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Published Mar 2009
288 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
In his new novel, award-winning, internationally bestselling author Tahar Ben Jelloun tells the story of a Moroccan brother and sister making new lives for themselves in Spain. Azel is a young man in Tangier who dreams of crossing the Strait of Gibraltar. When he meets Miguel, a wealthy Spaniard, he leaves behind his girlfriend, his sister, Kenza, and his mother, and moves with him to Barcelona, where Kenza eventually joins them. What they find there forms the heart of this novel of seduction and betrayal, deception and disillusionment, in which Azel and Kenza are reminded powerfully not only of where they’ve come from, but also of who they really are.
"Starred Review. A captivating study of one man's search for identity in terms of sexuality, religion, values, nationality, and class; recommended for all fiction collections." - Library Journal.
"This harsh, unsentimental view of the risks and regrets of emigration - as well as the stunning realities of life under Islam law - is a stark, straightforward tale that readers can't help getting caught up." - Publishers Weekly.
"Of the thirty books Tahar Ben Jelloun has written, this is undoubtedly one of the most courageous." - Le Monde des Livres.
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Tahar Ben Jelloun, (born December 1, 1944, Fès, Morocco), is a Moroccan-French novelist, poet, and essayist. Brought up in Fes, From the age of 5 he attended a Koranic school, where he learned to memorize and recite verses from the Koran. Two years later, he entered a Franco-Arab school. Later, he studied philosophy at the University of Rabat.
In 1971 ben Jelloun immigrated to France to complete his studies at the Sorbonne. He then worked for a time in Paris as a psychotherapist. His first novel, Harrouda, was published in 1973. Since then, he has written nine novels, as well as several collections of short stories, poetry, and essays. He is perhaps best known for his trilogy about the life of Ahmed/Zahra, a girl whose father, desperate for a male heir, raises her as a boy: The Sand Child, which was a best-seller in France; The Sacred Night; and the recently published The Wrong Night.
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