The Distance Between Stars

by Jeff Elzinga

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN STARS is the story of two Americans divided by history and skin color. Joe Kellerman, white, is an accomplished diplomat who has spent his career solving difficult problems in sub-Saharan countries. Maurice Hightower, black, is a prize-winning but controversial journalist who has spent his life exposing injustice in the United States. During a fact-finding trip to an African country that is quickly sliding towards civil war, and where the U.S. government is accused of supporting the increasingly violent opposition, Hightower travels alone into the bush and then disappears. The dangerous assignment of finding the missing man and bringing him to safety falls to Joe Kellerman. The story follows Kellerman’s hunt for a man he does not admire, traces Hightower’s pursuit of a truth that ever eludes him, and balances the costs each man must pay to find redemption for a life lived imperfectly. While the novel takes place in Africa, it is a uniquely American story.

344 pages, Paperback

Published June 2, 2020

About the author

Jeff Elzinga is the author of The Distance Between Stars and Pigeon Falls. Elzinga graduated from St. Olaf College and Columbia University. He has lived two rewarding careers. As a foreign service officer of the U.S. State Department, he served in Tunisia and Malawi. Then, for more than 20 years he was a college instructor, retiring in 2018 as Emeritus Professor of Writing at Lakeland University in Wisconsin. He is married and has three children.

Reviews

[Wendy Varish · Rating 5 out of 5]

So... after getting interrupted so many times related to this strange situation we call life right now, I finally had the opportunity to start this book and completely read it cover to cover. Honestly, from the first time I picked it up through the last page, I often found myself completely engrossed: the insight of the author, the attention to subtle details-and I don’t just mean the scenery or the situation- but the subtlety of sometimes “innocent” human discord and race disparities that have plagued humankind for generations...wow!
If I’m not reading a research article, I am usually a “give-me-a-thrill-with- mystery-Brad Thor-ish novel-so -I -can -forget -the -world -around -me” type of girl.... but seriously... this book kept me on edge and opened feelings and wonderment related to today’s current social environment I did not even think I really wanted to or needed to explore.
No matter one’s preference in types of books, Jeff Elzinga’s “The Distance Between Stars” should be on everyone’s “must read” list.

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling! The place and the characters are so tangible. I was interested, then intrigued, then completely drawn in. Jeff paints some profound insights into the tensions and connections between people and how choices drive each of our stories.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly original novel, informed by the author’s Foreign Service experience in Africa, that educates with a pleasant episodic approach. Fans of recent John Grisham will appreciate the balanced, compassionate and timely analysis of racial and international relations. The book may even be a worthy addition to HS/college Sociology or Political Science courses. Jeff Elzinga is an author to watch!

[Carol Surges · Rating 4 out of 5]

There aren't many fiction books written about serving in the State Department or about a country in Africa and this book combines both. Written by a former State Department employee and acknowledged by other retired members of that exclusive league, I can only assume the portrayal is accurate. While the country is fictional, Elzinga has clearly based it on the reality of many of the sub-Saharan countries on that continent. His inclusion of the inside jargon and day-to-day details gives readers a close-up look at the reality of the work. The tenseness of the situation as the country spirals into civil war is palpable. There were a few details, mostly related to women and their physical characteristics that seemed unnecessary but otherwise, it was a tight story about a very interesting topic and location. Well worth a read if you're looking for something out of the ordinary.

[Mario Mirabelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent debut novel about a career U.S. diplomat stationed in some backwards African nation with a President For Life ruling the country. Joe Kellerman has been the go to diplomat across Africa for over fifteen years when diplomacy is needed most. Now, with a presidential election only a month away and the most controversial African American journalist planning to come visit, Joe's special touch is especially needed.
Unfortunately politics and timing make a meal of Maurice Hightower's visit and serious s..t goes down. The mix of backstory of Joe and his interaction with the current head Diplomat and his "interactions" with Maurice make for a real powder keg. Well worth the journey.

[Kathryn Gahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Sub-Saharan Africa, a white American diplomat tries to do good, but what good looks like is slippery and has dire consequences for Joe Kellerman, living far from a racist parlance once commonplace in the U.S.
"This is the sound of ruin," writes Jeff Elzinga with clear insight of the US Foreign Service and the demands put upon its officers. In our age of global turmoil, graft, and greed, here is a novel to stretch our understanding of humanity--no matter what color it is. Read this book and see "how great the distance is between what is and what was."

[David Gallianetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced page turner about the dynamic between a white foreign service officer and a visiting black journalist in an unstable African nation ruled by dictator. The author is a former foreign service officer and retired college writing professor, and his knowledge and creative skills have led to a terrific story. Hopefully this is the first of many.

[Dawn Hogue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Distance Between Stars is a fast-paced read with engaging characters and a beautiful yet unsettling scene. I highly recommend Jeff Elzinga's debut novel. It's a taut thriller you won't want to put down.