What a powerful indictment of political repression this is, made all the more so by the calm and measured prose in which it is written. At age 20 in 1967 Tahar Ben Jelloun, a young Moroccan, was protesting peacefully when he was arrested by the Moroccan Army. He writes in terrible detail about his imprisonment under a brutal regime, a brutality that was unremitting and endemic in the system. This personal memoir of his years in prison is dark, chilling and disturbing but Jelloun’s courage shines through, as does his love of literature which gave him solace even at the worst of times. Now an acclaimed French novelty, essayist and poet, the trauma of those dreadful years is vividly described here to great effect and with not a word wasted. It’s an unforgettable book which I highly recommend.

I didn't know anything about Tahar Ben Jelloun's life prior to starting reading The Punishment because I had previously only read one of his fiction works, Leaving Tangier. By contrast, The Punishment is an intensely personal account of the mistreatment he suffered aged twenty as a result of his peaceful political protests having been deemed illegal by the Moroccan leadership of the time. As it turned out, surviving this harrowing experience - not all the detainees did - was to prove a significant impetus in launching Ben Jelloun's literary career, but he obviously could not have known that at the time. I was amazed to discover how long had elapsed between Ben Jelloun's military imprisonment and the writing of this memoir about those horrific months. It took him some fifty years before he was able to write this testimony.



As a reader myself, I could empathise with Ben Jelloun's emotional dependence on literature in order to cope with prison life and its daily humiliations and abuse. His philosophy studies at university had been abruptly curtailed, but remembering quotes from great thinkers and writers was vital to his mental health as was a copy of James Joyce's brick, Ulysses, sent into the prison by his brother.



Fear of educated people, teachers and thinkers resulting in violent repressing any form of dissent is a depressingly common practice of dictatorial rulers across the globe and throughout history. In that sense, The Punishment is one of many testimonies to the inhumanity of men, especially those given any glimpse of power over others. What stood out to me here though is Tahar Ben Jelloun's quiet self control and determination. He can see the absurd nature of his life at that time and has no knowledge of when, or even if, he will escape, yet he doesn't rage or outwardly express his despair. The Punishment is a dark, disturbing read, but Ben Jelloun's dignity makes it bearable in a way that his original incarceration scarcely could have been.

What a fascinating and amazing read. It's at times horrifying and terrifying. It's a must read for any one who enjoys memoirs. Compulsive and readable. Very well done. Absolutely pick up this winner of a book and add it to your TBR stack.

Even though The Punishment was a rather short novel, it's quite good.  Our main character is a protester, who after being sentenced, must spend time in a Moroccan prison.  Even in the 60s, the conditions are deplorable and the cruelty inflicted upon our main character, and others, is shocking.  There are plenty of triggers here, but it's also a book I feel we need to read.  

The Punishment publishes 4.21.2020.

5/5 Stars

Like all the works of Tahar Ben Jelloun I read so far, also this one doesn't disappoint. The Punishment is a true story about his punishment for peacefully protesting. Shocking punishment that the author had to endure is unimaginable for us living in a democratic world. Unfortunately, this and similar stories in Morrocco did happen.

Excellent writing and story, as always. Thanks for the opportunity to read it.

The story of a 20 years old Tahar Ben Jelloun sento to a punishment militar camp, taught me not only something more about the life of one of my favorite author, but also about the story of Marocco. It will not be easy to forget.

La storia del ventenne Tahar Ben Jelloun, che per aver osato manifestare contro il governo viene punito in un campo militare per 18 mesi, non mi ha insegnato qualcosa di piú soltanto sulla vita di uno dei miei autori preferiti, ma anche sulla storia del Marocco. Difficile da dimenticare.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!