Yandit Mider Lijoch Vol II (Volume 2) (Amharic Edition)

Nearly 40 years ago, in his mid-twenties, Dr. Amare Tegbaru wrote this two-volume Yandit Mider Lijotch, a fictional historical novel while on death row, from 1978–1982, in a maximum-security prison. He was jailed during the bloody military dictatorship of Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam. Despite his agonizing wait for the death squad that could appear to take him at any moment, he dared to write on discarded cigarette packets and newspapers. What makes Volume II of a memorable classic is its clear-eyed honesty and integrity. It paints almost photographic images of the urban poor—workers and children—normally ignored in the literary history of Ethiopia are given prominent roles. The novel offers a deeper understanding of the role of women, the challenge of male supremacy and the complicated issues of gender equality in family and societies. Lifelong journal-keeping provided the author the rich material of his authentic voice. He captivates us with a remarkable empathy for the female industrial textile workers. We are immersed in the world of the urban poor, highlighting the root causes of the 1974 upheavals against the Haile Selassie regime.