"Using the techniques of both the fabulist and the polemicist, Parsipur continues her protest against traditional Persian gender relations in this charming, powerful novella."—Publishers Weekly

A modern literary masterpiece, Women Without Men creates an evocative and powerfully drawn allegory of life in contemporary Iran. Internationally acclaimed writer Shahrnush Parsipur follows the interwoven destinies of five women—including a prostitute, a wealthy middle-aged housewife, and a schoolteacher—as they arrive by different paths to live together in a garden in Tehran.

Shortly after the 1989 publication of Women Without Men in her native Iran, Parsipur was arrested and jailed for her frank and defiant portrayal of women's sexuality.

This volume is the first author-approved translation of Women Without Men.

Sharhnush Parsipur is the author of Touba and the Meaning of Night, among many books. Born in Iran in 1946, she began her career as a fiction writer and a producer of Iranian National Television and Radio. She now lives in exile in California.

Shirin Neshat is an internationally acclaimed visual artist from Iran who adapted Women Without Men into a feature film.

Faridoun Farrokh is a professor of English at Texas A&M International University.