Synopses & Reviews
Casablanca and Tangier provide the backdrops for Corruption, and erotic tale of morality about Mourad, the last honest man in Morocco. After a lifetime of resistance, Mourad finally gives in to the demands of his materialistic wife and accepts “commissions” for his work: just one envelope stuffed with cash, then another. Ben Jelloun’s compelling novel evokes the dangers of succumbing to the daily temptations of modern life, as Mourad lives the consequences of betraying his existence.
Review
A remarkable novel.” —
Publishers WeeklyAn engrossing depiction of a moral dilemma . . . Ben Jelloun paces this anatomy of a quandary perfectly, letting us hear the dueling voices of Mourad's conscience and sense the twinge of madness such a fierce inner debate engenders.” — Booklist
An unusually thought-provoking read.” — Time Out New York
Ben Jelloun is a writer of social and moral acuteness.” — Los Angeles Times
The philosophical sophistication of an Albert Camus novel . . . and the fast tempo of a good yarn.” — San Francisco Examiner
This novel works like a bolt of lightning to illuminate the mysterious shadows of Casablanca . . . Ben Jelloun carries on the intellectual heritage of Albert Camus and is also a master minimalist.” — The Washington Times
About the Author
Winner of the 1994 Prix Maghreb, Tahar Ben Jelloun was born in 1944 in Fez, Morocco, and emigrated to France in 1961. A novelist, essayist, critic, and poet, he is a regular contributor to
Le Monde,
La Répubblica,
El País, and
Panorama. His novels include
The Sacred Night, which received the Prix Goncourt in 1987, and
Corruption (The New Press).