Last Days in Naked Valley

Winner of an international 2023 Nautilus Book Award Journey into an ancient valley of Ethiopia, where a true-life struggle for the future of Africa unfolds. In the remote Lower Omo Valley, where our human ancestors first crafted tools, Africa's most famous Indigenous peoples practice timeless rituals rooted in land and cattle, lives shaped by the sun, rain, and cosmos. Their world is shaken when Ethiopia's development revolutionaries, determined to slash the nation's poverty, spot treasure in waters of the fabled Omo River tumbling from the highlands. The Omo will nourish the greatest agricultural dream in Ethiopia's history, while pushing these ancient cultures to the brink. In this captivating insider's memoir, meet the wily officials, fiery activists, storied anthropologists, "human zoo" tourists, and embattled conservationists caught up in the struggle. Richly describing Ethiopia's incredible landscapes and the extraordinary people who live there, LAST DAYS IN NAKED VALLEY will change the way you see the past - and the future. 'Couldn't put it down! Fantastic characterization of the multiple issues and wonderfully descriptive of that fascinating region.' - Tibor Nagy, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and Ambassador to Ethiopia