The legendary Queen Scheherazade told her seductive tales for a thousand and one nights. The characters in Arnold Zable's haunting book emerged from the chaos of World War II to tell their own stories of profound love and loss in the cafe by the sea. A cafe whose name will itself reveal the moving story of how its proprietors, Avram and Masha, met and fell in love.At once fable and history, Cafi Scheherazadetakes the reader on a journey which ranges from Kobe to Paris, from Vilna to Melbourne. It remains faithful to the experiences of Jewish survivors, whose lives reflect the courage of refugees everywhere, and confirms Arnold Zable's status as a master storyteller.

Arnold Zable is an acclaimed writer, novelist, and human-rights advocate. Formerly a lecturer in political science, he has travelled widely, and has lived and worked in the USA, India, Papua New Guinea, China, Europe, and South-East Asia. He has a doctorate from the School of Creative Arts, Melbourne University, and has lectured on creative writing and human-rights issues throughout Australia and internationally. Jewels and Ashes, which was Mr Zable’s debut work, won five Australian literary awards. His other books include Café Scheherazade, The Fig Tree, Scraps of Heaven, Sea of Many Returns, Violin Lessons, and The Fighter. He lives in Melbourne.