"""In about 20 short chapters, accompanied by black-and-white photos, the book covers a number of historical, cultural, political, and economic topics about the country, with a particular emphasis on how events affect the lives of ordinary Ethiopians. The conclusion to the 1995 section states, 'The last few years of the twentieth century will see the re-birth of Ethiopia, or its return to civil war and despair.' As is noted in the chapter of updates, continued poor economic development, a 1998 war with Eritrea, and undiminished AIDS crisis mean that the people of Ethiopia still face tremendous challenges.""--Multicultural Review"