Spanning more than a century, this systematic study brings to the forefront a dazzling array of novels by Arab women writers.

Bouthaina Shaaban's analysis ranges from the work of Zaynab Fawwaz, published at the end of the nineteenth century, to that of Sahar Khalifah and Najwa Barakat, published at the cusp of the twenty-first. The novels discussed reflect not only specifically Arab concerns, but also those that are universally relevant to women. Perhaps most notably, Shaaban makes it abundantly clear that Arab women were pioneers in the creation of the Arab novel—though until now they have been little known—and that the development of this literary genre occurred very much in tandem with the changing role of women in Arab countries. 

Bouthania Shaaban is author of Both Right and Left Handed: Arab Women Talk About Their Lives. She has been professor of English literature at Damascus University since 1985 and also served for five years as vice president of Syria’s Arab Writer's Union. Dr. Shaaban was recently honored by Ziad Hamzeh’s film Woman, which is based on her work and life and was awarded the Golden Palm for the best film at the 2008 Beverly Hills Film Festival.