Moroccan American Author, Laila Lalami, on Her Second Novel " Secret Son"

At her reading, organized by Algonquin Books, Washington Moroccan Club and Border Books, in Washington DC, Moroccan American Author, Laila Lalami, described the central character of her second novel in English, "Secret Son", as a poor young man in contemporary Morocco, his aspirations of education and escape from the Casablanca Slum where he lives with his mother, the revelation that his father is still alive and doing well and his sub-sequential adventures.

In a lively Q&A session following her presentation, She refused to be seen as anything but a novelist, "I am not pretending to know my native country Morocco any more than anyone else". She said that she does not necessarily aim to do social criticism, or write about any particular issue, her main focus as a novelist, is to write a story as best I can. And since her characters live in Moroccan society, that society's characteristics, contradictions and shortcomings are laid bare to the reader to ponder.
What emerged from her second book, Secret Son, is ambiguity, and that, for Laila Lalami, is normal providing her upbringing, education, experience both here in the States and in Morocco.
In an interview with MoroccoBoard TV, Laila Lalami took issue with her comparisons to Moroccan Writer Tahar Ben Jelloun, as the marquee Moroccan author in English. She said that she couldnt start believing all the hype that is being written out there. "It is dangerous for an author to do that".
She also confessed that she has been heartened by the outpouring support from the Moroccan American Community both online and at her book tour throughout the country.

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[snorlaxx1337911]

laila lalami is a very talented african american author in my opinion

[abdulbade]

why would anyone leave a buitifull country like morocco and live in a hell place like the US, i lived in the us for 3 years, i fucking hate it, its so far from the rest of the world, poeple are ignorant and racisicts, thank god i left

[CanderousXOrdo]

Yea, and every other country is as clean as a whistle, right? -_-...

[Dream23fb]

@sexyamante

Honestly, did you even read her novel?

[Dream23fb]

@sexyamante That's not true. Laila defends Islam and Muslims, but she isn't going to sugarcoat the politics of Morocco.

[kwoolr]

Morocco is not known that way for Americans. Most Americans know nothing about Morocco except epcot. My daughter is moroccan and her family on the moroccan side have been awful to her but I forgive them

[themoonchild123]

morroco is known for corruption,poverty,prostitutio­n,superstition,single way of thinking,ignorance,drugs trafiking,humain right abuses,religious people,massive emmigration,...i don t blame laila allami if she gaves bad image about morroco

[themoonchild123]

she speaks english with americain accent.she represents the morrocan ego.speaking english is not enough to make you creative and good writer

[hayouni1968]

please, need help!!!!!!!

is the book only 24 pages?

thanks folks

[hayouni1968]

Hi everybody, the fact that Laila wrote a book is outstanding. How many ever did write books in america, I mean from moroccan origin.

I can tell that I feel so proud of leila, and I am gonna purchase and read the book, just to comment back on the guys here.

I wish the comments were a little bit of a higher level.

thanks