Addis Ababa Noir [Paperback]

While most stories told about or set in Africa deny the continent and the nearly 60 countries that constitute it narrative complexity, this anthology works overtime to get specific about the people and problems that define Addis Ababa. A taut collection of thrilling stories that encompasses modes from the realistic to the uncanny. The 14 stories in the collection give one a snapshot of Ethiopian writers, new and established, and of what they can do. It makes one scramble for more of their work. Mengiste and Akashic have done us a service by putting together this intriguing collection. Each contributor embraces day-to-day life in Ethiopia, and fills each story with a rich sense of time, place, and character. The authors reveal much about a culture unfamiliar to many American readers. Novelist Mengiste presents 14 stories showcasing Ethiopias capital at its darkest . . . A nice variety of bad behavior. East, West: Noirs best.