Comments on: Q & A With Maaza Mengiste

By: Wassen E.

Wassen E. — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 21:35:30 +0000

An excellent book and well written novel It reminds me the jail time I spent during those terrible years.

Good job MM!

By: Mimi (Florida)

Mimi (Florida) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:19:52 +0000

Wonderful book! I highly recommend it!

By: imru zelleke

imru zelleke — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:53:39 +0000

A powerful expose of the most tragic era of Ethiopian history. Maaza is a powerful writer, whose rich and magnificent prose narrates in depth the awful and terrifiying episode that has disarrayed our society and initiated a fatal decline of the thousands year old Ethiopian ethos. She is a great writer and I look forward to her next book. We should be proud of her, she is an Ethiopian heroine in her right, and a champion of the future generation of achievers that will restore our culture and traditions.

By: Solomon Lemma

Solomon Lemma — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:58:37 +0000

The pioneer writer Hama Tuma whose The Case of the Socialist Witch doctor and The case of the Criminal Walk are classics depicting that periood. Not to mention his genre breaking Amharic novel Kedada Chereka.

By: Derege

Derege — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:34:49 +0000

Just finished reading it. Wonderful! I can’t wait for the your next one. I am so proud that one of us, so young, display such a class of talent. Keep it up! It is not easy to make it to NY Times, Denver post, NPR etc. You must have worked really hard. Congratulations!

Derege

By: Hannah S

Hannah S — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:06:17 +0000

Dear Meaza, I read an excerpt of your work-the part concerning the young girl’s death in hospital and I’ve gone out to get your book. I hope that writers will reveal not only the senseless troubles past but also the continuing beauty of Ethiopian and Ethiopians. I’m astounded by the excerpt I read and am proud and excited.

By: Yoseph Bay

Yoseph Bay — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:18:57 +0000

Hello Meaza,
Congratulations! We are proud of you. When will you be back to Ann Arbor? I don’t know if you remember me but we used to friends in late 80′s in Ann Arbor.

By: Girum

Girum — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:59:29 +0000

I Just finished reading your book. It is just wonderful. Hope to see more of your works in the future.

By: Ayele Bekerie

Ayele Bekerie — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:28:45 +0000

Dear Tadias,

In my response note dated January 17th, 2010 at 4:42 am, I forgot to complete the second sentence of the second paragraph: Please replace it with the following sentences: Berhane’s stupid death (the notion of stupid death becomes real with the incomprehensible tragedy unfolding in Haiti after the earthquake of January 12, 2010)makes you disgusted with the ‘revolution.’ Berhane, however, is one of the characters that I will remember and talk about for a long time to come.

Thank you.

Ayele

By: yanet (Tati)

yanet (Tati) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:35:12 +0000

Well done Maazi! We’re all very proud of you! looking forward to see you in San Francisco
on the 26′th.

By: Ayele Bekerie

Ayele Bekerie — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 09:42:12 +0000

Dear Maaza,

I read your book. It is an extremely captivating and powerful book. It takes a reader fully in tune with nuances of most recent contemporary Ethiopian culture and politics to grasp the meanings and meaniglessness of violent change. For instance, the names of the characters carry subtle and not so subtle messages in relation to the stories depicted in them. Anbesa, Solomon and Dawit or Mekonnen, the heroes in the book, are depicted in such a way that the old is integrated with the new. The names are drawn from long and rich cultural and religious history of Ethiopia.

I wouldn’t use the word ‘impoverished’ to describe Sofia’s family. They are poor but blessed with self-worth and self-dignity. Berhane’s stupid death (the notion of stupid death becomes real with the incomprhensible tragedy unfolding in Haiti after the earthquake).

To me, your gaze is endowed with multiple and ambiguous meanings. To me, you are a cartographer who meticulously crafted the geography of eyes. Now I understand why you love photography. I intend to write a review of the book.

Thank you for telling your own story and in the process for giving us an opportunity to reflect upon the consequences of the 1974 Ethiopian ‘revolution.’

By: Pat Ortman

Pat Ortman — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:26:13 +0000

I'm so excited that she will be at Politics and Prose in our neighborhood on the 22nd!

By: Mani

Mani — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:59:25 +0000

Fantastic! Will catch you in Frisco, Sunny California on Jan 26. Looking forward to it as well.

Cheers

By: Yeshiemebet

Yeshiemebet — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:03:58 +0000

It is equally exciting to see a female addition to the new generation of high caliber writers among the Ethiopian diaspora! Looking forward to reading the book.

By: Bamako

Bamako — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:55:42 +0000

Ms. Maaza Mengiste,

This sounds very interesting. When will the book be available for international market? Or more specifically West Africa? Thank you.

By: Mahlet Abera

Mahlet Abera — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:09:45 +0000

Congratulations Maaza. As a struggling writer myself, I have soft spot for authors. Finishing your first book must have felt like giving birth. You have done your job. Now, it is up to us the readers and the critics to feast upon your novel. Can’t wait to rush to the bookstore to pick up my copy. Congratulations!