My Life and Ethiopia’s Progress is the authoritative two-volume autobiography of Emperor Haile Selassie I, originally penned in Amharic and published in Ethiopia between 1973–74, with English translations released in 1976 and 1999 Spanning his birth in 1892 through the trials of the Second Italo-Ethiopian War in 1937, Volume I provides a deeply personal yet panoramic view of Ethiopia’s transformation—detailing his upbringing, education, early political ascendancy as Regent, and bold modernization efforts such as drafting a constitution, abolishing slavery, expanding education, and building health infrastructure. Written during Selassie’s exile in Bath, England, the text confronts criticism head-on—asserting that “a house built on granite and strong foundations… not even the onslaught of pouring rain… will be able to pull down” . Insightful and dignified, it stands as both a personal memoir and a manifesto of Ethiopian sovereignty and progress under one of Africa’s most influential leaders.