Opened at the cusp of Africa’s defining 1960s by controversial Emperor Haile Selassie, Hilton Addis Ababa stands today as a grand hotel, much like any other. Settling in the hotel in Ethiopia’s sprawling capital, Ruth Beckermann delves into the nation’s thorny past and present, navigating the familiar and foreign, fact and fiction. As her quest for historical truth unfolds, layered with contradictions, she blends archives starring the Emperor with present-day conversations at the hotel and her own reflections as a European woman. Meanwhile, outside, the opulence contrasts with the city’s unvarnished life and grind, with queues of workers stretching for metres at bus stops and skeletons of high-rises awaiting development.