Adabai is an Amharic historical novel about the patriotic war of 1935-1940 against fascist Italy. It was written after long years of research. The current edition includes sample letters written by patriotic leaders during the time, and which were used in the story telling. Some of the reviews by a prominent historian and illustrator about the book are quoted hereunder. "Ethiopian literary interest in the patriots-and condemnation of -the fascist invasion and occupation- continued after the Ethiopian Revolution of 1974. This later period witnessed the publication of at least four important novels on the subject as well as the production of several significant plays.....The first of these novels Tilahun Tassew's (Adabai) .... appeared in 1982-3." Richard Pankhurst: The Ethiopian Patriots, As Depicted in Amharic Literature: Some Introductory Remarks, Part 4, Addis Tribune, Friday April 19, 2002 "In June, 1983, ...Seyoum Wolde, Lecturer at the Addis Ababa School of Fine Arts, asked his junior students to collect some money and every student contributed 50 cents. With that money, Seyoum bought ..two novels (Maebel and Adabai) . Since the end of the academic year approached, the books were distributed by lot. Melaknesh Atnafu, a 17 year-old, got Maebel and Hailemariam Feleke, aged 22, obtained Adabai. "After two months, the students produced 60 sketches. Melaknesh read the novel three times and created 25 impressive sketches, while Haile Mariam on his part made 35 sketches after reading the novel four times. "The director of the school is so moved by the sketches that he had decided to exhibit the works in the gallery of the school." The Ethiopian Herald, Promising Illustrators, Wednesday 16 November 1983
