I Killed Scheherazade

Born in 1970 in Beirut, Joumana Haddad is a poet, literary translator, magazine publisher and journalist. She has published several widely acclaimed poetry collections, four of which have been translated into French, German, Spanish and Italian. Joumana is the cultural editor for the prestigious an-Nahar newspaper, as well as the administrator of the International Prize of Arabic Fiction (the 'Arab Booker'). Author location: Beirut, Lebanon

'Haddad is a revolutionary, this book is the manifesto. Read it or be left behind.' Rabih Alameddine 'Haddad is a poet who inhabits the storm.' Tahar Ben Jelloun 'In this courageous book Haddad breaks down the taboo of the silent absent Arab woman.' Elfriede Jelinek 'Courageous and illuminating - it opens our eyes, destroys our prejudices and is very entertaining.' Mario Vargas Llosa '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 'A spirited call to arms' New York Times '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.' Guardian 'Lifts the veil on love and sex' Marie Claire 'Provocative and sensual' Huffington Post 'Beirut's body language pioneer' Washington Post

• CONTENTS: TO START WITH - On camels, belly dancing, schizophrenia and other disasters 1 AN ARAB WOMAN READING THE MARQUIS DE SADE 2 AN ARAB WOMAN NOT BELONGING ANYWHERE 3 AN ARAB WOMAN WRITING EROTIC POETRY 4 AN ARAB WOMAN CREATING A MAGAZINE ABOUT THE BODY 5 AN ARAB WOMAN REDEFINING HER WOMANHOOD 6 AN ARAB WOMAN SAYING NO 7 AN ARAB WOMAN FLYING AN AIRPLANE 8 AN ARAB WOMAN SEIZING THE MOMENT 9 AN ARAB WOMAN UNAFRAID OF PROVOKING ALLAH 10 AN ARAB WOMAN TALKING TO HER SON ABOUT SEX TO START again - Am I really an 'Arab Woman'? POST PARTUM - I killed Scheherazade THE MISSING CHAPTER - Attempt at an autobiography