I would appreciate it as much if I hadn't been there first.

I am not done with the book yet, but so far it is a favorite of mine. I read while I wait to pick the kids up from school, dance practice, etc. and am often disappointed when my kids appear because I want to keep reading!!! I can't wait to finish the book and would love to hear from anyone who has read it.

The other two books I discovered are non-fiction. I bought them from B & N's used seller list. The books are actually library bound books. They are reference type of books for young adults/kids to use while doing research (I suspect). I can imagine using these books with my own kids if they ever need to write about a certain country, etc. The books are very basic, but describe what Ethiopia is like (land, culture, government, history, etc.). I have learned so much from them!!!! AND...they were only a couple of bucks each because they were used. They are in great condition- I suspect they were not "checked out" from the library, where they once lived, very often. So, there you have it. Three books that I think are must reads. I feel so much smarter about Ethiopia already!