Gondar is the exotic, fantastic story of the struggle for control of the fabled 19th-century Abyssinian kingdom. Richly created and lushly told, it is peopled with unforgettable characters both real and imaginary, set in an Africa of violence, spectacle and romance.

The Great Warbow is a vivid and exciting exploration of the bow and arrow as weapons of war. The definitive work on medieval military archery, this lively and informative book is essential reading for anyone interested in medieval warfare or the history of archery.

This book is about the rise of a military dictatorship that overthrew an African kingdom that ruled the country for centuries. Emperor Haile Sellassie claimed to be King of Kings, the lion of the tribe of Judea, crumbled before both his peoples who hated and who worshipped him. The military that overthrew the emperor did not have the wisdom to give leadership that the people had expected. To learn how to lead the people, the military council that was called Transition Military Council or Derg embraced the intellectuals who returned home from Europe and North America. The educated Ethiopians advised the military leaders how to deal with former officials and what kind of policy they need to setup. Taking this advice, the Derg allowed several political parties to form. As soon as this was done, the educated Ethiopians advised the military to step down by giving power to the political parties. But the military refused to do this. In the power struggle between the educated class and the military, the military turned to the muzzle of the gun while the intellectuals turned to the people to get mass support. But mass support did not help against the gun. In the meantime, the struggle between the military and organized political parties encouraged ethnic conflict for secession, which already existed in several regions. They included TPLS of Eritrea, OLF of the Oromo, TPLF of Tigray, and others. In the struggle between these forces between 1974 and 1991, millions of people lost their lives. This book is about how this happened in Ethiopia.

This new, fully updated 8th edition of Bradt's Ethiopia remains the most comprehensive, detailed and thorough guide available, particularly known for its strength of background information, coverage of off-the-beaten track areas, and in-depth details of hotels and other tourist facilities. It also contains far more maps than other guides. Bradt's Ethiopia is also the longest-serving English-language guidebook dedicated to the country, with a history of 25 years of research and expertise. This new edition has been updated by the original author, Philip Briggs, the world's foremost writer of Africa travel guides. Recent years have seen a notable rise in domestic and foreign private investment in the development of new hotels and national parks; this new edition includes all the most up-to-date details reflecting the recent changes, from development of tourist facilities to improved road infrastructure. Bradt's Ethiopia is ideal for visitors of all ages no matter the interest, whether travelling independently or as part of an organised group, from adventurous and active travellers interested in cultural, historical, and wildlife sightseeing to international conference visitors, spa tourists and community-based visitors looking for activities such as trekking and horseriding in the Rift Valley and Simien Mountains. Wildlife and birding visitors who come for Ethiopia's wealth of endemics are also catered for and this new edition includes a dedicated colour section on wildlife and birds. Of all the African nations, Ethiopia is most prone to misconceptions. The 1985 famine and the cracked barren earth of the Danakil Depression are not images quickly forgotten. But this fully updated guide refocuses the lens to reveal an ancient country that continues to surpass all expectations: from the ancient Judaic cultures of the fertile highlands to the Animist people of the South Omo Valley, from the Afroalpine moorland of the Bale Mountains National Park to the thundering Blue Nile Falls. This book also leads you further off the beaten track, so travellers can see more of this expansive and beautiful land, believed to be the cradle of humankind.