Another Morocco

Taia, an openly gay writer from Morocco, which considers homosexuality a crime, collects 28 stories in this slim volume. Most center on a youth also named Abdellah, who grows up in a poor family in Rabat. In terse, unornamented prose, the narrator remembers his family’s obsession with radio programs, the confusion over a rift between his parents and his favorite aunt, his love of martial arts movies, and other quotidian delights and dramas. These stories shine with their combination of sweet reverie and undertones of sadness. The later stories are less precise and often veer toward becoming essays. Abdellah considers the experience of watching a gay-themed French film while he mother dozes nearby, his life abroad in Europe, and his encountering the grave of writer Jean Genet. One striking story with a twist worthy of O. Henry captures the problem of expat Moroccans attempting to live up to demands for money back home. While the collection is uneven, Taia’s best stories are very impressive and quite memorable. (May)