African Ark: People and Ancient Cultures of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa
by Carol Beckwith
Edition: Hardcover
Reviewed by ChicagoLarry
As a repeat visitor to beautiful Ethiopia, and a pretty darn good photographer, the last thing I want my friends to do is to pick up this book before they see MY pictures. My best ones are drab next to this fabulous work of the renowned Fisher and Beckwith. So many books on Ethiopia cover either just the north, with it's religious architecture and history, or just the south with its beautiful tribal people, who are only recently being touched by the encroachment of modernity. But this book covers it all, and stunningly so. If you can afford only one book of glorious photography on tribal Africa, make it this one. There is a reason for the consistent 5-star ratings.
(Later note: two newer books by different authors/photographers focus just on the tribal areas of the Omo Valley in southern Ethiopia. If that's your interest, then also check out Gianni Giansanti's "Vanishing Africa" and Hans Silvester's "Ethiopia - Peoples of the Omo Valley." They’re great!)