'...a must read for anyone who cares about the fascinating, beguiling, maddening red island off the coast of Africa - or for anyone who wonders why so many forgotten, seemingly invisible people are trapped in poverty across the globe. With a sharp eye for detail, analysis, and storytelling, Adams is an expert guide who brings the island to life.' Brian Klaas, Washington Post columnist



Why has Madagascar failed to make any meaningful progress since independence? A mix of journalism and scholarship, The Tragedy of Madagascar is the result of almost nine months spent on that fascinating island interviewing a wide range of political leaders at the national and local levels, including a penetrating interview with the country's former president, Marc Ravalomanana. In addition to offering a new look at the nation's history, the book explores in depth the military coup in 2009 that replaced Ravalomanana with Andry Rajoelina, and all of the negative aftershocks that followed. It then mixes in chapters on the bleak economic prospects for young people across the island, the unsustainable population growth that threatens so much of its future, and a unique chapter on the effects of climate change on the southern region of Madagascar, where worsening droughts have left millions in humanitarian peril.

Nathaniel Adams is an attorney in the United States who holds degrees from Georgetown University and the University of Virginia School of Law.  He has traveled to over 25 developing countries during his career to pursue various business and personal interests.  This book, his first, is the result of over eight months spent traveling throughout Madagascar in 2019 and 2020.