Chameleon Days: An American Boyhood in Ethiopia“Moves beyond a compelling personal story to shed radiant light on history itself . . . an essential chronicle of midcentury American idealism.” —Patricia Hampl, author of The Art of the Wasted Day In 1964, at the age of three, Tim Bascom is thrust into a world of eucalyptus trees and stampeding baboons when his family moves from the Midwest to Ethiopia. The unflinchingly observant narrator of this memoir reveals his missionary parents’ struggles in a sometimes hostile country. Sent reluctantly to boarding school in the capital, young Tim finds that beyond the gates enclosing that peculiar, isolated world, conflict roils Ethiopian society. When secret riot drills at school are followed with an attack by rampaging students near his parents’ mission station, Tim witnesses the disintegration of his family’s African idyll as Haile Selassie’s empire begins to crumble. Like Alexandra Fuller’s Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, Chameleon Days chronicles social upheaval through the keen yet naive eyes of a child. Bascom offers readers a fascinating glimpse of missionary life, much as Barbara Kingsolver did in The Poisonwood Bible. “Such precision in voice earned Bascom the Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference Bakeless Prize, and his smartly naïve observations grow more sophisticated as the country succumbs to political unrest in the 1970s and missionary life becomes uncertain. Nostalgic but not overwrought, Bascom’s memoir is accented with casual family snapshots like ribbons on the gift of a gently captured place in time.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Bascom, son of missionaries, illuminates the Ethiopia of his childhood in this Bakeless Prize–winning memoir . . . A stirring tribute to a turbulent, beautifully evoked era.” —Kirkus Reviews |
From inside the book
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... ? " Johnathan was quick with his answer : " Yes . The ten that Jesus healed ! " I wanted to be just as smart . “ I know that story , " I yelled . But no one seemed to notice . Subject to their parents , children learn to adjust .
... ? " Johnathan was quick with his answer : " Yes . The ten that Jesus healed ! " I wanted to be just as smart . “ I know that story , " I yelled . But no one seemed to notice . Subject to their parents , children learn to adjust .
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... Jesus the Good Shepherd . We turned sharply in front of this Jesus , who was leaning out over a cliff edge to hook a lost lamb with his crook . Then we sprinted onto the open balcony , where we could see to the lawn through thick wooden ...
... Jesus the Good Shepherd . We turned sharply in front of this Jesus , who was leaning out over a cliff edge to hook a lost lamb with his crook . Then we sprinted onto the open balcony , where we could see to the lawn through thick wooden ...
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... Jesus the Good Shepherd . Johnathan stayed unaccountably meek until , with only two days left in this short holiday , Mom and Dad planned one last family activity . They gathered several other missionary families and took us hiking ...
... Jesus the Good Shepherd . Johnathan stayed unaccountably meek until , with only two days left in this short holiday , Mom and Dad planned one last family activity . They gathered several other missionary families and took us hiking ...
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... Jesus ) , she burst out uncharacteristically , " If they wanted us to work with the Wolaita people , then why didn't they teach us Wolaita ? " It had never occurred to me that there were more languages in Ethiopia than the one Mom and ...
... Jesus ) , she burst out uncharacteristically , " If they wanted us to work with the Wolaita people , then why didn't they teach us Wolaita ? " It had never occurred to me that there were more languages in Ethiopia than the one Mom and ...
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... Jesus while he was here . That's why he comes back so much . " Now , as I stared down from the avocado tree , the crippled boy waved . I put my finger over my lips . He put his own finger over his lips . I pointed down the road ...
... Jesus while he was here . That's why he comes back so much . " Now , as I stared down from the avocado tree , the crippled boy waved . I put my finger over my lips . He put his own finger over his lips . I pointed down the road ...
Contents
The Emperors Smile | |
Birth Order | |
Bushwhacking | |
In My Fathers House | |
My Brothers Keeper | |
Blessed Assurance | |
Moon Landing | |
My World Their World | |
Sent Back | |
And Ill Fly Away | |
My Pilgrim Progress | |
Riot Drill | |
Hidden Agendas | |
Pigeon Fever | |
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Common terms and phrases
Addis Ababa African Darter Amharic arms asked Ato Aba Goli Ato Wandaro avocado avocado tree began Bingham Academy Bishoftu boarding school boys brother chameleon Christian church cinders climbed Danny dark didn’t donkey door dorm Emperor Ethiopian eucalyptus eyes feel felt fence ferengi finger flannelgraph front girls grass green Hadiya Haile Selassie hair hall hand head hear Hosanna hospital injera inside Jesus Johnathan kids kitchen knew lake Land Rover laughed legs Leimo lifted looked madoqua Malachite Kingfisher Marie Marta mission missionary Mom and Dad Mount Damoto night older parents patients prayed pulled road seemed Shashamane shoulder shouted side skin sleep smiled Soddo Stan stared station stayed stepped stood stop stream talk Timmy told Tom Swift took turned voice waiting walked wall wanted watched weaverbird whispered window Wolaita yelled yellow