Nabile Farès
Encyclopedia
Nabile Farès was born in 1940 in Collo
(Kabylie), Algeria
, the son of Abdur Rahman Farès
(President of the Algerian Assembly in the late 1950s, and imprisoned by first the French, then by Ben Bella, in the early 1960s). Nabile's reputation as a writer has outstripped that of his father; he now lives and writes in Paris
, France
(where he has worked as a psychoanalyst for many years).
Nabile Farès fought against the French towards the end of the war of independence (1960). Later he obtained his doctorate, in France, with a dissertation on the role of the Ogre in North African oral literature.
His first work is the novel Yahia, pas de chance, (1970), which evolved from a manuscript Farès carried in a knapsack while on the run in several periods during and after the war of independence Later works were both novels and poetry. Among these is the trilogy of novels: La Découverte du nouveau monde, and his greatest novel Un Passager de l'occident, which arises, in part, from Farès's friendship with the American writer James Baldwin
.
All of Farès's work is characterized by political engagement, and particularly by a drive to expand the definition of Algeria and Algerianness—and to resist factional politics
and identity politics
. He evokes an Algeria that is always a work in progress, and leaves the reader to reflect that personal identity (along with national) is much the same. Exil is a constant theme. His poetry, in particular, is challenging and marked by visually striking inventiveness.
Collo
Collo is the capital, and one of three municipalities, of Collo district in Skikda Province, Algeria. As of 1998, it had a population of 27,800....
(Kabylie), Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, the son of Abdur Rahman Farès
Abdur Rahman Farès
Abderrahmane Farès was the Chairman of the Provisional Executive of Algeria from 3 July 1962 to 20 September 1962....
(President of the Algerian Assembly in the late 1950s, and imprisoned by first the French, then by Ben Bella, in the early 1960s). Nabile's reputation as a writer has outstripped that of his father; he now lives and writes in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(where he has worked as a psychoanalyst for many years).
Nabile Farès fought against the French towards the end of the war of independence (1960). Later he obtained his doctorate, in France, with a dissertation on the role of the Ogre in North African oral literature.
His first work is the novel Yahia, pas de chance, (1970), which evolved from a manuscript Farès carried in a knapsack while on the run in several periods during and after the war of independence Later works were both novels and poetry. Among these is the trilogy of novels: La Découverte du nouveau monde, and his greatest novel Un Passager de l'occident, which arises, in part, from Farès's friendship with the American writer James Baldwin
James Baldwin
James Baldwin was an American novelist, essayist and civil rights activist.James Baldwin may also refer to:-Writers:*James Baldwin , American educator, writer and administrator...
.
All of Farès's work is characterized by political engagement, and particularly by a drive to expand the definition of Algeria and Algerianness—and to resist factional politics
Political faction
A political faction is a grouping of individuals, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A faction or political party may include fragmented sub-factions, “parties within a party," which may be referred to as power blocs, or voting blocs. The individuals...
and identity politics
Identity politics
Identity politics are political arguments that focus upon the self interest and perspectives of self-identified social interest groups and ways in which people's politics may be shaped by aspects of their identity through race, class, religion, sexual orientation or traditional dominance...
. He evokes an Algeria that is always a work in progress, and leaves the reader to reflect that personal identity (along with national) is much the same. Exil is a constant theme. His poetry, in particular, is challenging and marked by visually striking inventiveness.
Works of Farès
- Yahia, pas de chance. Paris: le Seuil, 1970
- Le Champ d'Akli. Paris: P.J. Oswald, 1971
- Un Passager de l'occident. Paris: Le Seuil, 1971
- Le Champ des oliviers. Paris: Le Seuil, 1972
- Mémoire de l'absent. Paris: Le Seuil, 1974
- L'Exil et le désarroi. Paris: Maspero, 1976
- Chants d'histoire et de vie pour des roses de sable. Paris: L'Harmattan, 1978
- La Mort de Salah Baye. Paris: L'Harmattan, 1979
- L'Etat perdu. Paris: Actes/Sud, 1982
- L'Exil au féminin. Paris: L'Harmattan, 1987
- Hearing Your Story. New Orleans: U. New Orleans Press, 2008 (translation of Chants d'histoire et de vie pour des roses de sable)
- A Passenger From the West (novel). Translation by Peter Thompson. New Orleans: University of New Orleans Press, 2010