The Emperor

The Penguin Modern Classics edition of "The Emperor" by Ryszard Kapuscinski is skillfully translated by William R. Brand and Katarzyna Mroczkowska-Brand, with a thoughtful introduction by Neal Ascherton. After the downfall of Haile Selassie in 1974, which marked the end of Ethiopia's ancient Abyssinian monarchy, Kapuscinski journeyed to the country to capture the narratives of the surviving courtiers. Through their sophisticated and often ironic accounts, a vivid picture emerges of the extravagant and corrupt world they inhabited, revealing the complex rituals, rigid hierarchies, and court intrigues. These voices recount the unwavering power held by a ruler over his destitute populace and detail the inevitable collapse of his reign as the Ethiopian military closes in, mysterious omens grace the skies, and courtiers disappear, leaving only the Emperor and his valet in an abandoned palace awaiting their destiny. "The Emperor" is a gripping and evocative piece of literary reportage, serving as a poignant farewell to the last vestiges of a fading regime. Ryszard Kapuscinski, born in 1932 in Pinsk (now part of Belarus), was celebrated as a leading figure in Polish reportage. His masterpiece, "The Emperor," is renowned worldwide, having been translated into numerous languages, chronicling the decline of Haile Selassie's outdated rule in Ethiopia.