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For Bread Alone

This is an auto-biography by Mohamed Choukri. He grew up poor in Morocco and had a violent father. His father often beat him and during a fist of rage killed his sickly brother. He lives in constant fear of his father and had nightmares about him.

While growing up he associated himself with illegal activities. He was often frequenting brothels and smoking kif (cannabis).

Despite this difficult life, Choukri learned how to read and write in adulthood.

Highlighted Passages

On simplicity:

I thought the meaning of life was in living it.

Reflecting on his illegal activities:

Begging is a profession for children and old people. If a young man can’t find work, it’s more shameful to beg than to steal.

After running away from home, he often slept on the streets. He found sleeping in the cemetery safer:

I think the human race respects its members more when they are dead than when they are alive.

and at another time he felt safer sleeping at a barn than alongside other homeless people:

Luckily human beings are not the only thing in the world.

Conclusion

I read this book during a trip to Morocco. It didn’t provide particularly relevant background since most of the story happens in Tangiers and Tetuan which I didn’t visit.

The main bit of general history I learned is that Moroccans were recruited to fight in the Spanish Civil War, since Northern Moroccon was a Spanish protectorate by then. Choukri’s father was a soldier on this army but had deserted.