Hanan al-Shaykh is one of the most acclaimed writers in the contemporary Arab World. She is the author of seven novels, including "The Story of Zahra," "Women of Sand & Myrrh," "Beirut Blues," "Only in London," a collection of stories: "I Sweep the Sun off Rooftops," and her much praised memoir of her mother’s life "The Locust and the Bird."

She has written two plays, "Dark Afternoon Tea" and "Paper Husband." Most recently she published "One Thousand and One Nights," an adaptation and re-imagining of some of the stories from the legendary Alf Layla Wa Layla – the Arabian Nights, commissioned by the director Tim Supple for the theatre, and performed in Toronto and Edinburgh in 2011.

Her work has been translated into 28 languages. She lives in London.

Authors, Memoir & Biography, Women, Literary