Superman is an Arab

Joumana Haddad is an award-winning poet, literary translator, publisher and journalist. In 2008 she launched the Arab world’s first erotic cultural magazine, Jasad (Body), which made headlines around the world. Haddad was selected as one of the Beirut39 authors in 2009. Her publications include I Killed Scheherazade: Confessions of an Angry Arab Woman, which was critically acclaimed and translated into thirteen languages, and Superman is an Arab: On God, Marriage, Macho Men and Other Disastrous Inventions. She lives in Beirut with her two sons.

'A blast of fresh, fiery air - Haddad has produced a vital, topical must-read for all sexes, races and cultures. Her book is a timely and completely unique addition to the commentary surrounding misogynist oppression, religion, politics and social freedom which have ignited commentators, activists and politicians around the world. The revolution and its backlash are not just being fought in the streets, squares and elections across the Middle East, but also on the faces and bodies of millions of Arab women and their sisters across the world. Haddad speaks for all of us. It's time to listen.' Bidisha 'Joumana Haddad, a Lebanese poet and journalist, has written a bold and often very funny polemic on patriarchy in the Arab world.' Lucy Popescu, The Independent

• Contents: Once upon a time - 11 Why this book?17 The poem Lost and found The rant In praise of egoism The narrative Note to the reader How it all started (in general)23 The poem Beginning again The rant Heads or tails The narrative Genesis, not the way they'd like to think it occurred How it all started (for me)31 The poem A love metaphor The rant In and out The narrative Close encounters with the second kind The disastrous invention of monotheism45 The poem Saying grace The rant Why not The narrative Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife nor donkey The disastrous invention of the original sin61 The poem All over again The rant Politically incorrect questions The narrative The bad, the evil and the ugly The disastrous invention of machismo73 The poem Think again The rant The macho's rule book The narrative Balls come with a price The disastrous invention of the battle of the sexes91 The poem I am a woman The rant He says she says The narrative 'Arab Spring', they claim The disastrous invention of chastity 111 The poem Recipe for the insatiable The rant Penis: directions for use The narrative Abandon all innocence ye who enter here The disastrous invention of marriage125 The poem Still The rant Dynamics of a millenary gaffe The narrative I take thee to be my temporary love The disastrous invention of getting old145 The poem The artichoke theory The rant So what? The narrative We can all be Peter Pan Their beautiful voices in my head155 Letter to my sons163 Happily ever after - 167 Further reading169 Acknowledgements171