David H. Shinn served in the American Foreign service for 37 years,
many of them dealing with the Horn of Africa. He was the U.S.
Ambassador to Ethiopia from 1996 to 1999. More recently he was
teaching at the Elliott School of International Affairs.
Thomas P. Ofcansky has held a number of academic and government
positions, most recently with the Bureau of Intelligence and
Research Africa Division at the U.S. Department of State. He also
co-authored the Historical Dictionary of Kenya and the Historical
Dictionary of Tanzania.
The authors David H. Shinn and Thomas P. Ofcansky provide the
reader with a concise yet scholarly treatment of the history and
related subjects germane to the country of Ethiopia. The Historical
Dictionary of Ethiopia outlines essential information on a wide
array of subjects, including, but not limited to the history,
culture, religion, and politics of this African country. In a
series of short to medium length essays, the user is presented with
a myriad of facts, dates, philosophical, and political
observations, which go beyond the normal pedantic coverage that
characterizes other historical dictionaries. An outstanding feature
of this text is its over 200-page bibliography of sources, which is
extremely helpful to academic researchers and students wishing to
further their knowledge of the historical nomenclature of Ethiopia
and its people. The dictionary also provides maps, chronology
tables, and appendixes as well as numerous cross-references
following each essay. This work is highly recommended for both
college and high school collections looking to enhance their
African studies area.
*American Reference Books Annual*
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