What is Algerian literature and who are the authors who are, and have been, building it since before independence?
However difficult Algerian literature might be to define, it isn't just about the Boualem Sansal, Yasmina Khadra, Amin Zaoui and Waciny Laaredj of this world. It is being written by a large number of authors, both women and men, whose works are often not getting any visibility, in Algeria or abroad.
In order to leave a trace of what is currently getting published in Algeria, to encourage reading these works, and to keep a record of what has been published since independence, I have started the below list.
The list is organised according to authors' names alphabetically ordered, with their most recent books appearing first. Similarly to this blog's Algerian Women Writers page, this list continually gets updated. If you are an Algerian author and
would like to be added to the list, get in touch and send me your book.
If you are a reader and would like to suggest any authors, do get in
touch and send your suggestions.
Chawki Amari
L'ane mort
Review in English here
Apres-Demain
Nationale 1
Review in English here
Salim Bachi
Le grand frere (the big brother)
StoryLab
(short story)
Rachid Bouxerroub
Tislit n ughanim [Bride of Reeds]
El Amel eds, 2015
Discussion with the author in English here
Anouar Benmalek
Fils du Sheol (Son of She'ol)
Casbah, 2015
Abdel Hafed Benotman
Les forcenes
Rivages Noir
Tahar Djaout #CLASSIC
Les vigiles
Abdelkader Djemai
Memoires de negre
ENAL eds, 1991 (in France, published by Points eds)
Ryad Girod
La fin qui nous attend (2015)
Review in Fr here
Review-express in EN here
Ravissements
Barzakh, 2009
Review in French here
Malek Haddad #CLASSIC
Mohamed Kacimi
2016
Mansour Kedidir
La nuit la plus longue
Apic, 2015
Yasmina Khadra
La derniere nuit du Rais (FR version)
The Last Night of the Dictator (EN version)
Waciny Laaredj
2084, The story of the Last Arab
Amara Lakhous
Amid Lartane
(The Flight of the Green Faulcon)
Metaille eds,
Review-express in French
Ali Malek
Ali Malek
Le Chien de Titanic (The dog of Titanic)
Barzakh, 2006
Mouloud Mammeri #CLASSIC
La traversee
re-edited by Dar El Othmania
Le sommeil du juste
re-edited by Dar El Othmania
Ahcene Mariche #POETRY
Djamel Mati
Brahim Metiba
Mauconduit eds, 2015
Won the Prix littéraire Beur FM Méditerranée 2016.
Badr'Eddine Mili
Les abysses de la passion maudite
Chihab, 2015
Rachid Mimouni #CLASSIC
Sofiane Mokhnesh
Akli Tadjer
Les Thermes du Paradis
Review-express in English here
Djamel Eddine Taleb
Mim editions, 2015
Review-express in French here
Habib Tengour
Le Maitre de l'heure (the Master of Time)
Poetry
Boualem Sansal
2084 La Fin du Monde
Review in English here
Habib Sayah
Boufateh Sebgag
Incomplete Meetings
[ لقاء لم يكتمل]
Description in French here
Tahar Wattar
Miloud Yabrir
جنوب الملح (South of Salt)
Review-express in English here
Smail Yabrir
Amin Zaoui
Sommeil du Mimosa
Sonate des Loups
Contemporary and young (relatively) authors
Samir Qasimi (1974-) (Loss Permit and A Great Day to Die (Youm Ra’ih lilmout, 2009) Profile on IFPAF
Amara Lakhous (1970-) - Clash of Civilisation Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio. (See his website).
Bahia Kiared
Leila Marouane (1960-) La vie sexuelle d’un islamiste à Paris» de Leila Marouane
Aziz Chouaki - the Star of Algiers (trans. 2005)
Nina Bouraoui - Mes mauvaises Pensées (2005). (Bibliography)
Born in the 1950s
-Writing in Arabic-
Amine Zaoui (1956-) (publishes in Arabic and French)
Waciny Al-Aredj (1954-)
Bashir Mufti - see a Q&A with Mufti.
-Writing in French-
Anouar Benmalek (1956-) - list of his books here
Amine Zaoui (1956-) - (publishes in Arabic and French).
Yasmina Khadra (1955-)
Tahar Djaout (1954-1993) - list of his books here
Born in the 1940s
-Writing in Arabic-
Merzak Bagtache (1945-) - see list of his novels here (see a Q&A with Bagtache)
-Writing in French-
Boualem Sansal (1949-)
Rachid Mimouni (1945-1995)
Youcef Sebti (1943-1993) - poet
Rachid Boudjedra (1941-)
Born in the 30s
-Writing in Arabic-
Tahar Wattar (1936-2010).
-Writing in French-
Malek Alloula (1937-)
Fadela M’Rabet (1936-)
Colette Anna Melki (1931-1966)
FIRST GENERATION OF NOVELISTS
Ahmed Rida Houhou (1911-1956) - father of the first Algerian novel (published in 1947). [in Arabic]
Mouloud Feraoun (1913-1962) [in French]
Mouloud Mammeri (1917-1989). [in French]
Mohammed
Dib (1920-2003) - author of the awesome trilogy. Perhaps the only
Algerian author to have written a trilogy? [in French]
Abdelhamid
Benhedouga (1925-1996) - considered to have written the first true
Algerian novel: Le vent du sud, Rih el Djnoub))
Jean Senac (1926–1962) - Poet [in French]
Malek Haddad (1927-1978) - poet and novelist. [in French]
Kateb Yacine (1929-1989) - super star. [in French]
Jean Amrouche (1906-1962) and Taos Amrouche (1913-1976) - you can find out a lot about both Jean and Taos from the blog of journalist Hocine Lamriben. [Jean wrote in French, Taos wrote in French and composed her songs in Kabyle]
Zekri Cheikh (Moufdi Zakaria) (1908-1977) – poet, author of Qassaman. [in Arabic]
CLASSICS
Zekri Cheikh (Moufdi Zakaria) (1908-1977) – poet, author of Qassaman. [in Arabic]
CLASSICS
Apuleius (c. 124- c. 170 AD) - The Golden Ass (Metamorphoses) - the first Algerian novel in the history of novels ! Written in Latin.
Si Muhand U M'hand (1848-1905) - poet [in Kabyle]
Si Muhand U M'hand (1848-1905) - poet [wrote in Kabyle]
(under construction)
Classic novels in Algerian literature :
Ahmed Rida Houhou (1911-1956) - father of the first Algerian novel (published in 1947). [wrote in Arabic]
Tahar Wattar - El Laz (The Ace, 1974), El Zilzal (Earthquake, 1974) [wrote in Arabic]
Rachid Mimouni (1945-1995) - Tombéza (1984) [wrote in French]
Assia Djebar (1936-2015) - (real name Fatma-Zohra Imalayène) profile here
[wrote in French]
Kateb Yacine (1929-1989) - super star - see his bibliography here [wrote in French]
Apuleius (c. 124- c. 170 AD) - The Golden Ass (Metamorphoses) - the first Algerian novel in the history of novels ! [Wrote in in Latin!]
Si Muhand U M'hand (1848-1905) - poet [wrote in Kabyle]
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