| Intro | Moroccan writer |
| Was | Writer |
| From | Morocco |
| Type | Literature |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 30 March 1917, Safi, Safi Province, Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco |
| Death |
15 November 2010, Rabat, Rabat (Prefecture), Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, Morocco (aged 93 years) |
| Star sign | Aries |
Edmond Amran El Maleh (Arabic: ادمون عمران المالح) (30 March 1917 – 15 November 2010) was one of the best known Moroccan writers.
Biography
El Maleh was born in Safi, Morocco to a Jewish family from Safi. He moved to Paris in 1965, working there as a journalist and a teacher of philosophy.
He only began writing in 1980, at the age of 63, traveling back and forth between France and Morocco. He stated that, in spite of his long stay in France, he had devoted his entire literary life to Morocco. From 1999 until his death he lived in Rabat.
He was buried, according to his wishes, in the Jewish cemetery in Essaouira. His writing language was French.
Works
-
Parcours immobile (Maspero, 1983)
- In the words of El Maleh: “Ce livre reflète un désir de plus en plus affirmé d’approfondir mon enracinement dans la culture marocaine, où j’ai tenté non pas de transcrire mais de faire revivre mon expérience de jeune juif marocain ayant lutté contre le colonialisme et ensuite militant au sein du mouvement communiste.” (This book reflects a desire to deepen more and more the sense that I’m rooted in the Moroccan culture, where I’ve tried not to copy but to relive my experience of a young Moroccan Jew who fought against colonialism and as a militant within the communist movement)
- Abner, Abnour (La Pensée sauvage/Le Fennec, 1996).
- Le café bleu. Zrirek (La pensée sauvage, 1999)
- Mille ans, un jour (Le Fennec, 1990 – André Dimanche, 2002 (1986))
- Le Retour d’Abou El Haki (La Pensée sauvage, 1990).
- Jean Genet, Le Captif amoureux et autres essais (La Pensée sauvage/Toubkal, 1988 )
- Aïlen ou la nuit du récit (La Découverte, 1983, réédité par André Dimanche, 2000)
- Parcours immobile (Maspéro, 1980 puis réédité par André Dimanche, 2001) : Roman
- La maIle de Sidi Maâchou (Al Manar 1998)
- Essaouira Cité heureuse
- Une femme, une mère (éditions Lixus, Tanger 2004)
About his work
Following his first novel – Le parcours immobile (1983) – he published seven further novels and a book about the painting of Cherkaoui.
In 1996 he received the Grand Prix du Maroc for his work. The translation of ‘Edmond Amran El Maleh, “Le retour d’Abou El Haki” (éditions la Pensée sauvage) by Hassan Bourkia received a special prize from the minister of culture Mohammed Achaari in 2005.