In Ethiopia with a Mule by Dervla Murphy

From the Publisher

In her mature wanderings, intrepid travel writer Dervla Murphy ventures solo through the harsh and perilous lands of Ethiopia.

In this wonderful account, Dervla Murphy sets out with her pack mule, Jock, on a hazardous solo trek through Ethiopia’s remote and hostile regions. There, she encounters rough terrain, exhaustion, illness, and the disorder of the Ethiopian’s affairs—all of which she conquers with endurance and admirable good humor. Despite being robbed three times, a close and warm understanding grows between her and the highlanders, and on reaching Addis Ababa, she concludes that affection for Ethiopia’s peoples is the richest reward of her journey.

Dervla Murphy, a fine and accomplished Irish writer, has been recording her travels to the remotest areas of four continents for three decades. Among her many highly praised books are South from Limpopo, Muddling through Madagascar, and Wheels within Wheels.

Library Journal

Overwhelmed by the natural beauty and often daunting landscape, yet unimpressed by the people or the achievements of their country, Murphy, veteran travel writer and author of Cameroon with Egbert, South from the Limpopo, and several other works, travels Ethiopia on foot, bicycle, mule, and automobile in this, her 1968 account. Frequently drunk, occasionally funny, always indignant, Murphy is an original. But this volume is not; and the Ethiopia of 1966-67 that led to the original 1968 publication is not the Ethiopia of 2004. Time may often appear to stand still in Africa, and Ethiopia may be a perfect testimony to that impression, but 37 years is enough time for something to happen, even in Ethiopia. This work does nothing for the reader interested in the present and contains little of true historical value. But if you are a large public library with none of Murphy's works and are short on Eurocentric African travelogs, then acquire a volume and affix a clear warning label: "unaltered reprint of a nonclassic." Edward K. Owusu-Ansah, CUNY Coll. of Staten Island Lib., NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents