Mohamed Choukri facts for kids

Mohamed Choukri (Arabic: محمد شكري, Berber: ⵎⵓⵃⴰⵎⵎⴻⴷ ⵛⵓⴽⵔⵉ) was a famous Moroccan writer and novelist. He was born on 15 July 1935 and passed away on 15 November 2003. He is best known for his autobiography called For Bread Alone (al-Khubz al-Hafi). The American playwright Tennessee Williams described it as "A true document of human desperation, shattering in its impact."

Choukri was born in a small village called Ayt Chiker in the Rif mountains of Morocco. His family was very poor. When he was 20 years old, he decided to learn how to read and write, which was a big step for him. Later, he became a schoolteacher. His family name, Choukri, comes from the Ayt Chiker Berber tribe he belonged to before his family moved to Tangier to escape hunger.

In the 1960s, while living in the lively city of Tangier, he met other famous writers like Paul Bowles, Jean Genet, and Tennessee Williams. Choukri's first story, "Violence on the Beach," was published in 1966. He became known around the world when For Bread Alone was translated into English by Paul Bowles in 1973. The book was later translated into over 30 languages!

Mohamed Choukri wrote a series of autobiographical books, starting with For Bread Alone. The others were Time of Mistakes (also called Streetwise) and Faces. He also wrote collections of short stories, like The Flower Freak and The Tent. He also wrote about his meetings with other writers, such as Paul Bowles, Jean Genet, and Tennessee Williams.

Mohamed Choukri passed away from cancer on 15 November 2003 in Rabat. He was buried in Tangier. Before he died, he created a foundation to protect his writings and copyrights.

Early Life and Challenges

Mohamed Choukri was born into a very poor family in the Rif region of Morocco during a time of famine. He had a difficult family life. His first language was Riffian, which is a dialect of the Amazigh language. To escape poverty, his family moved to the city of Tétouan and then to Tangier.

As a teenager, Choukri worked many different jobs to survive. He even learned Spanish by guiding sailors in Tangier. Despite the challenges at home, he was determined to make a better life for himself.

Learning to Read and Write

When he was 20, Mohamed Choukri met someone who helped him learn to read and write in Standard Arabic. This was a new language for him, as people in Morocco usually spoke Moroccan Arabic (Darija) or Amazigh dialects.

In 1956, the year Morocco became independent, he went to Larache and enrolled in primary school at the age of 21. After much hard work, he eventually became a schoolteacher.

Choukri's honest and direct writing style made him famous, even though some people criticized it. He worked closely with the American writer Paul Bowles, who lived in Tangier. Bowles helped translate Choukri's book For Bread Alone into English and arranged for it to be published.

The Book For Bread Alone and Its Story

For Bread Alone became very popular around the world after it was published in English. However, when the Arabic version came out, it was not allowed in Morocco for a time. This happened because some officials and groups disagreed with the book's content.

This ban lasted from 1983 until 2000, when For Bread Alone was finally allowed to be published in Morocco.

Later Years and Legacy

Mohamed Choukri wanted to make sure his literary work would be taken care of after he was gone. He hoped to secure a lasting home for his writings.

He had planned to leave his work to a foundation. He chose to trust a Moroccan institution with his legacy. He wanted his work to stay in his home country rather than be given to a foreign university.

Films Inspired by His Work

His famous book, For Bread Alone, was made into a film in 2004. It was a production from Italy, France, and Algeria, and starred Saïd Taghmaoui. The movie was shown for the first time at the Festival of Casablanca in 2005.

Main Works

• For Bread Alone, 1973
• The Tent, short stories, 1985
• Time of Errors, also called "Streetwise", 1992
• Jean Genet and Tennessee Williams in Tanger, 1992
• Jean Genet in Tanger, 1993
• Madman of the Roses, Short stories, 1993
• Jean Genet, Suite and End, 1996
• Paul Bowles, le Reclus de Tanger, 1997
• Zoco Chico, 1996
• Faces, 1996

See also

• Moroccan literature

In Spanish: Mohammed Chukri para niños