This work, first published in Arabic in 1969 to great acclaim, and now for the first time in English translation, was written in defiance of the "sanctity of genre" and to raise the question of freedom of expression in writing. For its author, the major Iraqi poet and novelist Fadhil al-Azzawi it heralded new life after years of tough experiences.

Translated by: Fadhil al-Azzawi
Introduction by: Farouk Yousif