I Killed Scheherazade: Confessions of an Angry Arab Woman

The Proof of the Honey. Superman is an Arab. Journeys Of A Sceptical Muslim. Forugh Farrokhzad, Poet of Modern Iran. My Ear at His Heart. Heart of the Night. Doing Psychoanalysis in Tehran. Growing Up Feminist in a Muslim Land. Like a Summer Never to Be Repeated. Female Homosexuality in the Middle East. Women, Islam and Cinema. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. Articles on Arabic Literature. Arab Representations of the Occident. Britain Through Muslim Eyes.

In The Country of Men. Women's Writing and Muslim Societies. The Flight of the Intellectuals. The Homoerotics of Orientalism. Islam in South Asia in Practice. Life is More Beautiful than Paradise. Being German, Becoming Muslim. Of Sacred and Secular Desire. D C R A Goonetilleke. Averroes and Hegel on Philosophy and Religion. Modern Islamic Political Thought. Muslim Brothers in Pursuit of Legitimacy, The.

Contemporary Pakistani Fiction in English. The Literature of the Iranian Diaspora. Politics, Law, and Community in Islamic Thought. Islam, Gender and Modernity. Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide. Book Review of 'Shi'a Islam: From Religion to Revolution' by Heinz Halm. How can she still thinks that if you're veiled than , without any doubt , you're oppressed , ignorant , weak and your only goal in life is to please your husband?

Who told you this? Does she really think that by belittling a whole category of arab woman , that she is going to rise above all the hatred and manly prejudices? Is it by attacking your own sex that you're prooving to the west that you're no different than them and that you're also as free as their women? That's utterly disgusting and shameful. Whether you like it or not , we're in this together , veiled and not veiled. We're seeking the same opportunities , fighting the same ideologies and trying so hard to mainatin our rights.

Even though I agree with you partially on some of the things that you have pointed out , I still can't get over how dumb you made us look. I could not enjoy this book nor read it as ease for your horrific comments towards veiled arab women left a sour and bitter taste. And believe me , If i weren't veiled , this would still be my opinion. Jul 10, Zanna rated it it was ok Shelves: Well it was exhilarating, but ideologically questionable, like futurist art or, maybe, de Sade, of whom Haddad is a huge fan I agree with her that difference is our collective wealth.

I agree with her about lots of other things too. Still, I felt there was a lot of victim-blaming going on, and while I am out for defences of femininity, I found Haddad's a bit problematic since she waxes lyrical about beauty inside and out and confides 'hairy armpits are a no-no'. Never claiming feminism, she in Well it was exhilarating, but ideologically questionable, like futurist art or, maybe, de Sade, of whom Haddad is a huge fan Never claiming feminism, she insists that 'women deserve better' than a 'blind' or unqualified gender solidarity and utters the phrase 'hysterical man haters' without irony.

She asserts that she's doing nothing but telling her own truth here, but she continually admonishes her fellow Arab women. When she says 'I don't have all the answers!

I Killed Scheherazade

She argues that the contemporary Orientalist image of the veiled and subjugated Arab woman is 'incomplete', and needs to be completed with the image of the 'atypical' Arab woman, herself, a sexually liberated, highly educated and paid career woman who rejects religion.

Would anyone else like to lean in here? In terms of disrupting stereotypes, this is decidedly level, and while she affirms the choices of home-making women like her mother, she can't avoid leaving behind the real 'typical' Arab women, presumably wallowing in the victim status they have submissively accepted, to her intense irritation. The individualist focus on personal choice and development produces various comments to the effect that 'surviving war is good training'.

Of course, this is Haddad's truth and she is not obligated to deal with the war she experienced in any way, but this kind of processing evinces the attritional dehumanisation of late capitalism; something Haddad views critically but I almost threw the book out of the bus window when she said seeing Carmen Chacon reviewing 'her' troops while pregnant was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

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Maybe I'm just an old reactionary. The writing is good though! And sometimes Joumana blazed, and I applauded her. My favourite part was where she confessed her losses, a wise and salutary admission of mis-steps View all 6 comments. Mar 28, Lila Lamrabet rated it liked it Shelves: Though I think this is an incredibly important and necessary book, I did find it to be a tad disappointing.

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This is partly because of the incredibly high expectations that I had for it. This can be summed up by the fact that when my friends saw me reading it, they said that it "sounded like [me] in book form" and that instead of reading it, they would just listen to me go on my usual rants.

So yeah, there were expectations. If I could re-write the title, I'd call it "the convoluted rant of a self Though I think this is an incredibly important and necessary book, I did find it to be a tad disappointing. If I could re-write the title, I'd call it "the convoluted rant of a self-indulgent woman. Yes, I realise it's a 'confession' but regardless, the book made promises to be, and I quote the blurb, "a provocative exploration of what it means to be an arab woman today.

She addresses the two-faceted hypocrisy which has become an integral element of arab culture, the strife and stifling of expression and double standards that don't just colour or make up a part of our culture but in fact define it. I thought the following quote was a wonderful way to sum it up: A good and not very eloquent word for this book would be 'shouty. I think a reason for her language and manner coming across in this way is a lot to do with the fact that she is a poet, which rendered her incapable of plainly outlining the issue.

Except in this instance, her dressing up and fancying of the writing just came across as self-absorbed and really detracted from the point of the text. This focus meant that the book failed to fully indulge and expand on the points that I thought were most important. Unfortunately, the manner in which they were conveyed was not to my liking. I still really admire Joumana and the bold daring freedom by which she, as an arab female poet who writes so explicitly on sexual matters in a way scarcely few dare to, expresses herself so rawly and with no restraint.

She deserves nothing but acknowledgement and praise for this. The reason I am giving this book three stars and so an overall positive review is because of who Joumana is, and also because any book that acknowledges and attempts to address and bring these incredibly important issues to wider attention and public discourse deserves some positive acknowledgement in its own right. The book was full of the author herself, and her own life. Did not get anything new regarding the situation of women in Middle east, and all what was said in this book was old news for me!! Joumana Haddad is an award-winning Lebanese poet, translator, journalist and women's rights activist.

I Killed Scheherazade is a collection of essays, each leading off the previous one and touching on topics such as sexuality, exploration, erotic poetry, feelings of alienation, atheism and saying no "To be a woman writer in an Arab country means to impose strict self-censorship, a thousand times harsher than any official censorship imposed from the outside" - Joumana Haddad, I Killed Scheherazade.

I Killed Scheherazade is a collection of essays, each leading off the previous one and touching on topics such as sexuality, exploration, erotic poetry, feelings of alienation, atheism and saying no. It makes for an utterly fascinating read. She comes off very abrasive and challenging, which occasionally frustrated me, but it isn't surprising given her subject matter. She is challenging the status quo and is licking the wounds that as an Arab woman she has been dealt repeatedly throughout her life. In this regard, she's almost equal parts unlikeable, sympathetic and admirable in her book.

Haddad speaks seven languages, including Arabic, English, French and Spanish, and has written books in many languages. She has also worked on several translations, including those of her own writing. She was raised a Catholic but is now an atheist, and finds the main monotheistic religions equally to blame for creating a society where women are left without a voice. Just as she speaks out as an Arab woman, I reserve the right to do the same: I partly take offence for her vehement attacks against hijabs scarves.

It is entirely possible to be an educated, forward-thinking woman who freely chooses to wear the hijab. I may disagree with her on many things, but I definitely know how it feels to read to reach greener pastures. She is refreshingly well-read, and references many fantastic, underrated authors that often fall between the cracks. Different representatives of the media across the world, especially in the West, have depicted her as a "lone voice" fighting for women's rights.

I find this assessment insulting for all those women who are struggling and fighting for women's rights in different ways. Her appearance is often referenced in interviews speaking of bold make-up, miniskirts, and bright colours as if this decision makes her a stronger activist. There are women who are perfectly capable of standing up for women's rights and a woman's right to utilise her body, however, she sees fit without actually choosing to embody every aspect of the change they fight for.

Haddad also frequently has descriptions that are painful in how accurate they are. It means you cannot live and think what you really want to live and think honestly, spontaneously, and candidly. It means you are split in two, forbidden from speaking the blunt truth, because the Arab majority depends upon a web of comforting lies and illusions," she writes.

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Arabs certainly find themselves worrying more about what is being said about them than actually walking boldly forward how they choose. This often means restricting yourself in ways that often have nothing to do with religion, but have become ingrained in our culture. I like her stark honesty. I like a lot of her ideas. I Killed Scheherazade is an illuminating book, and certainly worth a read. Jul 21, Ribal Haj rated it it was ok. When I picked up this book, I had expected an educated analysis of the women conditions in the Arab world. So her name stroke me as revolution starting.

I did not, however, expect the self-absorbed ranting around which the book mainly revolves. I say ranting for several reasons, most importantly because the book only complains about the obvious. Yes, we are a patriarchal society. Yes, women need to rise up. Yes, there shou When I picked up this book, I had expected an educated analysis of the women conditions in the Arab world. Yes, there should be a revolution. But we knew these. We need new ideas, fresh ones to consider and that would be the foundation of a new era.

The author seems to be justifying for the "Westerner" for his racism, and his prejudice. By that she sets herself a victim of society, and that of The Other the Westerner. But wait, we do not start a revolution by playing victims! I say self-absorbed for several reasons as well. Far from "representing" the Arab Woman, Joumana seems to want to live and decide how life should be lived. It's her needs that she seems to want to achieve. The biographical part in her life aims mainly at exposing what a special, special girl she is, and that she has always been and known that she was different.

Then, how she was opposed and hindered, yet she fought and slew or wants to slay the dragon. All the while, stereotyping the Westerner freethinking, judge , Oriental man closed-minded, enemy , and most other women ignorant, victims. In addition to the redundancy of "I as an intellectual Arab woman". What is an intellectual?

Who decides that you are one? Other aspects about the book that I did not particularly enjoy include her arguments on femininity. She seems to emphasize that a woman should be a "woman" and man should be a "man" without any clear definition of what constitutes each. I found myself wondering, what about people who identify with being neither?

Anyway, the book is a poetic expression of Haddad'd frustrations and thought. That is completely respected. We all have the right to throw our feelings out there, hoping they touch others. Joumana did touch me and reminded of the Arab woman cause.

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I thank her for that. Joumana now has a responsibility. She inadvertently took up the cause or by choice, so she should finish what she started, and we, women and men or neither, are with her. View all 9 comments. May 26, Simona rated it liked it Shelves: Don't expect a deep feminist thoughts, but if you want to read a story about a daring woman in the Arab world, then I recommend it. Oct 26, Ayala Levinger rated it liked it. Joumana is an interesting person. I liked finding out what she thinks about things even though we certainly don't share the same views about everything.

Jun 23, Katherine Lika rated it it was ok Shelves: I really wanted to like this one but I found myself frustrated with Haddad's presentation of certain viewpoints. Specifically her thoughts on beauty inside and out, and what that means to her. We all have our personal preferences, but maybe the fact that you believe hairy pits are a "no-no" for women would be a thought to keep to yourself when writing a feminist text. Perhaps she doesn't declare it so cut and dry, but I found this train of thought unhelpful.

Haddad's image o A bit disappointing. Haddad's image of a schizophrenic society was most compelling to me. The hypocritical actions and ideals she describes inside and outside of religion build a very complicated backdrop that I would love to see explored more as I continue read texts on this subject. This idea alone is worth reading the book for. I wish she addressed feminism within this landscape of complexities outside of her own perspective, but it's an interesting start nonetheless.

I Killed Scheherazade is illuminating in many respects, but ultimately as a polemic I question how effective it is for it's intended audiences. Though many would consider my rating a reason not to read it, I would like to encourage others to pick this one up. There is much interesting conversation to be had around this book. Not as angry as I expected, this quasi-memoir reflects on what it means to be an Arab woman in this day and age.

The entire book centers on Ms. Oct 02, Sus rated it it was ok. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed by this book.. Both the content as well as the flow did not succeed in capturing me. Joumana has a lot of good and interesting ideas that I relate to very well, however the flow was a bit haphazard with no clear transition from one topic to the other.

Also, she should have been less self centered and focused a bit more on the issues that the majority of Arab women are struggling with today. Overall, a light and easy read. Jan 25, Jessica rated it really liked it. This was a stunning, startling, offputting in a good way read leaving me angry and inspired all at once. I read this all in one sitting, which perhaps wasn't the best idea as I felt Haddad's voice started to drag a little towards the end and the essays ran together.

I think this is the kind of book where it's best to read one chapter in one sitting, let it sink in, and come back for more, as each essay packs a powerful punch in itself. Since the beginning of the book and I have wanted to rate it 4 stars. Although some parts pushed me to rate it as 3. Sans peur, sans panique, ni lassitude, ni tabou, ni honte, ni aucun autre obstacle interne ou social, visible ou non.

Sa splendeur est de rester toujours insaisissable, car toujours en transformation. Rester ouvert aux possibles. Se laisser emporter par de nouveaux enthousiasmes. Joumana Haddad is a writer, poet and intellectual who celebrates the liberation of the body in her native Arabic and as well in remarkably fluent English, French, German, Italian, Armenian and Spanish.

In terms of her linguistic capacity's reach, sexual freedom has never had a more effective and articulate spokeswoman or should we say spokesman? Confessions of an Angry Arab Woman" is a quick-read in the tradition of political pamphlets such a Joumana Haddad is a writer, poet and intellectual who celebrates the liberation of the body in her native Arabic and as well in remarkably fluent English, French, German, Italian, Armenian and Spanish.

Confessions of an Angry Arab Woman" is a quick-read in the tradition of political pamphlets such as the "Communist Manifesto. The timing couldn't be better, with the unfolding Arab Spring. Her writing is also of universal relevance. I live in China, and I plan to lend this book out to my English-speaking female friends a Chinese translation is certainly called for , who need merely substitute the word "China" for "Arab" to see how much it speaks to them, in a country where the virginity cult is alive and well amidst futuristic skyscrapers, luxury consumerism, and even strikingly revealing clothing on the streets in the summertime.

Reacting to this as a white male growing up in the US and Canada in the s and tail-end of the 60s I can already hear women clamoring in condemnation of my having the nerve to arrogate the right to speak about or on behalf of women, let alone Arab women, though this only underscores the freedom of speech Western women have secured , I have to say, I don't know, I have just never been able to fathom this virginity thing. It simply never occurred to much less bothered me or anyone else around me when we became sexually active in our teens and thereafter whether girls were virgins or not.