What would you do if you found ‘Osama Bin Laden’ inscribed on the headquarters of the company you’re about to join—just days after 9/11?

What else could go wrong when a thoroughbred Bihari lands in Riyadh, hoping to start a new phase of his life and career? How does an ‘argumentative Indian’ navigate the restrictive public discourse of the Middle East? And after two decades, has he finally given in—or found a way to push back?

Ehtesham Shahid has spent over 20 years in the Middle East as a journalist, editor, and columnist—reporting on groundbreaking stories, documenting seismic shifts, and living through the region’s many contradictions. From the good to the bad to the deeply complicated, his journey through the Gulf and wider Middle East has been as unpredictable as the headlines he’s written.

This book is a culmination of those years—an insightful, often witty, and deeply personal account of life and work in a region constantly in flux. Drawing from newsroom experiences, think tank reflections, and field observations, Shahid explores how India’s growing expatriate presence has reshaped perceptions while unravelling the stereotypes and realities that define the modern Middle East.