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| Moroccan American Author, Laila Lalami, on Her Second Novel " Secret Son" |
In a lively Q&A session following her presentation, She refused to be seen as anything but a novelist, "I am not pretending to know my native country Morocco any more than anyone else". She said that she does not necessarily aim to do social criticism, or write about any particular issue, her main focus as a novelist, “is to write a story as best I can”. And since her characters live in Moroccan society, that society's characteristics, contradictions and shortcomings are laid bare to the reader to ponder.
What emerged from her second book, Secret Son, is ambiguity, and that, for Laila Lalami, is normal providing her upbringing, education, experience both here in the States and in Morocco. In an interview with MoroccoBoard TV, Laila Lalami took issue with her comparisons to Moroccan Writer Tahar Ben Jelloun, as the marquee Moroccan author in English. She said that she couldn’t start believing all the hype that is being written out there. "It is dangerous for an author to do that". She also confessed that she has been heartened by the outpouring support from the Moroccan American Community both online and at her book tour throughout the country.
By Mostapha Saout
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Salamander
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hile MoroccoBoard.com encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. MoroccoBoard.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published.
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Thanks I found one more interview with Laila Lalami on the web where she is telling precisely about where the storyboard of the book springs from. Having visited this page on your website, I made up my mind, that I will definitely buy "Secret Son" and read it ASAP. Thank you for this video! |
howayadir
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THE BAD APPLE I hope Laila would take a look at this clip and learn something http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlbXorXEFT0&feature=related |
mohamedelbaki
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une fierté... ... que de voir nos fils et filles réussir dans la vie professionnelle dans les pays d'accueil. Oui,partir,x'expatrier,ce n'est pas toujours de gaité de coeur.C'est un sacrifice pour assurer à son foyer à ses proches une vie meilleures.Voir nos enfant réussir dans divers domaines c'est la récompense.Al Hamdou Lillah. Mohamed EL BAKI Haute-Savoie,France. 05/06/2009. http://www.jmami.com/mohamedelbaki http://ait-souab.clicforum.com http://www.souss.com http://www.chleuhs.com http://www.atmf.org Tahiyati Oua Salami Ilaykoum Jami3ane. |
HOWAJAYDIR
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ANOTHER DOOR MAT Goshh..!! Ur way of speaking Laila is just a big turn off.. I m really put off by ur "Americanized"over acting and I m sure anyone listening to u in this clip would..!! Anyway, my Moroccan "JIN" failed to connect with ur "AMERiROCCAN JIN" and let alone reading ur staff..!! Come on gal,be urself and don t forget where u came from..!! ^_^.. Try to read about the Moroccan greats like Mehdi Menjra etc..maybe u d learn something .!! Till then, I rest my KASS..!! |
mohamedelbaki
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Assalam Assalamou 3alaykoum, Félicitations pour votre travail et pour ce site de la Communauté Marocaine aux Etats Unis. Tahiyati Oua Salami Ilaykoum Jami3ane,Oua A3anakoum Allah Lima Fihi Al Khayre. 74100 Ambilly,France 28/05/2009. |
simo arabi
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... to everyone, this novel is a disappointment!! indeed, i was shocked at the way the author portrayed religion and the moroccan culture. i do not recommend this book |
sam hari
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Very Important!! to everyone, i bought her book and read it.it was a waste of time and money. iam very disappointed at the author on how she portrayed religion and moroccan culture. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE!! |
Hmimarmad
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... When was the last time we've heard that being a middle class equals lack of awareness of poor's man's life? The good thing about Moroccoboard is that there is always someone who comes out of nowhere and makes a bizarre statement. I understand that this usually happens when you are 14 years old hanging out with your buddies at the end of the street corner and the bad boy of the neighborhood shows up stoned and makes the dumbest statement. Critique is useful and helpful but when we have to wait for someone to be poor to write about the poor and the rich writes only about the rich then why not push a step further and have only poor doctors treat only the poor and rich doctors treat the rich only? |
Moroccan
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Surprised I am really surprised to hear her basically mention Salman Rushdi in the midst of her comment about choosing a title for the novel...She got a signed copy of "The Enchantress of Florence"....wow. Should I assume that she had her copy of "The Satanic Verses" signed as well!!! |
Mr. Bouzekri Chakroune
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Review of Moroccan-American author Layla Lami’s Title “Secret Son” Dear author Dr.Layla Lami It is conventionally widespread in conventional and orthodox societies and circles as it is the case for the Moroccan context that the sacred institution of marriage is the pillar of family and society and values. This blatantly, controversial iconoclastic title may stir up the philosophical inquisitiveness as the US press asked “Why Secret Son” ?and not a Secret Daughter or more objectively ‘Secret Child”. The title smacks of female chauvinism and it is a subconscious response and a revolutionary move against the patriarchal culture in Morocco. If you are depicting the phenomenon of “ secret extra-marital births”, you would turn back to the Puritan Age of Salem in Massachetts to decipher the dichotomic, ambivalent persona of the Priest Dimmesdale in Nathaniel Hawthorn “ The Scarlet Letter”. . In this regard, I would see your work is merely a juxtaposition of the world of secret sexuality and liaisons outside matrimonial bonds everywhere in the world and especially in unconventional, unorthodox, untraditional minorities living within conventional, orthodox and traditional majorities or major communities. In my opinion, the title “ Secret Child” would fit much better your work as you are trying to cast the lights on distressing illegitimate births in your country of origin ; Morocco. By writing the Novel in English (American or British), you already intend to universalize the Moroccan malady of secret fathers’ offspring in Morocco and France. Although it constitutes an ignominy irrelevant to Arab Islamic culture, it is present in the secular secret societies and the emulating ones. The good illustration comes from your Moroccan compatriot and French minister of Justice Rachida Dati who gave birth to a daughter called “ Zohra” outside matrimonial conventions . Is your title should become the " Z Letter "like “ The Scarlet Letter” in the puritan community of Salem ‘ New England) instead of the euphemistic title “ Secret Son” in the Moroccan context. Which means the Unmatrimonial Biological Child and not the Bastard with capital B . Rachida Dati is the embodiment and the quintessence of Moroccan single mothers although coming from a modest traditional background. She does not like to divulge the identity of the biological father as it is the case of the pristine Pearl in Nathaniel Hawthorn “Scarlet Letter”. That literary criticism is purely based on facts and should not be considered as an attack on the person of the French-Moroccan dignitary. Rachida Dati is seen an emulating existentialist like Simon de Bauvoir and John Paul Sartre who knitted their renowned concubinage or the former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin and his leftwing political partner Segolene Royal in the secular Republic of France. Do you suggest in your novel “Secret Son” as material, visible iconoclasm in the divine monarchy governed Morocco since single mothers became numerous after the sudden rise if not explosion of fierce feminism, homosexuality, lesbianism, paedophilia and all sexual deviations in the post-modernist era as a hopeless redemption from the yokes of unbalanced, one legged religious and sexual education in Morocco. These secret sicknesses became the very focus of media attention especially in the Moroccan media (TV 2M, TEL QUEL magazine, Maroc Hebdo) ? The emancipation of women among the educated and the wealthy created a sort of a disorder; divorce, dysfunction and split of the matrimonial machine. Strange bedfellows became an open secret in societies disguising in traditional, religious or bureaucratic or governmental cloak. In this regard, I assume you took advantage of sociologist Fatima Mernissi’s writings or Egyptian thinker Nawal Saadwi which are two major sources and models of Arab non-conformism especially in Arab and Moroccan most westernized sexual education. Generally I have not yet read your novel but I watched the video press conference you had with US media that was submitted to me by Moroccoforum.com. Anyway, at least your novel should not be seen as a substandard literary attempt to fathoming Morocco’s social sickness of single motherhood in Morocco from all its hidden and seen angles and work out the conflicting ingredients of Moroccan culture and customs. By the end, literature is full of multiform allegories and metaphors. It remain the sole means of escapist expression in a society restricted by repression and duplicity of a dual persona itself subject to deep-rooted traditionalism and creeping and prevailing Liberal Westernism.Therefore the pressure is high and the social effects are pernicious and perpetual as the matrimonial institution in the centuries-old Morocco is affected. “The Secret Son” remain a heuristically speaking a 21st Moroccan version of the standardized Scarlet Letter in a very mean, Moroccan environment full of stereotypes and biases by means of an author in search of authority and distinction enjoyed by world literary lions. It is anyway an effort that could be labelled "UNIVERSALIZED " in world literature. Objectively Speaking Mr. Bouzekri Chakroune (reader) |
morhrabi
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hgarbi Leila has been educated by Americans since childhood. She likes to say that she learned English later on in high school. That Is not true. She grew up in a privileged background and now sounds like just another middle class American. She hasn't experienced true poor Moroccan life. |
Ousama houari
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... I love the first book. Layala has a storytelling gift. i am going to amazon to buy her second novel |
susu-maroc
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... wow what an honor !!! laila every body s buying your book, from my orlando community!!!!!!!! your amazing comments about it are encouraging me to read it right away,,,,,good luck laila |
Hmimarmad
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... We grow accustomed to American writers writing about all things Moroccans. It is like a fresh air to see a Moroccan woman writing and writing well. The librarian sent me an email saying the book is ready for pickup, I wanted to get it via the library so that many people will get the chance to read it. I like Laila's objection to the sand, the veil, and the camel on the book cover. I would be curious to know she or the publisher chose the very blue-eyed young man for the book cover. I guess I have to read the book to find out. Thanks Morocco board for mixing it up with Art, Politics can be tiring. |
nick
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secret son Laila Lalami's interview was fantastic. She touched on a number of things that make Morocco/Moroccans different -- e.g., the multicultural background: Berber, Arab, Jewish, and French; and the significance of the multilanguage background. I haven't read her book, but I am intrigued with how she described the situation of her protagonist, and I certainly will get the book. Thanks for broadcasting the interview |
ash-lah
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... Leila, You are very articulate and eloquent, I will definitely buy, read the book and make it to you next book signing. I am disappointed that BOOK TV or C-SPAN were not invited. High calibre Moroccan women like you need to be expose to the wider American audience. on the other hand, I appreciate Morocco Board for putting the spot light on you and introducing you to us. Respectfully |
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