Tahar Ben Jelloun
Tahar Ben Jelloun
Tahar Ben Jellounis a Moroccan writer. The entirety of his work is written in French, although his first language is Arabic. He became known for his 1985 novel L’Enfant de Sable. Today he lives in Paris and continues to write. He has been short-listed for the Nobel Prize in Literature...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth1 December 1944
CountryFrance
vision glimpse world
Poetry is not only a set of words which are chosen to relate to each other; it is something which goes much further than that to provide a glimpse of our vision of the world.
europe ideas people
New ideas should confront old ideas. We must refer to the example of Europe. People have fought to make Europe what it is today. Freedom is not something that is served up on a plate.
important use television
It is impossible to disregard such an important medium as television. We should know how to use it, learn to work in it and express new values in it.
mother tongue wells
This universe can very well be expressed in words and syllables which are not those of one's mother tongue.
expression
I am a Moroccan writer of French expression.
character passionate-desire justice
My characters are driven by a passionate desire for justice. They are rebellious and incorruptible.
world west victim
We must stop posing as victims of the West and behaving negatively towards the West. We must participate with the West on an equal footing in the reconstruction of the world.
prayer night praying
I read a poem every night, as others read a prayer.
night keys erotic
There is an important erotic element in A Thousand and One Nights, which is one of the keys to understanding the Orient.
forever lasts achieve
Be vigilant, for nothing one achieves lasts forever.
feet mind looks
Our steps invent the path as we proceed; behind us they leave no trace, only the void. So we shall always look ahead and trust our feet. They will take us as far as our minds will go... -- Tahar ben Jelloun
men views people
The power of the word in Morocco belonged to men and to the authorities. No one asked the point of view of poor people or women.
relationship mathematics form
Poetry is a form of mathematics, a highly rigorous relationship with words.
friendship real pearls
Real friendship, like real poetry, is extremely rare - and precious as a pearl.