The Earthquake offers a lucid vision of post-colonial Algeria - a society in chaos, a world turned upside down. Pioneering novelist Tahir Wattar both foretells the dreadful events which would later besiege his country and presciently demonstrates the evils of intolerance, ignorance, social classism and religious extremism in this modern classic.

About the Author
Tahir Wattar (1969-2010) was a pioneer of the modern Arabic novel in Algeria. Born into a Berber family in Sedrata, he was a supporter of arabisation in the wake of Algerian independence. In addition to his many novels, he wrote several plays and short stories. His works have been translated into French, Spanish and Italian and adapted for the theatre. William Granara is professor of Arabic Language and Literature at Harvard University, and former executive director of the Center for Arabic Study at the American University in Cairo. He is co-editor of The Thousand and One Nights: Sources and Transformations in Literature, Art, and Science (2020).

Reviews
'One of the modern Arabic classics' * World Literature Today *
''Prophetic in its exposure of the misuse of religion for political purposes' * Middle East News *
'The republication of this classic Algerian novel is an important milestone in African literature'



Book Information
ISBN 9780863569630
Author Tahir Wattar
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint Saqi Books
Publisher Saqi Books
Weight(grams) 250g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 20mm