The Emperor: Downfall of an Autocrat

Through the years I have heard countless people speak with reverence and respect about Haile Selassie with a few detractors who have doubted his good will and accomplishments. I was always curious about who he was beyond the distinguished photos and the devout utterings of his devotees and detractors. I couldn't decide which of the many biographies to read that wasn't biased to either faction, until I came upon this book. "The Emperor: Downfall of an Autocrat", is unique in its presentation and storytelling. It's not a book that chronologically narrates the life of the Emperor from birth to his heavenly transition. The Emperor's life is told through clandestine interviews of various people who were closest to him in his court...who were secretly sought out under dangerous conditions within Ethiopia to shed light on the day to day life of the Emperor --both in good times and in the end darker times. The book sheds light on the psyche of the Emperor as well as the people around him, as well as the populous he served. The book shows all prospectives that make no-one, including the Emperor look like the hero nor the villain. This book is for people who want to know not only the important historical events that have great significance to the history of Ethiopia during the reign of Haile Selassie, but also what it feels like to live within the Emperor's shoes. The saying, "Never judge a man, until you've walked a mile in his shoes," apply to Haile Selassie and after reading this book, you may change your judgement in either direction or become neutral.

​This is an insightful look at life inside the palace of Emperor Haile Selassie. The author does a fantastic job using interviews with former staff to reveal the inner workings of the royal court and the governance of the country. It also provides great detail on Ethiopian politics, economics, and daily life for the average citizen from the 1940s through the 70s.I highly recommend this book if you want to learn the last years of the Emperror.

I hate to write anything negative about this book because it is so highly original. The approach, that of relying upon interviews with former palace insiders, would be incredibly effective were it not for the fact that the author decided to embellish their descriptions. Had he not done so, this would be one of the all-time great descriptions of autocratic excess. Still, this description of life within the Ethiopian royal palace during the last days of the reign of Hailie Selassie (a hero in the West because of his successful opposition to the Italian invasion preceding World War II) provides a fine description of the sycophants, bullies, and idiots who hang around to lick up the slops as a totalitarian regime enters its final days. Well worth reading. If you like this book, you may be interested in The Ends of the Earth: A Journey at the Dawn of the Twenty-first Century by Robert D. Kaplan.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I decided to read it shortly after visiting Jamaica and reading another book about Rastafarians (Barrett’s excellent The Rastafarians). The book wasn’t as exciting or informative as I hoped, but it was interesting to learn about the changing nature and perception of Haile Selassie, emperor of Ethiopia. Selassie was also hailed as a God to the Rastafarians, and I could understand how as an emperor in a non-colonized African nation in the 20th century, his story could be inspiring to other colonized lands. Sadly, though, it seems like Selassie grew out of touch with the realities of Ethiopia and his neglect of the people and lavish lifestyle for his family and other hanger-ons led to his eventual downfall. The narrative is interesting as Kapuściński interviews those who were close to Selassie, and readers can see the alliances forming that would eventually break the royal court apart. Furthermore, I did like how the story takes place in years apart. That is, Kapuściński starts the narrative earlier on and then returns a few years later, eventually recounting the coup that took down Selassie. I can see the importance of this book, not only documenting the end of a family’s reign, but also showing much of the instability in less developed countries. Additionally, I can see this book as a kind of warning to other countries that lean more towards autocracy and how ignoring (or even punishing) the will of the people can bring about an eventual downfall.

Written with the style and beauty of a novel, this look at the reign and eventual fall of Haile Selassie is in the form of first-person testimonies from palace officials and servants who were a part of the emperor's inner circle. Interesting as both literature and history.

Plodding story of a autocrat king who is not cruel but oblivious. Told from the viewpoint of his staff,the insight is thoughtful and prophetic. A history we should recognize and be vigilant against happening again in any country.

Kapuściński gets a bad rep for his creative imagination, but there is an essence of truth in this short book that I have rarely encountered in any other works of history. In its depiction of corruption and doom I can only compare it to the films 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Downfall'.

A masterpiece. Strictly speaking it is neither history, nor journalism, but it captures perfectly the insanity totalitarian rule. Every dictator thinks he is a benevolent dictator, and every idiot king thinks he is a genius. This book perfectly captures the flavor of Ethiopian political culture, and those observations as just as true today as they were in the 70's. It ranks up there with Catch 22 as a guide to political absurdity, and rule through gaslighting.

H.I.M. の偉大なるお人柄が書かれており、ラスタファリズムの本と一緒に読んでもらいたい

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the history of 20th century Ethiopia and Haile Selassie

Although I am happy to have this item its condition is not to my liking nor as described

Not his book for sure. Read The Shadow of the Sun and Another day of life instead. Two wonderful and fascinating books.