For Bread AloneChoukri's classic and moving work, which has already been translated into more than ten languages, speaks for an entire generation of North Africans. Born in the Rif, Choukri moved with his family to Tangier at a time of great famine. His childhood was spent in abject poverty; eight of his brothers and sisters died of malnutrition or neglect. During his adolescence, described here with its attendant erotic escapades, Choukri worked for a time as servant to a French family. He then returned to Tangier, where he experienced the violence of the 1952 independence riots. At the age of 20, and still illiterate, he took the decision to learn to read and write classical Arabic - a decision, which transformed his life. After mastering the language, he became a teacher and writer, finally being awarded the chair of Arabic Literature at Ibn Batuta College in Tangier. |
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Common terms and phrases
Abdelmalek Abdelqader Abdeslam Afiouna afraid Allah Arabic Asiya asked began blood bottle Bouchra Boussouf brassiere bread breasts brothel brother café cargadores cigarette climbed cognac crazy cried crying djellaba door drink drunk el Kebdani eyes face Faouziya father Feddane feel fifty pesetas girl glass going gone Hadija hand happened harira head heard Kandoussi Kebdani Kemal Khemou kill kissed Lalla Zehor Larache laughing legs lips looked Mohamed Mohamed Choukri Mohammed Mrabet Monique morning Moroccan Morocco mother mouth Naima night Oran Paul Bowles police policeman pulled Qaabil Riffian Sallafa sebsi Sebtaoui Segundi shack shut sitting sleep smiled smoke kif Spanish stay stood stopped street Tafersiti talking Tangier tell Tetuan things thought told took trousers turned voice Wait walked wash watched whore wine woman Yazidi Zailachi Zoco Chico