Exile of the Heart is a deeply moving and lyrical memoir by journalist Rasheed Abou-Elsamh, chronicling a lifelong search for belonging across borders, languages, and faiths.
Born into a diplomatic family, Rasheed grew up in Geneva and Brasília, suspended between cultures, cosmopolitan yet rootless, privileged yet unsure of where home truly was. His story unfolds through vivid, intimate vignettes that reveal the beauty and ache of living between worlds.
From quiet family moments shadowed by unspoken truths to the loneliness of exile and the freedom of self-discovery, Exile of the Heart captures what it means to find identity beyond geography or expectation.
Both tender and fearless, this memoir explores themes of faith, identity, displacement, and resilience, asking what it truly means to belong — and reminding readers that sometimes the truest home is the one we build within ourselves
Quick Look
Author: Rasheed Abou-Elsamh
Title: Exile of the Heart: A Memoir Across Three Continents
Genre: Memoir
Print Length: 128
Publication Date: November 28, 2025
Social media: Twitter | TikTok | Instagram
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Website: Link
Q&A with Rasheed Abou-Elsamh
Q: What is your book about and what inspired you to write this book?
A: As a gay man who grew up in a mixed faith family, I always wanted to tell my story of how I came out to my parents, their rejection of my sexuality, and the many years I spent working in Saudi Arabia as a journalist and how I found community among the Filipino expats.
Q: When did you start writing, and what made you decide to publish this book?
A: I started writing my book in 2024, but had been thinking about it for years before that.
I decided to publish my book as I believe it has an important message that one can be gay and lead a satisfying life. I think it is important to show other gay men from the Arab and Muslim world that it’s possible to be gay and retain one’s dignity and be happy too!
Q: Which character was the most fun—or most challenging—to write, and why?
A: Writing about my abusive relationship with my now ex-Brazilian boyfriend was challenging as I had to open up about why the relationship failed.
Q: What themes or messages do you hope readers take away from your book?
A: That it’s never too late to leave an abusive relationship.
Q: Were there any real-life experiences that influenced your story or characters?
A: My book is a memoir, so all of it is filled with real-life experiences.
Q: What question do you wish readers would ask you about the book?
A: How did you manage to live as a gay man in conservative Saudi Arabia? My answer is that I managed to actually live with my boyfriends over the years in the same apartment because Saudi society has always been segregated in terms of men and women. So seeing two men living together was not considered strange or illegal.
Q: Do you have a favorite quote or moment from the book you’d like to share?
A: One of my favorite parts was writing about my older sister Jamelah, who ran away from home when she was 21. We didn’t hear from her for the next 21 years, which caused my parents and myself lots of anguish and sadness. But I was able to reconnect with her via email before she sadly died of breast cancer in 2003. I feel very grateful that I was able to communicate with her, and talk about our parents and why she decided to leave in the way she did.
Q: What was the biggest challenge in writing or publishing it?
A: The biggest challenge in writing this book was overcoming my fears of what my parents and relatives would think of my memoir when they read it. Both of my parents have already passed, so that gave me permission to finish writing and publish my memoir.
Q: What’s next for you as a writer?
A: I want to try my hand at fiction next, in specific I want to write a thriller!
Top Reviews
Camille – 5.0 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Crossing Boundaries
“A captivating, beautifully written account of the author’s life and travels between countries… The author’s vulnerability and resilience shine through, inspiring me to embrace my own journey of self-discovery.”
U H – 5.0 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Coming of Age Across Cultures
“A compelling portrait of growing up in Geneva, Brasília, and Saudi Arabia—revealing how life across such contrasting worlds shapes identity, perspective, and belonging.”
Kristen – 5.0 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Interesting and Thought Provoking
“An enjoyable and thought-provoking rendering of Rasheed Abou-Elsamh’s life story, paired with the heart-wrenching realization of his struggles and ultimate accomplishments.”
Author bio
Rasheed Abou-Elsamh has a BA from Swarthmore College. He is a veteran journalist who has worked in Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, the UAE and Brazil. He was an opinion columnist for O Globo in Brazil for seven years. Born in Washington, DC, and raised in Switzerland and Brazil, he currently lives in Texas with his three cats and one dog.
Social media: Twitter | TikTok | Instagram
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Website: Link
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