The Fortress of Tears

By Abdellah Taïa

In his sixth novel to be published into English, Abdellah Ta a explores the dissonance of one man's homecoming marred by the memory of his tragic past and grief-filled present.

Upon his mother's death, Youssef--a Moroccan teacher who has lived in exile in France for a quarter of a century--returns to his hometown, Sal , at his sisters' request to settle the family estate.

In Sal , voices from Youssef's past reemerge, including that of Najib, his childhood friend and lover whose tragic fate saw him consumed by drug trafficking and corrupted as a colonel in King Hassan II's army. As Youssef wanders the Sal streets and alleyways, a world he left behind begins to take shape again, filled with poverty, hypocrisy, and violence against people who are marginalized. While the old city ramparts cast a long shadow over his story, Youssef confronts his childhood, recalls his young loves, and, in many ways, reconnects with his late mother.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1644216191
• ISBN13: 9781644216194
• Release Date: May 2027
• Publisher: Seven Stories Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.