In Tangier

A haven for many Western writers in the twentieth century, Tangier drew the likes of Paul Bowles, Jean Genet and Tennessee Williams. Each was befriended by Mohamed Choukri. This book offers insights into these three cult figures of twentieth-century literature. For much of the twentieth century, Tangier stood at a crossroads of cultures, creativity and chaos. Its labyrinthine streets and vivid contradictions attracted adventurers and artists, forming the backdrop of an era of literary and cultural revolution. At its heart was Mohamed Choukri, a self-taught writer whose life epitomised resilience and transformation, rising from illiteracy and hardship to become one of Morocco’s most celebrated voices. In Tangier captures Choukri’s memories of the city and his encounters with luminaries Paul Bowles, Jean Genet and Tennessee Williams, whose lives intertwined with his own. Against the evocative backdrop of 1970s Tangier, Choukri offers readers a glimpse into the complex personalities of these iconic figures while painting a portrait of a city teetering between past and present. A mesmerising blend of memoir and cultural history, In Tangier celebrates the spirit of a city and its indelible mark on literary history.