She is head of the Cultural pages for the prestigious "An Nahar" newspaper, as well as the administrator of the IPAF literary prize (the "Arab Booker") and the editor-in-chief of Jasad magazine, a controversial Arabic magazine specialized in the literature and arts of the body.
She has already published several poetry collections, widely acclaimed by critics. Her books have been translated to many languages and published abroad.
Speaking seven languages, she is a polyglot and has published several works of translation, including an anthology of Lebanese modern poetry in Spanish, published in Spain as well as in many Latin American countries, and an anthology of 150 poets who committed suicide in the 20th century.
She interviewed many international writers, such as Umberto Eco, Paul Auster, Jose Saramago, Peter Handke, Elfriede Jelinek, and others.
She is member of the Book and Reading committee in the Lebanese Ministry of Culture.
Joumana Haddad has been awarded the Arab Press Prize in 2006.
In 2009, she co-wrote and acted in a movie by Lebanese filmmaker Jocelyne Saab ("What's going on?"). She also had an appearance in a documentary by filmmaker Nasri Hajjaj, about Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.
In October 2009, she has been chosen as one of the 39 most interesting Arab writers under 39.
In November 2009, she won the International Prize North South for poetry, of the Pescarabruzzo Foundation in Italy. The winner of the novel prize was Austrian writer Peter Handke.
In February 2010, she won the Blue Metropolis Al Majidi Ibn Dhaher Arab Literary Prize
In August 2010, she received the Rodolfo Gentili Prize in Porto Recanati, Italy.
In addition, she is a performer and a collage artist.
The panther hidden at the base of her shoulders, selected poems, (2006)
In the company of the fire thieves, Conversations with international writers, (2006)
Death will come and it will have your eyes, Anthology of 150 poets who committed suicide, (2007)
Bad habits, selected poems, (2007)
Mirrors of the passers by, poetry, (2008)
Bibliography in English
Invitation to a Secret Feast, 2008, Tupelo Press, Vermont, USA.
Madinah, city stories from the Middle East, 2008, "Comma Press", Manchester, UK.
I Killed Scheherazade, 2010, “Saqi Books”, London, UK.
Bibliography in other languages
Damit ich abreisen kann, 2005, Lisan Verlag, Basel, Switzerland.
Allí donde el río se incendia, 2005, Ediciones De Aquí, Málaga, España/ 2006, Fundación Editorial El Perro y la Rana, Caracas, Venezuela/ 2007, Editorial Praxis, Mexico, Mexico/ 2007.
Cuando me hice fruta, 2006, Monte Ávila Editores, Caracas, Venezuela.
El retorno de Lilith, 2007, Editorial Praxis, Mexico, Mexico/ 2010, Diputacion Provincial de Malaga, Mar Remoto, Spain.
Le retour de Lilith, 2007, Editions L’Inventaire, Paris, France.
Liliths Wiederkehr, 2008, Verlag Hans Schiler, Berlin, Germany.
Adrenalina, 2009, "Edizioni del Leone", Venice, Italy.
Il ritorno di Lilith, 2010, "Edizioni l'Asino d'Oro", Rome, Italy.
Lilits återkomst, 2010, Bokförlaget Tranan, Stockholm, Sweden.
Espejos de las fugaces, 2010, "Vaso Roto ediciones", Mexico.
Miroirs des passantes dans le songe, 2010, « Al Dante », Paris, France.
J'ai tué Shéhérazade. Confessions d'une femme arabe en colère (traduction), Arles, Actes-Sud, 2010
"Joumana Haddad is a revolutionary, this book is the manifesto. Read it or be left behind."
—Rabih Alameddine, Lebanese American novelist
"A very courageous and illuminating book about women in the Arab world. It opens our eyes, destroys our prejudices and is also very entertaining."
—Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel Prize for literature 2010
"Joumana Haddad is an authentic writer. She belongs to the rare species of intellectuals that cannot be intimidated. This book is a lesson of courage for all those who aspire, try and fight in order to go beyond their own limits and chains."
—Roberto Saviano, Italian writer
"In this courageous book, Joumana Haddad breaks down the taboo of the silent absent Arab woman. Scheherazade has to die to be able to tell her own story: that is, to become a human being."
—Elfriede Jelinek, Nobel Prize for literature 2004
