The Honor of the Tribe: A Novel

I share the other reviewers' admiration for this writer. In answer to your question and in case you have not heard by now, Rachid Mimouni died in a hospital in Paris, of acute viral hepatitis, on 12 February 1995. He was aged only 49. I was composing letters of support to him in my head when I happened to hear this tragic news on French radio. Only a short while before there had been an interview with him on FranceInter, and you may find out more about this from their website. I remember I wrote to the 'Times' to complain that it had not published an obituary. Of course, I got no reply. (This country is indifferent to writers like Mimouni the same way it tries to be indifferent to the truth about Palestine.)

The fellow who wrote the other review on this page, Massoud Javadi "Jackson", is absolutely correct. This novel is a rare find but well worth your search efforts. The prose is fluid and spare, yet conversational in a cosy, storyteller way. The problems of decolonialisation are illustrated comically, lucidly, thoughtfully. You might find yourself laughing at the natives before realising that Mimouni has made you sympathise with them. Their plight is real, their voices need to be heard. Mimouni, who died during the 1990s (if any person, living or dead, ever reads this review, please reply me as to when exactly he died and of what), brings these fresh voices to life.carry on, farsad

Nothing much needs to be said. Just read it. It's hard to find, as it is by an Algerian writing in French, but you will reap a rich reward if you can find a copy...