The Crown and the Pen
The Crown and the Pen by Bereket Habte Selassie
This is a memoir by Bereket Habte Selassie, a lawyer who worked in the government of Emperor Haile Selassie. He struggled for justice within an archaic system. He was involved in major events and developments in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Africa as a pan-Africanist activist, politician, revolutionary and nationalist. He survived court intrigues under Haile Selassie, took part in pan-Africanist movements in the 1950s and 60s, defied potential death under a military junta, fought for Eritrean independence, and helped write Eritrea’s constitution. He has played many roles including academic, family man and sought-after intellectual while influencing modern African history.