I Didn't Do It for You: How the World Betrayed a Small African Nation

I read this book because one of my colleagues knows the writer. I wanted to know more about different countries throughout Africa and he suggested I read this and vouched the information was very accurate. I found the book to be 100% fascinating. I was intrigued by the way the Ethiopians and the rest of the world treated Eritrea. The terrible things the Eritreans had to endure not only from the Ethiopians but the British and the Italians. It so sad that all this went one with mere mentions of it throughout the world because no one cared enough. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history on Africa.

I was directed to Michela Wrong's "I Didn't Do It For You" via my recent reading of Adrian Hartley's outstanding memoir "The Zanzibar Chest" (he dedicates the book to Ms. Wrong with a brief "Now it's my turn"). As the offspring of an Italian mother and a British father, Wong is uniquely qualified by heritage (in addition to her obvious journalistic talents) to tell Eritrea's story. We get an expert and detailed (and downright fascinating at times) accounting of this small country's sinuous path through two colonial masters, the rules of Haile Selassie and Mengistu, its machinations with the superpowers during the Cold War (mind-boggling complex because US-funded Ethiopia and Soviet-funded Somalia actually 'dance past each other' and switch sides), the long battle for Independence and - almost incredulously - another war after independence had already been won. If even there was a country that 'punches above its weight', Eritrea is it. The title of the book is really a great choice. I don't want to give it away, but I'll note that it's a derisive quote uttered by a British soldier and it's not the entire quote. One key word has been left off the end, and it's that word that encapsulates the attitudes that have delivered the short end of the stick to this beleagured country time and time again. Also worth noting: the 'P.S.' section in this paperback edition is outstanding. There's a great interview with Ms. Wrong and some excellent book selections recommended by both the author and the publisher.

I read this book after travelling to Eritrea less than a year ago. I wish I would have read it before going. It went a long way towards explaining the Eritreans' reserved character and the abundant desolation of its countryside through the history of the powers involved. I give the book 5 stars. It's not 100% perfect, but the information within it is first rate. Wrong effectively sets the context for all the parties involved from their own perspectives. The reader understands throughout what each player is thinking and how these actions impact the Eritrean psyche. My nit-picky complaint is I wish Wrong would have placed more narrative emphasis on the Eritrean side of things. Eritrean narrative appears on occasion, particularly with the pharmeceutical director and the gourmet chef from the trenches. It is the exception rather than the rule. She discusses in depth Eritrea's first colonial administrator, a WWII battle, an American base, Ethiopian history, the Soviet Union and the roles each respective country played in shaping Eritrea. Anecdotes from the Eritrean side, however, are compartively limited. Also, the end of the book, the section which discusses the latest war and Eritrea's current political climate, felt hurried. Overall, this is an excellent background read for anyone hoping to learn more about Eritrea and its wars. It has a few very minor shortcomings, but the book completely achieves its goal of introducing the reader to Eritrean history.

Michela Wrong's style of writing is captivating as she brings History to life. She develops the personalities of the people involved very thoroughly and it is almost like reading a novel. She picks a relevant theme (not obvious until read) for her chapters to coincide with each pertinent stage of recent Eritrean History. Her book is not only a lesson in History, but also pleasure to read. I found myself remembering and reminiscing about things I had long forgotten while I lived at Kagnew Station, Asmara, Eritrea in the early sixties. I was married to an Eritrean lady for thirty-three years before I lost her in a car accident eight years ago. Because of my interest in my spouse's heritage I have read many books and reports about Eritrea over the years. The recent History of Eritrea has confused me in the past, even though I had direct accounts and opinions from my in-laws who lived through those trying times. I was never sure of the big picture, i.e., why the Russians pulled out and where the U.S. stood on all that was happening. And I was not aware of the brutal fighting between the British and Italians during WWII at the Battle of Keren. I also did not understand the extent to which the British dismantled the factories and Italian capital investment in Eritrea. Michel Wrong has provided me with answers to many questions I have lived with so long. She also summed up the G.I. lifestyle at Kagnew Station very well. There was a lot of "Aminal House" type behavior at Kagnew Station. But I think the guys she interviewed for this subject probably exaggerated a bit on just how wild a place it actually was. While this is obviously a book that has meant much to me and my past life, I found Ms. Wrong to be an excellent author. She has written and easy-reading portrayal of events illustrating how many countries have taken advantage of a small east African nation during our time. She did choose a strange and intriguing title for her book, "I Didn't Do It for You". But I know she did it for guys like me who needed clarification about the recent History of Eritrea. Thank you Michela!!!

This is a great book. It is well researched and well written. Wrong begins with hope, only to demonstrate how this tiny African nation seems to be facing an impossible task of overcoming conflict and exploitation and establishing a thriving democracy in a part of the word not familiar with such structures. I found myself pulling against all odds for a happier ending, but of course the truth does not provide such an ending. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the effects of the developed world's exploitation of the developing world. It is a clear example of our obligation to others.