Held at a Distance: A Rediscovery of Ethiopia

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"This is the story of an Ethiopian child who became an American adult, and then returned to rediscover her country of origin after 25 years. What she discovers is the difficulty and dangers of defining identity in our contemporary world, a well-nigh universal problem. This is a memoir that reads like a novel, and encourages thoughtful reflection on our dilemmas."--IMMANUEL WALLERSTEIN, Yale University

In this first hand account of a woman's journey back to her homeland, Rebecca Haile's Held at a Distance: My Rediscovery of Ethiopia gives readers a powerful and unique glimpse into a fascinating African country. Haile was born in Ethiopia in 1965 and lived there until she was eleven years old. When the Emperor was deposed by a military coup, Haile's father, a leading academic in Addis Ababa, was shot while "resisting arrest." Barely surviving, he escaped with his family and settled in central Minnesota where they struggled with the cultural and financial strain of their drastically changed circumstances.

Haile grew up in America harboring her precious childhood memories, but in time saw herself as more American than Ethiopian. She attended Williams College and went on to graduate from Harvard Law School. In 2001, she was the first member of her family to return to Ethiopia. Her trip profiles key family members who are still living in the country, and she writes movingly about Ethiopia's recent past and its ancient history.

Few books have dealt with the millions of Ethiopians affected by war and strife in their country. Rebecca Haile's book brings into focus the challenges and consequences of three decades of political upheaval in Ethiopia. She offers a clear-eyed analysis of the country today, and her keen observations and personal experiences will resonate with readers.

What Customers Say About Held at a Distance: A Rediscovery of Ethiopia:

It captures the nuances of family connection - Ethiopian style, the deep sense of pride that Ethiopians have in their history, our silent conversations, and our sense of recognition and familiarity even after we have been away for so long. This is a book that needed to be written because it speaks to and for so many of us. Simply stated, this is the best nonfiction that I have ever read, probably because I relate to her story on so many levels. It is an intriguing book, particularly as it relates to one's identity at any given moment. Thank you Rebecca. Rebecca Haile tells the story of the thousands of Ethiopian children removed from their home at an early age and implanted in another society dramatically different from their own. It is written in the storytelling style of her heritage.

She fails to create any sense of expectation in the narrative, which reads as if it could be interesting to her family members ("Oh, look, grandmother's house is still the same as it was when you were growing up.") but is ultimately unengaging. This book is basically a play-by-play description of Haile's one-month vacation in Ethiopia, with a few digressions where she tries to come to terms with her cultural identity.

I loved the book. All the history and culture was a bonus. Rebecca's book was so informative when reading through the lens of Ethiopian adoption. It is a window into the mind of a woman who is Ethiopian and American as she works through her thoughts and relationship with Ethiopia, its politics, people and land - something our family will be doing for the rest of our lives.

When you finish this book, you will want to learn more about Ethiopia and hear the stories of other Ethiopians in the diaspora. The style is accessible and absorbing, written with a focus on individuals, moments, and places, with a flow of information and analysis (with neither apparent biases nor neat resolutions)--and some tasty language. Grounded in her memoir/travelogue are insights on specifics of Ethiopian culture, history, and politics; yet it's easy for anyone who likes reflections on/stories about family, identity, immigration, and memory to relate to and appreciate. As one of the first books to be published by an Ethiopian American, HELD AT A DISTANCE is significant. Based on my students' responses after reading HELD AT A DISTANCE, I can say that this book will inspire others. It is a seamless mixture of memoir, travelogue, history, political science, and sociology.and also, just a nice piece of personal writing. Categorizing this book is nearly impossible--which is a strength and should make it widely appealing. It provides both a personal perspective on and a broader introduction to contemporary Ethiopia and the growing and vibrant Ethiopian community in the US.

This will be a fantastic book for her children to read about their parents life, but was boring for me. She is very Amharic-centric, seeming not to fully realize that many other ethnicities make up Ethiopian society as well. I did learn a little about Ethiopia from this book, but I found it too personal to the author's story and too Amharic-centric. The author does not take a look at the historical & political things with any objectivity, nor does she explore why these things really happened to her family.