Nothing But Red: The Anthology Inspired by the Death of Du'a Khalil Aswad

Ellen R. Sheeley Nonfiction

Author Biography

Ellen R. Sheeley is the author of Reclaiming Honor in Jordan: A National Public Opinion Survey on "Honor" Killings and a contributor to the anthology Nothing But Red.
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Favorite Books

I vacillate between Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner" and Frank McCourt's "Angela's Ashes." I've read both multiple times and relate perhaps too well to Hassan in "The Kite Runner," for I first read that book while in the midst of my own shattering betrayal by a friend for whom I would've taken a bullet.

Favorite Authors

Khaled Hosseini and Frank McCourt, bien sur.

What I'm Reading

For the last couple years, I've been on a serious jag of reading books about the Arab world, Islam, and the Middle East. I've probably blown through over 100 books on these topics.

At the moment, I'm reading Ali A. Allawi's "The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace," though I'm not far enough along to offer an assessment.

My favorite book in this genre is Raphael Patai's "The Arab Mind." It is unavailable (code for banned) in Jordan, making it, of course, that much more attractive. :-) But a Canadian friend sent me a copy while I was living in Amman, and I found it so useful in understanding the culture that I almost immediately re-read it from cover to cover (something I'd never done before). It is a large tome, so that is no small undertaking. In this book, I suppose I was seeking not only to better understand the culture, but also the phenomenon of dishonor killing (although the book does not address that directly) and the reasons for my supposed friend's sudden, explosive, unprovoked betrayal. In it, I found some answers, but questions and mysteries remain. Maybe one day everything will be illuminated.

Web Links

Nothing But Red: The Anthology Inspired by the Death of Du'a Khalil Aswad

Synopsis:

Nothing But Red is the anthology of literary and visual arts inspired by the impassioned plea of Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon in response to the dishonor killing of 17-year-old Du’a Khalil Aswad. Sales of the anthology benefit the international human rights organization Equality Now.

The 313-page collection, which can be purchased as a trade paperback for $17.95 or as an e-book for $5.95, was released on the one-year anniversary of the death of Aswad. An Iraqi adherent of the Yazidi religion, Aswad was stoned to death by family members and neighbors; her brutal beating and murder were captured in a graphic video and spread throughout the Internet and other broadcast media.

Shortly after learning of the murder, Whedon penned an emotional response on the website Whedonesque.com. His post, which built from the topic of Aswad’s murder to the contemplation of misogyny’s transcendence of culture, religion and era, ended on an appeal to do something active to change the cycle.

“True enlightened activism is the only thing that can save humanity from itself…” Whedon wrote. “Her face was nothing but red.”

Taking its title from those words, Nothing But Red is a response to Whedon’s call to action, which is included as an essay in the volume. A full list of contributors can be found at nothingbutred.wordpress.com.

Equality Now was chosen as the recipient of the anthology’s proceeds due to Whedon’s public support of the organization and its mission to “[voice] a worldwide call for justice and equality for women,” as stated on Equality Now’s website.

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Author Comment:

The editor of this book is Skyla Dawn Cameron. I am only a contributor to this anthology. My contribution is published in full on my blog: http://www.redroom.com/blog/ellen-r-sheeley/the-dishonor-killing-dua-khalil-aswad