"As I read Choukri's notes, I saw and heard Jean Genet as
clearly as if I had been watching a film of him. To achieve such
precision simply by reporting what happened and what was said, one
must have a rare clarity of vision."--From William Burroughs'
introduction to "Jean Genet in Tangier"
Tangier, "the most extraordinary and mysterious city in the
world," according to Mohamed Choukri, was a haven for many Western
writers in the early twentieth century. Paul Bowles, Jean Genet,
and Tennessee Williams all spent time there, and all were
befriended by Choukri.
Collected here together for the first time in English are
Choukri's delightful recollections of these encounters, offering a
truly fresh insight into the lives of these cult figures.
The sights and sounds of 1970s Tangier are brought vividly
alive, as are the larger-than-life characters of these
extraordinary men, through ordinary everyday events.
"'What Yacoubi would really like is a complete harem, ' I
said."
"We laughed."
"'One handsome boy is enough for me, ' said Tennessee. 'A boy who
just happens by.'"
"'So you don't want a harem?' I said."
"'No. Harems are always very tiring. They're no fun.'"
Mohamed Choukri (1935-2003) is one of North Africa's most
controversial and widely read authors. After a childhood of poverty
and petty crime, Choukri learned to read and write at the age of
twenty. He then became a teacher and writer, finally being awarded
the chair of Arabic literature at Ibn Batuta College in Tangier.
His works include "For Bread Alone" and "Streetwise" (both
available from Telegram).
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!