The Unfortunate Marriage of Azeb Yitades

Spanning events from the 1960s to 1990s, The Unfortunate Marriage of Azeb Yitades is an epic tale of a small village in eastern Ethiopia struggling to maintain its diversity and heritage as the modern world encroaches on its isolation.

Aba Yitades, the local priest, takes this challenge very personally. The father of three daughters, he is always alert to the new temptations they face – and all the more so when the arrival of a family of American missionaries threatens to put an end to the community’s most treasured traditions.

Steeped in the rich and unique culture of the Ethiopian highlands, this story of a village’s reluctant but inevitable modernization – and one woman’s tragic downfall – is told with Nega Mezlekia’s customary wit and charm.

The novel was shortlisted as the Best Book for the prestigious Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, 2007.