This Blinding Absence of Light

<p>In this extraordinary non-fiction novel based on a true story Tahar Ben Jelloun traces the experiences of Salim who in 1971 took part in a failed coup attempt to oust King Hassan II of Morocco. With sixty others Salim was incarcerated in a secret prison complex in the Moroccan desert: he was to remain there for nearly twenty years. <br><br><br><br>In starkly eloquent beautiful prose Ben Jelloun relates the prisoners' experiences as they struggle to survive. The son of a witty feckless courtier who disowns him Salim tells stories to keep sane - from the suras of his beloved Koran to the plot of A Streetcar Named Desire. Even in the darkest most terrible conditions sympathy insight the human quest for meaning and understanding never desert Salim. The resulting novel is a wrenching yet exquisite celebration of the human spirit and its determination to survive. <br><br><br><br>'A masterpiece' Judges of the IMPAC award <br><br><br><br>'a sad and splendid book' New York Times Book Review</p>