Famous for his humorous travel memoirs Trail of Feathers, In Search of King Solomon's Mines, and The Caliph's House, he is also well known for his book reviews and journalistic pieces, as well as for his screenplay Journey to Mecca. He published his debut novel, Timbuctoo, in 2012. After completing his early education at the Bryanston School in Dorset, England, he attended colleges in Great Britain, Kenya, and the United States.
