Don’t Panic, I’m Islamic
Words and Pictures on How to Stop Worrying and Learn to Love the Alien Next Door
Edited by Lynn Gaspard
About the Book
A Sunday Times Best Humour Book of the Year 2017
‘Bursting with creativity, wit and intelligence’ Brian Eno
How can you tell if your neighbour is speaking Muslim? Is a mosque a kind of hedgehog? Can I get fries with that burka? You can’t trust the media any longer, but there’s no need to fret: Don’t Panic, I’m Islamic provides you with the answers.
Read this book to learn how you too can spot an elusive Islamist. Discover how Arabs (even 21-year-old, largely innocuous and totally adorable ones) plant bombs and get tips about how to interact with Homeland Security, which may or may not involve funny discussions about your sexuality.
Commissioned in response to the US travel ban, Don’t Panic, I’m Islamic includes cartoons, graffiti, photography, colouring in pages, memoir, short stories and more by 34 contributors from around the world. Provocative and at times laugh-out-loud funny, these subversive pieces are an explosion of expression, creativity and colour.
About the Contributors
Lynn Gaspard is the publisher of Saqi Books. Shortlisted for the Independent Publishers Guild Young Publisher of the Year Award in 2013, Gaspard is a trustee of the Shubbak Festival and sits on the English PEN Writers in Translation Committee.
Reviews
‘Refreshing and important. In a world where politics is increasingly driven by divide-and-rule, let’s start thinking “add and multiply”.’ Brian Eno
‘An extraordinary achievement. Fighting back at ignorance with hilarity, ebullience and wit, this collection gracefully exposes the raw hurt that misunderstandings based on stereotypes can cause.’ Selma Dabbagh
‘Thoughtful and entertaining… this subversive romp into the nuanced world of Muslims is exactly what we need in today’s increasingly polarised climate.’ Reza Aslan
'The first great anti-Trump book...The sudden arrival of Don’t Panic, I’m Islamic feels a little like the first fulfillments of an important promise. Here is an unpretentious, funny, and even pretty little book, taking an often satirical aim at the nastiest of Trump’s early policies—the so-called Muslim Ban—and the culture that has allowed it to fester.' Culture Trip
‘The perfect antidote to a year dominated by a Presidential Twitter account.’ Sunday Times, Best Humour Book of the Year 2017
‘Funny and moving’ Bookwitty
‘A wonderful, subversive anthology ... Don’t Panic, I’m Islamic is a fun, easy read that will make you laugh out loud. ... A welcome antidote to the mainstream stereotyping of millions of people. Read it – and then pass it on.' ★★★★ New Internationalist
‘The ultimate (hilarious) reality check. A provocative miscellany, Don’t Panic, I’m Islamic is subtly subversive, unpretentious, and a visual feast. We love it’ Bookblast
‘A celebratory treasure trove of writing and art in response to anti-Muslim prejudice.’ ★★★★ Metro
