Crossing Ethiopia: A 1972 Photographic Journal Retracing the Last March of Emperor Tewodros to Magdala

This striking volume retells the incredible odyssey photographer Snyder (Hill of Beans) and his companions undertook across Ethiopia in 1972. Snyder and his group retraced the path of Emperor Tewodros across the central highlands, ending in Magdala, where Tewodros fought and died at the hands of the British Army in 1868. The expedition was conceived in order to research a screenplay Snyder was writing about this little-known skirmish. What he discovered was a country little changed in the intervening years since the Emperor’s reign. He describes this historic event in detail and then recaptures his own travels via bus, Land Rover, mule, and foot through engaging diary entries and provocative black-and-white photographs. The images of everyday Ethiopian life recorded something few foreigners would ever witness, as shortly after their trip, Ethiopia was thrown into civil war for the next 25 years and suffered several famines. Highlights here include Snyder’s portraits of Ethiopians young and old, and the vast open landscapes of this arid and hilly country. Unfortunately, Snyder never finished his screenplay, and these images languished in a drawer for almost 40 years. The book offers a vivid retelling of an obscure, but riveting moment in Ethiopian history as well as the story of a great adventure. B&w photos. (Dec.)