NOTES FROM THE HYENA’S BELLY by Nega Mezlekia (NF)

A memoir of growing up in Ethiopia, this book was written early in 2000.  If you are unfamiliar with Ethiopia and its history, this book will send you to your computer looking for more information on one of the oldest societies in the world.  Nega Mezlekia describes growing up as a mischievous boy who often got into trouble with his friends.  We learn about his schooling, his rebellious teens, and as the country falls into chaos and revolution, his experience of joining a terrorist militia group.  His family’s life falls apart after the murder of his father and the tale of their survival falls on Nega’s shoulders and forms him as he grows into manhood.  Reading this book, piqued my interest in a country rich in tradition and history. It is a fascinating look into a land that is among mankind’s earliest civilizations.