Birhanu Zerihun

Who was Birhanu Zerihun?

Berhanu Zerihun was an Ethiopian writer noted for his clear and crisp writing style, which contrasted against the more complex writing style popular in his time. While he started writing literature in school, Zerihun never wrote professionally until he became a journalist in 1959/1960. Initially he embarked on various literary pursuits, including novels such as Ye'imba debdabbéwoch, a collection of short stories titled Birr ambar sebberelliwo, and writings dealing with Ethiopian political themes such as starvation. Among the latter genre, Yetewodros Emba and Yetangut Mister are noted works of historical fiction about Emperor Tewodros II. Birhanu has written several popular plays, but above all he is famous for his trilogy novel Ma'ebel Ye'abiot Wazema, Ma'ebel Ye'abiot Mebacha and Ma'ebel Ye'abiot Magist. These novels depicted and interpreted the structure of Ethiopian society during the Imperial era and after the Communist revolution.