Hill`s account of his time in the African state of Eritrea is a welcome addition to the literature available on contemporary Africa. The author recounts a remarkable historical legacy, from Eritrea`s creation through to the hostilities of the twentieth century. A former Italian colony & under Ethiopian control since 1950, armed conflict between Ethiopia & Eritrea ignited in 1961 & war ensued for the next thirty years. Independence was finally declared in 1993. Hill introduces us to the people he met & the land he explored. Ardently protective of their independence, the struggle to re-build on both a personal & national level is all too apparent, as is the awareness that with freedom comes new challenges. This is a personal & engaging travelogue, providing a unique insight into a nation that I for one had known very little of. Reviewed by Paul Harniess, European Books buyer, Stanfords Covent Garden Shortlisted for the 2003 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award.