Product Description

Driven by famine from their home in the Rif, Mohamed's family walks to Tangiers in search of a better life. But things are no better there. Eight of Mohamed's siblings die of malnutrition and neglect, and one is killed by his father in a fit of rage. On moving to another province, Mohamed learns how to charm and steal, and discovers the joys of drugs, sex, and alcohol. Proud, insolent, and afraid of no-one, he returns to Tangiers, where he is caught up in the violence of the 1952 independence riots. It is here, during a short spell in a filthy Moroccan jail, that a fellow inmate kindles Mohamed's life-altering love of literature.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #347389 in Books
• Published on: 2006-06-22
• Original language: Arabic
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 169 pages

Review
'The illiterate remembers everything. It seems almost a stroke of good luck that Choukri's encounter with the written word should have come so late. As a writer, he is in an enviable position, though he paid a high price for it in suffering.' Paul Bowles 'A true document of human desperation, shattering in its impact.' Tennessee Williams 'A book to read, cherish and remember - and to show us again why we need books as well as bread.' Morning Star

The Independent, July 16, 2006
Five stars ... Achingly elegant ... Choukri's irrepressible, ultimately indomitable spirit is most touching and human.

About the Author
Mohamed Choukri is one of North Africa's most controversial and widely read authors. At the age of twenty he decided to learn to read and write classical Arabic. He went on to become a teacher and writer, finally being awarded the chair of Arabic Literature at Ibn Batuta College in Tangier. Paul Bowles, perhaps best known for his novel The Sheltering Sky, collaborated closely with Choukri on the translation of For Bread Alone. The story of Choukri's life is continued in Streetwise.

Customer Reviews

Bitter truth
If you are Moroccan or North African, you'll love this book. It was particularly eye-opening for me as a Moroccan born & bought up in London to read about the poverty and hardships Mohamed Choukri faced as a young man trying to find his way in Tangiers.

There are many funny parts to this book as well and you always have the feeling that he'll be alright.

I loved this book & have read it twice, its a book that makes me feel full of hope. Mohamed Choukri has come through these hardships, dealt with the death of his sisters, educated himself and is a great role-model for any young man in Morocco today.

I would strongly reccommend this book to anyone.

for bread alone
this book of choukri should have been titled ''For sex and bread alone instead of 'For bread alone'.I heard that he is a famous writer in marocco but you can be famaous even you are not a good writer which happen in this case.The life and moral of poor people is portrated in a very bad light.Of course it has some true on it but i did not find nothing good towards the poor class excpet naming them as thieves,dirty,liers,violent.etc,etc all the bad things you can find.Reading the whole book you will soon realise that the main character in words choukri spends all his childhood and adoleshence with prostitutes rather then trying to live a decent and honest life. Do not buy this book unless you are looking for a soft porno book.I am very dissapointed at myself for spending around £3 towards this book.If i could rate the book with no stars if i could but it is not possible.