This collection of stories explores both literal and metaphorical deserts, spanning Middle Eastern landscapes and the American heartland. An adventure travel agent navigates political conflicts in an Arabian Gulf country, encountering a diverse cast of characters including a political lover, a teen yearning for freedom, and a mother trying to save her son from a jihadist movement. Meanwhile, a writer confronts a personal desert when her husband is diagnosed with ALS, finding unexpected connections with a group of women whose husbands are also dying.