El-Fanak Press, Casablanca, has released again the masterpiece of Mohamed Choukri "For Bread Alone" one of the writer's most popular and controversial novels as part of a book series adopted by the publishing house to provide books for all people.
"For Bread Alone" has once again proved its position as one of the most creative Moroccan novels in the Arab region and worldwide, especially after the record numbers it hit in terms of sales and languages it has been translated to, not to mention the myriads critical readings and the huge impact it left in the Arabic cultural scene. The novel gained international fame and was translated to 39 languages including English by Paul Bowles in 1973 and French by Taher bin Jelloun in 1981.
The novel was written in 1972 but wasn't published in Arabic until 1982. It makes part of the Tangier novelist's biography, along with the "Time of Mistakes," and "Faces."
Choukri was encouraged to write the "The Bread alone" by US writer Paul Bowles who lived in Tangier at the time. The novel was translated into French by Taher bin Jelloun. When released for the first time, it made a significant echo. Some Arab countries even banned it because of its unfamiliar boldness.
The French version of the novel took the same title, but the English translation was entitled "For Bread Only."
Critics have agreed that Choukri's novel "depicts the misery and marginalization that dominated large categories of the Moroccan society in the middle of the past century."
Late Spanish writer Juan Goytisolo said Choukri "looked at his country's situation from the bottom, and he saw what rulers cannot see."
Arab writers said "the novel was a slap on the face and succeeded where many other writers failed. He managed to become both the hero and the writer of his writings."
For his part, Choukri said: "I aimed not to beautify the ugliness, in my life and the life of others. I wanted to highlight the distortion of the community."
