The Barbary Figs

Rashid Boudjedra

ISBN 10: 1906697426 / ISBN 13: 9781906697426

Published by Arabia Books Ltd, 2012

About this Item

Two old friends find themselves side by side on the flight from Algiers to Constantine. There is a lot of history between them, as well as bad blood. They have lived very different lives, even though they are bound by shared experiences from their youth, chief among them the Algerian War of Independence. The flight will last only an hour - an hour during which both their stories will be told, interspersed and peppered by anecdotes about Algeria's struggle to release itself from the French colonial grip. Rashid, the narrator, has always both admired and resented Omar, his cousin, who has become an architect, studied in Chicago, and led a successful life. Despite his success, Omar has always been on the run from the ghosts of his earlier life, ghosts that Rashid has set himself the task of exorcising. The title, The Barbary Figs, is a symbol of the 'old' Algeria since their landowner grandfather once grew them on his estate. The 'new' Algeria is less straightforward, and has produced far more bitter fruit.

Seller Inventory # 0083997

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Barbary Figs
• Publisher: Arabia Books Ltd
• Publication Date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1906697426
• ISBN 13: 9781906697426
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Two old friends find themselves side by side on the flight from Algiers to Constantine. Though bound by shared experiences from their youth, they have lived very different lives. The flight will last an hour, during which both their stories will be told, peppered by anecdotes about Algeria's struggle to release itself from the French colonial grip.

About the Author

Rashid Boudjedra is an Algerian novelist and essayist. One of the most important contemporary North African writers, he is the author of multiple works in French and Arabic.