About
Tahar Ben Jelloun is a French-Moroccan writer and poet born in Fez. He studied philosophy in Rabat, taught in Morocco, then moved to Paris in 1971. He earned a doctorate in social psychiatry in 1975. His first novel, Harrouda, appeared in 1973. He achieved fame with The Sand Child (1985) and The Sacred Night (1987), which won the Prix Goncourt, a first for a Maghrebi author. His work explores themes such as identity, immigration, and the condition of women, blending realism and dreamlike elements. He was elected to the Académie Goncourt in 2008.
* 1944-12-01
Major works
- Harrouda (1973)novel
- L'Enfant de sable (1985)novel
- La Nuit sacrée (1987)novel
- Le Racisme expliqué à ma fille (1998)essay
- Cette aveuglante absence de lumière (2001)novel
Key milestones
- 1987Wins the Prix Goncourt for The Sacred Night, becoming the first Maghrebi author to receive this prize.
- 2004Receives the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for This Blinding Absence of Light.
- 2008Elected to the Académie Goncourt and appointed Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour.
Themes
Moroccan identity and cultureImmigration and exileGender roles and women's conditionRacism and tolerancePolitical repression and freedom
Sources: britannica.com · id.loc.gov