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For Bread Alone

By Mohamed Choukri and Paul Bowles
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
For Bread Alone is a powerful memoir by Mohamed Choukri, capturing his harrowing journey through a life marked by poverty in Morocco. Chronicling his transition from a destitute childhood to eventual literacy and self-awareness, the narrative illustrates his relentless struggle for survival and dignity. The book provides an authentic glimpse into the socio-economic challenges of mid-20th century North Africa.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're interested in raw and honest memoirs that capture the struggles of growing up in poverty. It offers an unfiltered glimpse into the life of a young man in Morocco, navigating hunger and hardship with poignant honesty and resilience. It’s ideal for readers who enjoy vivid storytelling and cultural insights.

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For Bread Alone

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 his siblings die of malnutrition and neglect, and one is killed by his father in a fit of rage. This is a memoir of a young Moroccan boy's coming of age in a time of extreme poverty and degradation.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! 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.

For Bread Alone is a powerful and honest depiction of hardship and resilience, capturing the struggle for survival and the awakening of a passion for the written word.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

For Bread Alone by Mohamed Choukri is praised for its raw and unflinching portrayal of poverty and struggle in mid-20th century Morocco. Reviewers often commend the book for its honest depiction of the hardships faced by the author, as well as its vivid storytelling. The translation by Paul Bowles is also frequently highlighted for maintaining the emotional intensity and authenticity of Choukri's original prose.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781846590108

Publisher: Saqi Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 June 2006

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Telegram Books

Edition: 2nd Revised edition

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 223g

Pages: 169

Collections

Biography & Memoir Mohamed Choukri Musicians, Movie Stars & Creative Biographies Non-Fiction Paul Bowles

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.

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