The Anglo-Ethiopian Society
Book Launch - The Shadow King
Maaza Mengiste
Tuesday 28th January 2020
18:30 – 21:00, Embassy of Ethiopia, 17 Princes Gate, London, SW7 1PZ - Free, but booking essential.
The UK launch of Maaza Mengiste's powerful second novel, The Shadow King.
Set in Ethiopia in 1935, The Shadow King is a powerful novel about female strength and what it means to be a woman at war. With the threat of Mussolini's army looming, the recently orphaned Hirut longs to do more than care for the wounded and bury the dead. When Ethiopia loses hope, it is Hirut who offers a plan to maintain morale, and soon inspires other women to take up arms.
Maaza Mengiste's beautifully crafted novel is a captivating exploration of female power, which casts light on the women soldiers written out of African and European history.
The evening will feature a meet and greet, and a book reading from the author herself. Attendees will also be able to purchase a copy of the book ahead of the official UK publication date of 30th January.
Limited ticket availability.
Maaza Mengiste was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A Fulbright Scholar and professor in the MFA in Creative Writing and Literary Translation programme at Queens College, she is the author of The Shadow King and Beneath the Lion's Gaze, named one of Ten Best Contemporary African Books by The Guardian. Her work can be found in The New Yorker, Granta and the New York Times, among other publications. Her short story Stonehenge was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 as part of their Skylines series in 2004. She lives in New York City but will be based in Zurich, Switzerland for six months from January 2020.
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