Publication in Britain of The Jewel of Medina by Sherry Jones has been postponed
as a result of the firebombing of the publisher's offices by Muslim extremists who say the book is an insult against Islam because it depicts the Prophet Muhammad's favorite wife Aisha.
The Bookseller reported last week that the novel's UK publication was in "suspended animation", and this week reported that author Sherry Jones' trip to Frankfurt as part of an author tour had been cancelled. A statement put out by Gibson Square Publishers said: "We respect Sherry Jones's decision. In her view the best thing to do is to postpone her visit and the publishing of the novel in Britain."
It added: "We appreciate that she will continue to make time available to any interested British groups to dispel misinformation about The Jewel of Medina. We hope that they will get in touch with us to receive further information about her hopes for her novel to foster greater understanding of Islam for Western readers. Despite the controversy of the past two weeks, Sherry Jones' intention remains as it was from the start to engage with a current debate in a positive way."
Despite the controversy, the book is available in America, at bookstores and at Amazon.com.
