Evil Days: Thirty Years of War and Famine in Ethiopia

Evil Days chronicles the conflicts, famines, and political turmoil that devastated Ethiopia from 1961-1991. Through extensive research and interviews, de Waal documents how government policies, military actions, and environmental factors combined to create widespread human suffering. The narrative examines the interconnected roles of Ethiopia's imperial government, revolutionary forces, international aid organizations, and global political powers during this period. De Waal details the specific strategies used by various regimes and the resulting humanitarian consequences for Ethiopian civilians. The book reconstructs key events and decision points through primary sources, government records, and eyewitness accounts from both victims and participants. The investigation pays particular attention to how military objectives influenced food security and population movements. This historical analysis reveals broader patterns about how political violence, food as a weapon, and international intervention shape modern humanitarian crises. The work raises fundamental questions about accountability and the relationship between political power and human welfare.

Readers describe this as a detailed account of Ethiopia's famines, with focus on their political causes rather than natural disasters. Many readers cite it as the definitive text on how Ethiopian governments weaponized famine. Liked: - Thorough documentation and research - Clear explanation of complex political factors - Personal accounts and testimonies - Maps and statistical data Disliked: - Dense academic writing style - Some sections repeat information - Limited coverage of post-1991 events - Hard to find physical copies One reader noted "transforms understanding of how famines actually work." Another stated "changed my view of humanitarian aid." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.29/5 (17 ratings, 2 reviews) WorldCat: No ratings available Amazon: No longer listed The book appears mainly in academic citations and scholarly work rather than consumer review sites, reflecting its primary audience of researchers and policy analysts.

A Problem from Hell by Samantha Power A documentation of how Western powers responded to genocides in the 20th century, including Ethiopia's famine crisis.

Dancing in the Glory of Monsters by Jason Stearns A chronicle of the Congo wars from 1996-2006 reveals the political machinations behind Africa's deadliest conflict.

We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families by Philip Gourevitch An investigation into the 1994 Rwandan genocide uncovers the international community's failures and local political dynamics.

The Emperor by Ryszard Kapuściński A detailed account of Haile Selassie's rule and fall in Ethiopia through interviews with former courtiers.

Season of Blood by Fergal Keane A reporter's account of Rwanda's genocide examines the intersection of politics, ethnicity, and international intervention.

🌍 Author Alex de Waal spent years in Ethiopia during the 1980s as a researcher and consultant for humanitarian organizations, giving him firsthand experience of the events he chronicles. 📚 The book reveals how the Ethiopian government deliberately used hunger as a weapon of war, withholding food aid from rebel-held areas during the 1984-85 famine. ⚔️ Despite the common perception that the 1984-85 Ethiopian famine was purely caused by drought, the book demonstrates how political decisions and military strategies were major contributing factors. 🏆 Evil Days is considered one of the definitive works on the relationship between famine and warfare in modern Africa, and is frequently cited in academic studies on humanitarian crises. 🗓️ The "thirty years" referenced in the title span from the fall of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974 through the various conflicts and humanitarian crises that followed, including the Red Terror and civil war.