Maaza Mengiste recommends 6 books by writers from her native Ethiopia The Week Staff
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The Wife s Tale is an impassioned and elegant biography of the author s grandmother, who was born in the 1920s and lived to be nearly 100. It is an intimate glimpse into how one remarkable woman experienced some of the most significant moments in Ethiopia s modern history.
Mengestu s story of an Ethiopian-born grocer in 1970s Washington, D.C., has become a classic, and it deserves every accolade. Haunting, heartbreaking, and beautifully written, Mengestu s novel is a testament to what remains, even when we think we have left our past behind.