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
Results 1-5 of 60
Page
... tree for a personal refuge at Bingham Academy , and into the foliage of a huge avocado tree in Soddo ( while eating avocado sandwiches his mother makes for him ) to escape what seems untenable . He even spies upon the Lion of Judah ...
... tree for a personal refuge at Bingham Academy , and into the foliage of a huge avocado tree in Soddo ( while eating avocado sandwiches his mother makes for him ) to escape what seems untenable . He even spies upon the Lion of Judah ...
Page
... trees and the old - fashioned street lamps , lit up like glowing ice cream cones . We had stepped onto a Pan Am jet in one world and stepped off in another , as if transported clear across the galaxy . Our driver braked for a truck ...
... trees and the old - fashioned street lamps , lit up like glowing ice cream cones . We had stepped onto a Pan Am jet in one world and stepped off in another , as if transported clear across the galaxy . Our driver braked for a truck ...
Page
... tree or rock. I wasn't in such a hurry now to outrun my brother. Eventually, Dad began to sing in his rich baritone voice: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days, all the days of my life.” Then Mother joined in, her ...
... tree or rock. I wasn't in such a hurry now to outrun my brother. Eventually, Dad began to sing in his rich baritone voice: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days, all the days of my life.” Then Mother joined in, her ...
Page
... tree spread over the lawn and formed a wonderful leafy world unto itself. Though barely four, I found that I was ... trees with leaves as big as elephant ears flourished behind each thatched house. Papaya trees shot skyward too, looking ...
... tree spread over the lawn and formed a wonderful leafy world unto itself. Though barely four, I found that I was ... trees with leaves as big as elephant ears flourished behind each thatched house. Papaya trees shot skyward too, looking ...
Page
... tree every day, spying on my new world and squeezing the wrinkled fruit to feel its ripeness. Mom made me avocado sandwiches on request, spreading the slick green pulp like butter or adding sliced egg and salt. Then I climbed right back ...
... tree every day, spying on my new world and squeezing the wrinkled fruit to feel its ripeness. Mom made me avocado sandwiches on request, spreading the slick green pulp like butter or adding sliced egg and salt. Then I climbed right back ...
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 | |
Other editions - View all
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