Really interesting book written by an ex-pat living in Saudi Arabia. Even thought she isn't really interested in moving to Saudi, her husband applies for a position there (he is an oncologist) and she moves there with him.

Surprising her, she finds it definitely a different place to live than the USA but she ends up not only happy there, but they extend their time. She has gotten a position at the hospital, and climbs the career ladder (although she has to push her way up).

The author is a Pakistani born US citizen and her parents still live in Pakistan which give her an easier time to visit with them. She has left her (grown) sons back in the US and book is written in the style of a journal/diary.

Being a Muslim, living in Saudi, she 'fits in' better than many of the other ex-pats, but when 9/11 happens, they head home (Brooklyn) and return to working in the US.

I particularly enjoyed this book as I was working (in Houston, TX) for a large Saudi company from 1997-2013 so it was interesting to see her side of the story.

I am a massive fan of true stories, I find them fascinating. I love learning about other cultures and lifestyles, and this book was no exception. While the style of writing, mostly emails, was a bit awkward to read, I still enjoyed the content. I received this book from NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

Thanks very much to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this very interesting memoir, an American woman’s account of her time living in Saudi Arabia as an expat. The book provides a window into a society many in the United States, myself included, know virtually nothing about, and I am appreciative of the information I learned, which, as noted in the title, isn’t always “what you think.”

The only reason I’m not rating this book higher is due to its format. Had the entire book been written like the introduction/prologue, this would have absolutely been a five-star book for me; that passage and others sprinkled throughout the book make it clear that the author is an excellent writer who is able to synthesize compelling scenes and taut prose from her lived experience.

However, the majority of the book seems to be comprised of primary sources (emails, letters, journals) that could have used some editing and summarization in the style of the opening section. For example, a good bit of the first half of the book is comprised of what appear to be verbatim or near-verbatim emails that were sent by the author to friends and family when she first arrived in Saudi Arabia. There are lots of repeated minutiae and many minor characters introduced in these chapters (e.g., lots of mentions of different coworkers, neighbors, etc. by name, many of whom are never mentioned again). I would have much preferred it if this material were used as the basis for a more polished, summarized version of the most notable events and information.

But, overall, I enjoyed the book and felt I learned a lot.

Fascinating memoir. Loved reading this book.
Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

Highly recommend this fascinating read!

Sabeeha and her husband, American Muslims, move to Riyadh, the most conservative city in Saudi Arabia, to work in the top hospital. Her account is not a sociological look at Saudi life, rather the life of an expat, which is very different, and she's clear on this. She writes of what she saw and experienced honestly and without judgement, totally observational and accepting of the local culture. She writes this as a series of emails which keeps it conversational and fast to read.