Reviews

"Vestal (emer., political science, Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater) has written the first full-length narrative of Emperor Haile Selassie's many trips to the US and the warm, ecstatic reception the American public gave him. Written in a lively, engaging style, the book provides invaluable knowledge about Selassie's seemingly unending trips to the US."—Choice, August 1, 2011

"The Lion of Judah is a work of meticulous scholarship, and also deep affection, for the private life and times of Haile Selassie in the years of his greatest strength and in the twilight of his reign. Vestal offers information that is thoughtful, richly anecdotal, and a tribute to the value and power of narrative history. As a scholar of international law, former associate director of Peace Corps Ethiopia, and passionate advocate for democratic ideals, Vestal offers a important counterpoint to political histories that miss or misinterpret Ethiopia’s interaction with America and the New World. The level of detail is a wonderful contribution to understanding the man."—James C. McCann, Professor of History, Boston University, and author of People of the Plow: An Agricultural History of Ethopia, 1800-199

"An illuminating and engaging book ... With deftness, taste, and an acute understanding of Haile Selassie and his times, Vestal has written an engrossing and original study of how the Emperor of Ethiopia, in his dealings with the United States and in his travels to the New World, helped shape a positive image of Africa and Africans held by many Americans—an image that was significant in the election of the first African—American U.S. President. His narrative is filled with telling details and an appreciation of the role a rich cast of characters, both Ethiopian and American, played in forging the ties between the two countries that have endured to this day."—Getatchew Haile, Regents Professor Emeritus of Medieval Studies, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota; MacArthur Fellow

"An important and exciting tale ably told. ... Theodore Vestal seeks to unravel the complex and ever-changing relationship between an astute and long-reigning Ethiopian monarch adept at personal diplomacy and a succession of American Presidents with little more than a peripheral interest in Africa. Vestal’s story takes us through many notable historic events, including the 'Wind of Change,' which led within little more than a year to the unexpected liberation of virtually the entire African continent; to the emergence of an independent Somali State, which was followed by the dramatic advent of the Soviet Union (and Cuba) on the Horn of Africa; and to Watergate, a completely unpredictable incident which resulted in a great Super Power’s almost total diplomatic paralysis."—Richard Pankhurst, Professor, Institute of Ethiopian Studies, Addis Ababa University

"A detailed, comprehensive, painstakingly researched diplomatic history of two seemingly irreconcilable nations ... Vestal's contribution is a must-read by the present generation of Ethiopians and Americans, not only for the interest of the subject matter, but most of all for the author's refreshing honesty and courage, clarity of presentation and his sense of a balance, and objectivity.” —Aklilu Habte, President Emeritus of Haile Selassie I University