A child bride who longed to dance
Aida Edemariam’s memoir of her grandmother is a parable of Ethiopian history
The Wife’s Tale: A Personal History. By Aida Edemariam. Harper; 314 pages; $26.99. Fourth Estate; £16.99.
A HOME-COOKED Ethiopian meal is a sensual journey, which extends beyond the warm flavours of ginger and cardamom that spice the languidly served stews. There is also the tactile joy of tearing and rolling injera, a spongy and bubbly flat bread, before using it to mop up sauces. Best of all is the whiff of green coffee beans roasted in a cast-iron skillet, which is carried around the table to give each guest a full measure of its aroma.
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline "The scent of a life"
From the March 24th 2018 edition
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