My Mother’s Glasses

My Mother’s Glasses
(working title)
نظارّات أمّي
(Nazzarat ummi)

Written by

(عزالدين الحزقي)

Published by

in

2018
A personal and political journey of a Tunisian militant

My Mother’s Glasses is an autobiographical novel and a prison memoir. Ezzeddine Hazgui is a left-wing militant who belonged to a political movement called “Perspective” or “El Amal Ettounsi” (The Tunisian worker). The novel mainly focuses on the several years Hazgui spent in the Borj Erroumi prison, from 1973 to 1979, as a result of his political activism within the clandestine organisation during the dictatorship era of Habib Bourguiba. It recounts both serious and amusing anecdotes about his time in prison, including the discussions held with his comrades, their daily life, their relationships and their struggles with the prison authorities and guards, as well as other memories prior to his incarceration. Hazgui offers a lively insight into the political and cultural life in the city of Sfax and narrates more personal memories related to his own experience, his family history, his discovery of the world as a child or his unfulfilled expectations after independence.

Approximate number of pages: 215p.

Foreign rights: contact the author

Classification

Translation samples

Reasons to publish this book

This book offers an interesting take on the Tunisian history and on the dictatorship era from someone who was incarcerated for his political activities and his beliefs. At the same time, Hazgui expresses a critical view of the ideological tendencies of the organisation he belonged to, albeit with humour. Humour is indeed present and is characteristic of Hazgui’s tone throughout this book that addresses such grave topics as detention, torture and police harassment.

Press

Tunisian activist says revolution against ‘coup’ still alive by Anadolu Agency, January 2022

Grève de la faim de “Citoyens contre le coup d’État” : Ezzeddine Hazgui transporté à l’hôpital (in French) by Nessma, December 2021

Ezzedine Hazgui accompagne la revolution tunisienne (in French) by La Croix, June 2011

 

 

Reviewed by Pierre Girard