The Patchwork Cloak of Kamal Bey: An East-West Memoir

by John Zada

A captivating travel memoir set in the Middle East about cross-cultural dissonance and a quixotic quest to find home.

While travelling to his grandfather’s ancestral town in rural eastern Turkey, journalist John Zada is mistakenly hauled off an overnight bus at a military roadblock and pulled into a dragnet searching for outlawed rebels. During that abrupt encounter Zada experiences a series of vivid flashbacks from his life and travels in the Middle East, which led him to that dangerous moment.

The Patchwork Cloak of Kamal An East-West Memoir is a collection of interlocking travel stories tied to a decades-long quest through the Arab World to find a more enduring sense of home. Born to westernized Arab parents, and driven by his discontent with North American life, Zada throws himself headlong into the Middle East to find what he believes to be the missing part of himself.

That journey, first as student and then as a roving journalist, takes him from the cosmopolitan boulevards of Cairo, Beirut and Dubai to the far-flung mountains of Kurdistan and the Sahara Desert. Mirroring the author’s wanderings is his lifelong mentor, Kamal a spinner of yarns with a confidential government job who, like Zada, also uncomfortably straddles civilizations.

A kaleidoscopic memoir that is also a travelogue and work of reportage evoking the writing of Ryszard Kapuściński, The Patchwork Cloak of Kamal Bey is at its heart a reverse-diaspora story. Its pastiche of surreal and remarkable tales serves as an oblique warning about the danger of identity obsessions.

Genres: Memoir, Travel, Nonfiction

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2025

About the author

John Zada is an author, journalist and photographer based in Toronto, Canada.

His first book, 'In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond: In Search of the Sasquatch', was chosen by Amazon as one of its '100 Best Books of the Year' for 2019 and was a finalist for The 2020 Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction. The Washington Post describes it as "a quirky and oddly captivating tale." Steve Donoghue of Open Letters Monthly calls the book "as eloquent and big-hearted as, for instance, Peter Matthiessen’s The Snow Leopard."

John's work has appeared in such publications as the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Travel + Leisure, BBC, CBC, Al-Jazeera, New York Post, Explore, Maisonneuve, Montecristo, Los Angeles Review of Books, Toque & Canoe and Canadian Business.

Before turning his focus to writing, he spent several years working as a documentary filmmaker. He directed such projects as 'Up At Dawn: The Working Children of Egypt', and 'The Bitterest Exile'. More recently, John worked as a producer on 'Canada's Dark Secret' for Al-Jazeera, a film about Canada's residential school system.

Reviews

[Shree G · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Patchwork Cloak of Kamal Bey starts off in a very tense and nail-biting situation. Traveling in the deep rural stretches in third-world countries can often result in unexpected and unsavory encounters. As a memoir, the author John Zada does justice in sharing stories from his adventurous life.

I normally like fiction and mystery more and don't read nonfiction that much, but I happened to spot this ARC on NetGalley, and to be honest, it did not disappoint. The book cover is exquisite and caught my eye, and the allure of learning more about parts of the world I am still unfamiliar with led me to read it, and I came out happy—well, somewhat.

John Zada writes very eloquently and weaves his narrative with great diction and prose. When you take away the author's personal experiences, much of the book is a treatise on Arabic and Middle Eastern customs, rituals, and cultural ethos. Much of it is evidently painstakingly researched and presented in very consumable technicality, which made for an enlightened yet entertaining read without coming across as a discourse.

The East versus West mindset was very clearly seen, pretty much in the author's own thought process. Born to Egyptian parents who moved to Canada, John's ardent curiosity to learn about the land his parents came from led him to take up a Master's in International Relations program at the American University of Cairo. I was fascinated by the characters he meets there, but the main protagonist of the book, Kamal Bey, is truly a multifaceted personality - creative, cunning, wise, and aristocratic (well, in his circles he was). His ideologies make the reader think, and I enjoyed reading about his larger-than-life story.

Everyone has a 'Curt' friend in their life. Someone who cares zilch about the establishment, cares no less for their future, but is a daredevil to want to taste all that life has to offer. I LMAO'd at the crazy escapades that he dragged John the author into, and he kind of rounded off this amazing memoir for me.

"We had both grown up languishing in the ennui of North American suburbia, victims of its logical orderings, clinical subdivisions and manifold sensory deprivations. The suburban commuter existence marries the least desirable aspects of both rural and urban living, creating a bland insularity of existence. Morocco was a raw octane stimulant and antidote to the banality of our lives back home."

Again, heaping lots of praise on the author's articulate writing.

[Lilisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The quest for personal identity and belonging and traveling to find both seemed like a good premise for a memoir. A Canadian by birth with family roots in the Middle East, the author, as a student and then as a journalist, lives and works in various countries in the Middle East hoping to find a connection and sense of belonging amidst the realities of an uncertain world there in contrast to the stable western life he has in his birth country. I enjoyed the parts about Kamal Bey and the stories he shared with the author - he was definitely a wise and insightful character and a great mentor for the author. While the author’s travels and encounters were interesting, especially the section about Mardin, there was some naïveté involved with regard to cultural norms, especially in Egypt, which could have led to disastrous outcomes - luckily that did not happen. The structure of the book made it sometimes difficult to keep track and stay engaged as the transitions were not always smooth - ironically it felt a bit like a patchwork. I had hoped to enjoy this book more than I did - overall, a three-star read. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Patchwork Cloak of Kamal Bey is a mesmerizing journey through the Middle East, blending memoir, travelogue, and reportage. John Zada deftly captures the tension and beauty of navigating two world East and West while seeking identity, belonging, and a sense of home.

Through vivid storytelling, Zada transports readers from the bustling streets of Cairo, Beirut, and Dubai to the remote mountains of Kurdistan and the Sahara Desert, offering rich cultural insights and intimate glimpses into human resilience. His encounter at a military roadblock becomes a catalyst for reflections on his life, family, and cross-cultural dissonance, evoking the narrative depth of Ryszard Kapuściński.

This memoir is both a personal quest and a cautionary tale about the dangers of identity obsession, presented with lyrical prose, humor, and poignancy. Zada’s work is ideal for readers of travel literature, memoir, and anyone fascinated by the interplay of culture, history, and self-discovery.

[Andrew Boden · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I admire about Zada’s writing, whether he’s exploring Canadian West Coast forests in search of Sasquatch or reflecting on his years in the newsrooms of the nation is how he immerses us in the places he visits. This new book come through once again, for Zada steeps us in the rich cultures of West Asia, North Africa and the Middle East, covering the years he spent there working as a journalist.

What I also admire about Zada’s new book is how he ties together all these myriad experiences in a quest to better understand the two cultures his family straddles: his Canadian home and the Arab world. While I won’t spoil how Zada comes to terms with the different, sometimes conflicting aspects of his quest, I found his insightful reflections on his divided cultural self gave this memoir a depth I rarely see in similar books.

At turns harrowing, hilarious and wise, I highly recommend Zada’s new book.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s so much to love about this book. What stands out first is the author’s ability to present the Middle East and its many struggles through both Eastern and Western perspectives, creating a layered and nuanced view.

I also found the caution to American readers especially compelling. The suggestion that our growing political unrest echoes the early stages of conflict in the Middle East is frightening.

Throughout the book, the author’s self reflection adds depth and sincerity, making the book feel personal as well as insightful. But my favorite aspect is the collection of beautiful, thought provoking quotes woven throughout. My favorite: “Those pulled in are people looking for a purpose. People who are afraid of the ambiguities of life, and who need strict rules, structure, and certainty.
And to be part of a clique in which they are virtuous and saved-while everyone else is wrong and damned.
It is the sanctuary of literal minds. A spiritual no-man's-land.”

[Lori Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating and original personal and journalistic memoir about a Canadian author’s life in the Middle East, and the difficulties he faced reconciling his Eastern and Western cultural roots while there. Because he’s both an insider and outsider he finds himself in odd and often surreal situations that people who don’t know the region wouldn’t be able to conceive beforehand. The book is at once sensitive, nuanced, humorous, and candid to a degree that is even self-critical of the author’s own foibles.

Another thing I found refreshing is that the book is devoid of the heavy background history and politics you get in a lot of books about the Middle East. The access he gained was so interesting; as too were the personal takeaways about how to view and approach his split East-West identity. I completely enjoyed this.

[Jamie Barringer (Ravenmount) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an interesting blend of stories, from two men- Kamal Bey and the author John Zada- that provide different perspectives and help draw a more nuanced picture of the places Zada talks about. Zada's stories are themselves a mix of memoir about his search for his family's roots and his own identity, and travel stories that reminded me a bit of P.J. O'Rourke's stories, While most of the countries Zada visits as a journalist are dealing with unrest, war, violent racism and other unpleasantness, he does show some of the less unattractive aspects of these places and their people. I think my favorite story though is the one about how he got kidnapped by the Saudi government and forced to work on a Saudi propaganda film. I'd heard bits of stories about this sort of thing from other people but not as well told.

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read Canadian journalist John Zada’s book The Quest for the Noble Beyond, which is about Sasquatch sightings, and enjoyed his writing. I have mixed feelings about this new book. One of the author’s sense of entitlement that he intentionally puts himself into high risk situations just so he can feel superior. The other is his belief that having a Christian Levantine background where both his parents were Egyptian, and growing up in Toronto gave him an East/West perspective and that allows him a broader understanding of the Middle East. However he still falls on antisemitic rhetoric like “colonialism” and “extreme Zionist” when referring to Israel. As journalist he should realize how foolish he seems.

[Ula Tardigrade · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Zada is a great writer - I loved his previous book, „In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond: In Search of the Sasquatch” so I picked up this one without hesitation. Unfortunately, I found the Middle East less interesting a topic than mysterious Canadian forests, but if you are fascinated in that region I am sure you will greatly enjoy this book.

Thanks to the publisher, Terra Incognita Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

[Michelle Turan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book. Well written and entertaining. It’s both educational and fun. You’ll enjoy the stories, learn about different cultures and what bonds us as people, as well as accurate historical information. It’s hard to put down because you are just amazed at the unique situations the author finds himself in. It’s a wonderful book about friendship and travel and John does an excellent job of putting you in the middle of each situation. Have fun and enjoy the ride.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining and engaging memoir of Zada's travels via journalist assignments and personal treks that are linked to his Eastern ancestry. I could relate to many of the stories especially the first half of the book because I too have Eastern familial ties. Zada is a formidable writer and I highly recommend this book for readers who are interested in the East-West connections.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had such beautiful writing.