Book description
Joumana Haddad is angry about the way Arab women are portrayed in
the West. In I Killed Scheherazade she challenges prevalent notions of
identity and womanhood in the Middle East and speaks of her own
intellectual development and the liberating impact of literature on
her life. Fiery and candid, this is a provocative exploration of what
it means to be an Arab woman today. 'A vivid assertion of
individuality, free speech, free choice and dignity against religious
bigotry, prejudice and the herd instinct both within and outside the
Arab world, and within and outside Islam' Guardian
'A spirited call to Arab women to stand up' New York
Times
'It takes genius to attain such radical freedom.' Etel Adnan
'In this courageous book Joumana Haddad breaks down the taboo of
the silent absent Arab woman.' Elfriede Jelinek
'A very courageous and illuminating book about women in the Arab
world. It opens our eyes, destroys our prejudices and is very
entertaining.'
Mario Vargas Llosa
'Joumana Haddad cannot be intimidated. This book is a lesson of
courage for all those who fight to go beyond their own limits and
chains.'
Roberto Saviano
'Literature is often a storm that breaks the rules of decorum
and forces us to come face to face with our weaknesses and illusions.
Joumana Haddad is a poet who inhabits the storm.' Tahar Ben Jelloun
Born in 1970 in Beirut, Joumana Haddad is an award-winning poet,
literary translator, magazine publisher and journalist. Joumana is the
cultural editor for the an-Nahar newspaper and in 2008 launched the Arab
world's first erotic cultural magazine, Jasad (Body). Joumana was chosen
as one of the best Arab authors under 39 in 2009 (Beirut39). She lives
in Lebanon with her two sons.
