Historical Dictionary of Eritrea: (Historical Dictionaries of Africa)

This second edition of the Historical Dictionary of Eritrea spans several millennia, starting with the discovery of some of the earliest known hominid remains and continuing on to Eritrea's early encounters with Christianity (4th century) and Islam (7th century). The main focus of this book, however, is on the formation of the modern nation-state under a succession of colonial powers, its 30-year war for independence, and its emergence in the 1990s as a new country. The book also maps the numerous conflicts Eritrea has been involved in since then with its neighbors and identifies the key players within the government and ruling party, as well as the externally based opposition. This ready reference relates the history of Eritrea, from ancient times to the present, through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and over 500 cross-referenced dictionary entries on significant persons, events, places, and organizations, as well as entries on politics, economy, society, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Eritrea.

About the Author :
Dan Connell is a distinguished lecturer in journalism and African politics at Simmons College. He is the author of Against All Odds: A Chronicle of the Eritrean Revolution, Eritrea: A Country Handbook, and Conversations with Eritrean Political Prisoners. Tom Killion is an independent scholar and artist, who was a Fulbright scholar and lecturer at the University of Asmara in the 1990s.

Review :
This expanded second edition by Connell (Simmons College) and Killion (independent scholar) (1st ed., by T. Killion, 1998) covers Eritrean history and politics from 8000 BCE to the present, with a focus on the last 200 years of Italian colonization, the 30-year war for independence, and the emergence of Eritrea as a sovereign state in 1993. It features more than 500 cross-referenced entries on key actors (particularly government officials and leaders in the PFDJ ruling party, along with opposition groups), events, places, and organizations. The introductory essay and chronology provide a concise overview of Eritrean history, and the extensive bibliography, arranged by subject, directs serious researchers to important sources. As Eritrea is the only country to have successfully seceded from another African state and as its future for democratic governance remains uncertain, it will undoubtedly continue to be of interest to scholars and practitioners. A similar but older title, C. Prouty and E. Rosenfeld's Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia and Eritrea (2nd ed., CH, Mar'95, 32-3660), covers the history of Eritrea only while it was federated with Ethiopia from 1952 to 1991. Thus, this new dictionary serves as an invaluable research tool for anyone studying Eritrean history and politics and is one of the few reference works of its kind. Summing Up: Highly recommended. More than 500 fully cross-referenced, alphabetically arranged entries are preceded by a chronology covering 8000 B.C.E. to the present. ... A massive classified bibliography is also provided....Useful resource to explore Eritrea’s history, politics, and culture. Historical Dictionary is best suited for quick-answer ready reference. ... Recommended for all reference collections and anyone interested in Eritrea. Eritrea is located in the Horn of Africa, along the Red Sea. Until 1993, it had been part of Ethiopia for 30 years. Prior to that, it had been a British protectorate and an Italian colony since the late 1880s. This dictionary, covering Eritrean people, places, and events from the earliest times of Christianity to 2010, comes 12 years after the first edition was released. The second edition is greatly expanded and has a new author, Connell, a journalist and lecturer in politics at Simmons College who updated the material originally written by now coauthor Killion. More than 100 pages of new material have been added for this edition, and numerous articles have been updated. The introduction to the text provides a good starting point for Eritrean history as well as the demographics and culture of the country. The extensive bibliography provides further reading in many areas. An updated chronology provides a list of important dates in Eritrean history. ... Recommended for academic and large public libraries. Given Eritrea's short independent life and small size, this volume is able more thoroughly to cover the country, both past and present, than other volumes. A useful and precise reference volume which is easily accessible and invaluable to those beginning research on Eritrea; and others including diplomats or academics pursuing a quick reference. A wealth of information. ... a most useful adjunct for those involved in Eritrean studies.