Articulating the I - A Gay Morrocan Autobiographer

GayCityNews - Articulating the I

"'Salvation Army' is the first novel by Abdellah Taia, acknowledged as modern Morocco's first openly gay autobiographical writer. Now a resident of Paris, he is also the author of the non-fiction books 'Mon Maroc' and 'Le Rouge du Tarbouche,' as well as other works. Born in 1973, he is relatively unknown to Americans, but had a part in Parvez Sharma's 2007 film 'Jihad for Love,' about gays and Islam.

'Salvation Army' feels like a memoir, focusing on a gay Moroccan struggling with sexuality, family, and finding himself as a writer. The novel was recently translated from French into English by Frank Stock and published by Semiotexte, with an introduction by Edmund White. It is strongly erotic, particularly in its discussion of Moroccan family life, likely challenging preconceptions of an American audience. Taia discusses his book and life with Gay City News."