debi246's review against another edition
4.0
The themes of this book (loneliness, abuse, poverty, disenfranchisement, classism) go beyond 1950s Morocco; they apply universally to any time or place and Mohamed Choukri is able to present them simply, directly and beautifully. Amazing story. Translation probably doesn't do the writing justice.
bobbo49's review against another edition
3.0
Highly recommended to me, I found the book somewhat disappointing. The story behind this memoir of survival is remarkable: an uneducated Moroccan boy who determined to become literate at age 20, and then wrote with candor about his earlier years in the slums and on the streets of Morocco. But there isn't a great deal of depth or introspection in the book, despite its praises from writers like Paul Bowles (who also translated) and Tennessee Williams.
juniperusxx's review against another edition
1.0
Tämä kirja on erikoinen taustaltaan, kirjailija oli nuoruusvuotensa luku- ja kirjoitustaidoton, tämä teos syntyi 37-vuotiaana. Tämän seikan mukanaan tuoma kiinnostavuus sai minut lukemaan kirjan, vaikka myönnän, että ensimmäisen kolmanneksen jälken olin valmis luovuttamaan. Ihmismielen primitiivinen puoli kuvautui tässä paljaana, kun kulttuuri ja sivistys eivät ole peittäneet ihmisen luontaista seksuaalisuutta ja aggressiota. Heti alkusivuilla isä tappaa yhden poikansa, kasvavan pojan seksuaalisuus kanavoituu eläimiin sekaantumiseen jne. Aika karua oli kuvaus myös elinympäristöstä, jossa on syötävä mitä tahansa, sinänsä syötäväksi kelpaamatontakin, jotta pysyisi hengissä.
ambam555's review against another edition
3.0
I really wish Goodreads could give .5 - because this book would be a solid 3.5 for me. It's an important text documenting poverty, violence, and death through the eyes of a Moroccan man (a Rifian - an indigenous group in Morocco - also important, but perhaps cast aside). This text "shows" Morocco in perhaps vastly different ways than imagined. I couldn't get past the sheer misogyny of the text, nor the excessive violence, but it's still beautiful and raw.
naisinkoi's review against another edition
3.5
Quote: “Oran is exile and Tetuan is imprisonment. And since I am happier in Tetuan than in Oran, that means I prefer jail in my native land to freedom in exile.”
I love me a good memoir and hands down I enjoyed this one.
Mohamed Choukri tells of his story and how his family was driven from their home in Rif to Tangier in search of a better life due to the famine. He details the struggles they faced when his father grew violent and ended up killing his younger brother in a fit of violence. He writes about the challenges him and his mother have when his father ends up being jailed for something unrelated to his brother’s death and how him and his mother had to survive.
When his father is back and Mohamed leaves to another city, he details what he had to do to survive and make ends meet.
Through themes of family, capitalism, companionship, identity crisis and survival, Mohamed tells of his coming to age and his upbringing and how he had to face great odds just to go from one day to another and all he had to do for bread alone.
I am looking forward to picking up another of his translated works.
I highly recommend this.
kingkong's review against another edition
4.0
Basically just a guy hanging out and getting laid. Pretty cool
muga's review against another edition
3.0
His grave will be invisible among all the others. It will get lost, the way little things always disappear among the big ones...
This reads like a diary rambling of a 14year old boy, as you can imagine its not an overall pleasant experience especially when it comes to the descriptions of women.
Anyway that doesn't take away from this young boys upbringing his fathers violence and their abject poverty doesn't provide an exactly conducive environment for raising a child and it's really heartbreaking to read.
Also I love an unhinged narrator.
This reads like a diary rambling of a 14year old boy, as you can imagine its not an overall pleasant experience especially when it comes to the descriptions of women.
Anyway that doesn't take away from this young boys upbringing his fathers violence and their abject poverty doesn't provide an exactly conducive environment for raising a child and it's really heartbreaking to read.
Also I love an unhinged narrator.
ladymirtazapine's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Colonisation, Vomit, Sexism, Cursing, Confinement, Child abuse, Blood, and Ableism
Minor: Rape