Tahar Ben Jelloun, a Maghrib author born in Fez, Morocco, is popularly known for his “cross-cultural” writing style and the controversial issues raised in his novels like The Sand Child. His writing life began in 1966 during his time in Rabat where he was arrested and detained along with many other students under suspicion of extremism against King Hassan II (“Tahar”). He developed a love for literature after asking his brother to send him books while he was incarcerated. In an interview for The Independent, an English newspaper, he states “Literature seemed to be not only a sort of escape but a possible revolt. It inspired me…”
Source: http://www.taharbenjelloun.org/
This inspiration has created much success in Ben Jelloun’s literary career. His personal website TaharBenJelloun.org chronicles the numerous recognitions and awards he has received including the prestigious Goncourt Prize in 1987 for his work in The Sand Child and The Sacred Night. According to Hedi Adbel-Jaouad in his review essay “Sacrilegious Discourse”, this achievement can be attributed to the way in which these texts “present new and refreshing material from a collective memory and another world, offering the interplay of ideas both sacred and profane, ancient and modern” (36). Ben Jelloun’s literature commonly deals with the human condition and state of mind. He received his Ph.D. in psychiatric social work in 1975 and draws on much of his experience and understanding of the human psyche in his fiction. This writing style creates discomfort at times in his audience, but forces all to question their understanding of the society around them. As a result of his daring writing style and universal appeal to both eastern and western audiences, Ben Jelloun’s works have been translated into 40 different languages and published in venues around the world (“Tahar”). Ben Jelloun now lives and works in Paris, France with his wife and daughter (Owen).
Brief Bio of Tahar Ben Jelloun
Tahar Ben Jelloun, a Maghrib author born in Fez, Morocco, is popularly known for his “cross-cultural” writing style and the controversial issues raised in his novels like The Sand Child. His writing life began in 1966 during his time in Rabat where he was arrested and detained along with many other students under suspicion of extremism against King Hassan II (“Tahar”). He developed a love for literature after asking his brother to send him books while he was incarcerated. In an interview for The Independent, an English newspaper, he states “Literature seemed to be not only a sort of escape but a possible revolt. It inspired me…”
This inspiration has created much success in Ben Jelloun’s literary career. His personal website TaharBenJelloun.org chronicles the numerous recognitions and awards he has received including the prestigious Goncourt Prize in 1987 for his work in The Sand Child and The Sacred Night. According to Hedi Adbel-Jaouad in his review essay “Sacrilegious Discourse”, this achievement can be attributed to the way in which these texts “present new and refreshing material from a collective memory and another world, offering the interplay of ideas both sacred and profane, ancient and modern” (36). Ben Jelloun’s literature commonly deals with the human condition and state of mind. He received his Ph.D. in psychiatric social work in 1975 and draws on much of his experience and understanding of the human psyche in his fiction. This writing style creates discomfort at times in his audience, but forces all to question their understanding of the society around them. As a result of his daring writing style and universal appeal to both eastern and western audiences, Ben Jelloun’s works have been translated into 40 different languages and published in venues around the world (“Tahar”). Ben Jelloun now lives and works in Paris, France with his wife and daughter (Owen).