For my course on Comparative Constitutions, Theodore Vestal's book proved providential. It fully explained aspects and questions which Vicki Jackson and Michael Tushnet's text on Comparative Constitutional Law leave untouched and unanswered when dealing with Ethiopian federalism. Students appreciated Professor Vestal's clarity of thought, graced surprisingly with references to A.E. Houseman, T.S. Eliot, and Matthew Arnold. Chapter 8 ("Drafting and Approving a New Constitution"), Chapter 9 ("An Analysis of the Constitution of the FDRE"), and Chapter 13 ("Human Rights in the FDRE") were welcome required reading. They brilliantly brought to life the difficult (and often tragic) dimensions of Ethiopian constitutionalism or lack thereof. Members of our college Amnesty International chapter were especially taken by his concluding reflection about "unkept promises." How unusual to find a scholar who is so accurately and meaningfully informed! Case Western Reserve students and I will always be grateful to Theodore Vestal for helping us understand an often forgotten segment of our post-cold war world.

Sincerely,