Leïla Sebbar

Who is Leïla Sebbar?

Leïla Sebbar is an Algerian author, born on 9 November 1941 to the daughter of a French mother and an Algerian father. She spent her youth in colonial Algeria but now lives in Paris. She writes in French about the relationship between France and Algeria and often juxtaposes the imagery of both countries to show the difference in cultures between the two.

Sebbar deals with a variety of topics, and either adopts a purely fictional approach or uses psychology to make her point. Many of Sebbar's novels express the frustrations of the Beur, the second generation of Maghribi youth who were born and raised in France and who have not yet integrated into French society. Her book Parle mon fils, parle à ta mère, illustrates the absence of dialogue between two generations who do not speak the same language.

The novel tells the story of the final day of a dying man who came from Algeria to France as a young man seeking work. It depicts the story of his youth and shows his viewpoint on the Muslim society and the "3 witches".