As we discussed in this post about Paul Bowles, there is a literary Tangier. And he has inspired writers of all cultures, most especially English, French and Spanish language authors. The success of his novels has led to translation into other languages and film production of his stories, resulting in this city becoming even better known to the general public. In this post we mention some of the cases that have helped turn this city into the Moroccan icon of the literary, bohemian and multicultural.
A city that lends itself to it
That Tangier has become a literary city is no coincidence: its special status as an International Zone during the first half of the twentieth century, led to the arrival of many foreign personalities, including artists and writers. Some settled here for long periods, while others stayed for less time but long enough to become well informed about the place.
And in more recent times, contemporary authors have seen that period of the last century as a propitious time to set stories with such novelistic ingredients as spies and romances.
The boom of El tiempo entre costuras
If there is a book that best exemplifies all this, it is El Tiempo entre costuras, by María Dueñas. Best seller in Spanish, it was translated into English under the title The Time in Between and adapted to the small screen for Netflix, in many countries. This novel, starring the seamstress Sira Quiroga, tells the (professional and personal) journey from Spain to northern Morocco (when it was still a Spanish protectorate), so the plot goes through places like Tetouan and, of course, Tangier, as its famous Hotel Continental, an icon for the city.
First published in 2009 and adapted for television in 2012, it served to open a golden period for literary Tangier, as this title has been followed by others with similar themes. Among them, it is worth mentioning Fog in Tangierby Cristina López Barrio, finalist for the 2017 Planeta Prize) and Evaby bestseller Arturo Pérez Reverte.
Tangier in more ‘classic’ authors
After Time in Between the Seams, Tangier is experiencing a second golden age for Tangier and literature. This means that, in the past, the city had already been the perfect setting for other works by authors considered ‘classics’ in the 20th century. By the aforementioned Paul Bowles, a cult American writer, it is worth mentioning the following works Let her fallan extraordinary mosaic of characters, both local and foreign, which are the best X-ray of that Tangier declared International Zone.
In Spanish literature we can also highlight Reivindicación del Conde Don Julián (The Vindication of Count Don Julián)by Juan Goytisolo. This author, who spent a good part of his life in Morocco, takes the reader through Tangier hand in hand with the protagonist, Alvaro, who defends the figure of the aforementioned count, considered one of Spain’s greatest traitors for having allowed the Arab invasion of the peninsula in the 8th century. And his defense is, in turn, a defense of the Moroccan culture that welcomed the author, as well as a criticism of the commonplaces of the country he left. Written in 1970, it could not be published in Spain until after the death of the dictator Franco, because it was considered unpatriotic.
And if to all this literary and bohemian atmosphere we add the progress of Tangier in tourism, recovering all its waterfront and premium quality infrastructure for the luxury segment, the result is a trip that no avid premium reader should give up. If you want us to help you in this novel experience, do not hesitate to contact Chic Morocco.
