Finding Home: From Cairo to New York: A powerful memoir of resilience and self-discovery

What happens when the future you anticipated slips away—and the life partner you chose becomes someone you no longer recognize?

In Finding Home: From Cairo to New York, my award-winning memoir, I recount how I crossed four continents, raised two daughters without a safety net, and defied the limits imposed upon me.

Growing up in Egypt within a patriarchal culture and under an autocratic regime, I learned early that a woman was expected to obey the rules, accept her place, and follow a predetermined path. Yet deep inside, I knew I wanted more.

Amid a tumultuous marriage, immigration, divorce, love, and loss, I fought for independence. Freedom came at a price: financial uncertainty and the absence of family support. Yet each setback revealed more of who I was and strengthened my resolve. Throughout it all, I kept my chin up, guided by the unyielding conviction that became my compass: I can do it.

As the sole provider for my two daughters, I created a new life in the United States—a country whose culture and language were unfamiliar, but where I had long dreamed of living. While raising my family and building a career, I pursued higher education, ultimately earning a doctorate and graduating as valedictorian.

Along the way, I discovered that home is the place where you are free to know who you are, claim your voice, and live on your own terms.

Honest, moving, and triumphant, Finding Home speaks to anyone who has felt torn between cultures, confined by expectations, or wondered whether it is too late to begin again.

There is time. If I did it, so can you.

For readers moved by Educated and The Glass Castle, this inspiring memoir affirms that your past does not have to determine what comes next.

An Award-Winning Memoir

🏆 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards 2026— Honorable Mention

🏆 Independent Press Award 2026 — Distinguished Favorite, Memoir

🏆 PenCraft Fall & Spring 2025 Book Awards — Winner, Nonfiction

🏆 IAN Book of the Year 2025 — Finalist

🏆 New York 2025 Book Festival — Honorable Mention

⭐ Readers’ Favorite 2025—5-Star Overall Rating

Readers are loving Finding Home

“I read Finding Home in one sitting—impossible to put down.” *****

“One of the best books I have read in a long time.” *****

“Direct, deeply personal, and authentic… particularly enlightening and encouraging for women seeking their own way.” *****

Editorial Praise

“A modern odyssey—each chapter shaped by courage, reinvention, and deep empathy.”
—Robin Ducharme Pastore, award-winning reporter and publisher

“Eloquent and rich with historical detail… a broad yet intimate panorama of her life.”
—Carol Thompson, Readers’ Favorite