Where the Heart Isn't is a poignant account of cultural itinerancy. Part memoir, part essay and part survival manual, it deconstructs the notions of "home" and "heart" and chronicles the author's quest to bring the two together. The author weaves episodes of injustice, rebellion and awakening, which span several decades. Her remembrances, offered at first through the lens of a scientist, lead the reader to profound reflections on the importance of cultural exchanges. We are reminded that people who leave their homeland by choice or by necessity bring a unique perspective that is so important for social change. Finally, a powerful lesson: sometimes defeat can be a better teacher than success. This is a tale for the present and the future, one that transgresses the cultural zeitgeist and geographical boundaries. It is a coming-of-middle-age story for Generation X and all other generations who are on the path of life.