Gold Medal, 2022 Independent Publisher Book Awards, IPPY
“This is a beautiful story, beautifully told. It’s much more than the memoirs of a Christian American living in Africa and exploring Islam with devoted Muslims; it’s about learning how to be a good neighbor to the people around you, wherever you might be in the world. This is the kind of book we need right now.” —Eboo Patel, author of Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation
“In this charming memoir, an expat American writer living in Djibouti, recounts her experiences moving from Minnesota to the horn of Africa when her husband took a professorship there, showing readers how her time in Muslim regions freed her from Islamophobic prejudice and deepened her own Christian faith.…The author’s considered, evocative prose and friendly persona make this a pleasure to read.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
Hi! I’m Rachel Pieh Jones
(say it like Pie. Or Pi.)
You can also call me Djibouti Jones. I’m the author of Pillars, Stronger than Death, Finding Home, Djiboutilicious, The Expat Cookbook, and Welcome to Djibouti. My work appears in the New York Times, Runners World, Christianity Today, Deadspin, and so many other places.
I write and speak about life at the crossroads of faith and culture. I aim to challenge people to live brave, love wild, and believe goodness while leaping outside their comfort zones.
I’m most active and would love to connect with you at my Substack, Do Good Better, where I curate challenging, provocative, deep-diving conversations about humanitarian, development, and missions work.
Join Me
You can also find me at Stories from the Horn, a newsletter with links to all the important news stories in and about the Horn of Africa. Sign up here: Stories from the Horn.
Find Stronger than Death at Plough Publishing, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound, and Amazon
Find Pillars at Plough Publishing and Amazon