Saleem Haddad, author of "Guapa," a gay novel about the Arab Spring

Compactly taking place in 24 hours, "Guapa" follows Rasa, a gay man living in an unnamed Arab country, as he tries to carve out a life for himself in the midst of political and social upheaval. In his debut novel, Saleem Haddad offers a brave new gay voice from the Middle East. "Haddad presents a striking look at gay life, the psychological cost of conformity, and what it means to be true to yourself from a Middle Eastern perspective." — Booklist "Warmly recommended to all readers who are interested in issues of diversity and the Middle East." — Library Journal Saleem Haddad was born in Kuwait City in 1983 to a Lebanese-Palestinian father and an Iraqi-German mother, and educated in Jordan, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He has worked as an aid worker with Doctors Without Borders in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq, and currently lives in London, where he advises on inclusion of refugees, women, and young people in the transition and peace processes of the Arab Spring.