Book of the Month - A Year in Marrakesh

I just stepped out of the train and allowed myself to be carried on the bosom of the crowd that was already milling towards the exit. In this manner I arrived into my new world this morning: no pain, no cutting of the umbilical cord, no cries. I could see the sun shining at the end of the sortie passage. I supposed that the porter had my luggage and I certainly had my ticket somewhere but no one had timeto ask for it as the flood burst through the final barriers.  I stood there exultant in the station yard, and all about me djellabas, veiled women, babies who could fill their lungs and scream now that the ordeal was over. I was silent and alone in the knowledge that this was the very moment of rebirth.

A writer travels to Marrakech alone in the summer of 1952 to seek inspiration for his latest novel. The journal that he keeps while living in a rented room, learning Arabic, forming tentative friendships with his neighbours, accidently getting high on hashcakes and experienceing the mysteries of a city unsullied by the onslaught of Easyjet, gets published instead.

This is it.

Bought by accident online (thinking it a modern tourguide) and inhaled at speed at least four times over since last year, this book evokes a world long-since disappeared. I have never travelled to a distant city with no bearings, plans or knowledge of the language. I live my life, instead, vicariously through Peter Mayne and learn about Islam, Arabic, haggling and hashish in a city of alleyways, dust and distant Atlas mountains.

This book is one of 69 published by the fabulous Eland Books, which is a small publishing house in North London offering a treasure trove of historical travel books ranging in subjects including Vichy France, East Africa and Lancashire! They even offer their entire list at a discount rate: the perfect wedding or housewarming gift in my opinion. Start the new year with a headlong dive into the past and I promise you, you'll never look back again!

Comments

[Helen]

Just saw that a commenter on the Photo Competition is called Maryam in Marrakesh!! Perhaps she could send us a better pic to invoke past times for this post?!

[lottie]

I LOVE the sound of this book and want to read it immediately. Now I have to break my vow of 'no more books until I've read those I've got' and I only made it last week!