IMPERIAL EXILE: Emperor Haile Selassie in Britain (1936–40), a book by Keith Bowers, a former executive producer for the BBC, chronicles the five-year exile in Great Britain by Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, in a gripping story, that, with the plight of refugees constantly in the news, is as timely as it is intriguing.

Philip Marsden, author of The Barefoot Emperor, calls it "an important and dramatic story that deserves to be better known," echoing famed Ethiopianist Richard Pankhurst, who states, "The important period of the Emperor's exile in Bath has not received much attention. This thoroughly researched book fills the gap."

Emperor Haile Selassie was forced to flee Ethiopia to escape the invading armies of the armies of the Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini. Imperial Exile reveals the full depth of the debilitating struggles that all exiles face. It tells the story of how the emperor is nearly crushed by a myriad of financial, political and personal pressures before a sudden twist of good fortune intervenes. The book is packed with beguiling eyewitness anecdotes, supported by a range of rare and fascinating photographs of both Britain and Ethiopia.

"This account adds substantially to the story of this important and fascinating world figure," states Jonathan Dimbleby, while Ian Campbell, author of The Plot to Kill Graziani, adds it "is a must-read for anyone interested in the modern history of Ethiopia."

The author is Keith Bowers, a former BBC executive producer who lives in Bath and travels regularly to Ethiopia.

Prologue
List of key events
Introduction 

Map of Ethiopia 

Chapter 1    A Year from Hell
                    Eyewitness In the Emperor’s Footsteps: A trip to Dessie
Chapter 2    Testing the Waters
                    Eyewitness The Bath Spa Hotel

Map of Addis Ababa 

Chapter 3    The King of Kings
                    Eyewitness A Visit to the Emperor’s Palace
Chapter 4    Taking Refuge
                    Eyewitness Tales of a Princess

Map of Bath 

Chapter 5    Murder Most Foul
                    Eyewitness The Mystic’s Cave
Chapter 6    Aiding and Abetting
                    Eyewitness Coffee with the Pankhursts
Chapter 7    Hitting Rock Bottom
                    Eyewitness Open Day at Fairfield House

Map of places visited in the UK 

Chapter 8    The Great Escape
                    Eyewitness The View from Entoto
Chapter 9    Counting the Cost
                    Eyewitness The Weekend Retreat
Chapter 10  The Final Curtain Call
                    Eyewitness Inside the Guildhall

Epilogue 
Acknowledgements 
List of photographs 
Chapter sources 
Bibliography 
Fairfield residents post-exile 

"The important period of the Emperors exile in Bath has not received much attention. This thoroughly researched book fills the gap."

Richard Pankhurst, author of Ethiopian Reminiscences: The Early Days

"This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the modern history of Ethiopia."

Ian Campbell, author of The Plot to Kill Graziani

"This is an important and dramatic story that deserves to be better known."

Philip Marsden, author of The Barefoot Emperor

"The first full account of how the Emperor spent those crucial four years in exile in the UK."

Shiferaw Bekele, Addis Ababa University

"This account adds substantially to the story of this important and fascinating world figure."

Jonathan Dimbleby, British Journalist