I am so grateful for my French Institute library card, as it allows me to discover authors from the French-speaking realm that are not easily available or made known outside the French area. It has a touch of colonialism, I know, but for the avid reader in me, keen to know other literatures from around the Globe, this access is a tremendous source of inspiration and of books that I can happily review on my modest blog.
Two diaries, a mother´s and a daughters´s. Two events with a revolutionary potential. One country: Tunisia.
I am always curious about Tunisia - its history, culture and politics - and one of my very close friends is Tunisian-French therefore until being able to visit the country, I wanted to know more about its literature.
Monia Mazigh was born in Tunisia but emigrated to Canada where she writes novels mostly based in her home country. Mazigh believes in fiction as a political art and is well known for her political activism, mostly on behalf of his husband deported by the American immigration authorities to Syria on suspicion of terrorist links. I may not agree with all the causes an author supports nevertheless I will be curious to read his or her books because I believe in the power of words, even they do oppose mines.
Du pain et du jasmin builds a bridge between two revolutionary events in Tunisia´s history: the so-called Bread riots between 1983 and 1984 and the ´Jasmin revolution´ in 2010. First, it´s the account of Nadia followed by her daughter´s, Lila, who is visiting, trying to improve her Arabic and reconnect to her roots. The diaries are intertwined, as short everyday accounts of people, events and the overall situation in the country. For Lila, it´s a moment when she is growing up, learning about life and values, in the same vein Nadia did when she was almost the same age. Out of her pampered life in Canada she is able to experience the difference between good and bad and how in some parts of the world, there is a different emphasis on values. Freedom, including freedom of speech, may turn sometimes into life-threatening situations, and being rebel in those countries do have a completely different meaning which may lead to years long of emprisonment.
Although the book is more focused on the message than on the literary skills and composition, it was a good reading. As someone who loves politics - maybe too much - it was an interesting experience and I am looking forward to enrich my journey through the Northern African literature, one French book at a time (as for now, as my Arabic is hilarious on all possible accounts).
Rating: 3 stars
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