Publisher's Synopsis
This novelIt is the English version of the author published in Arabic in 2002. The events of the novel take place is a high school in Algiers at the beginning of the seventies. The characters are Algerian, Arab and European teachers. Naturally, professional relations do not prevent them from forging bonds of friendship and love, and sometimes those of hatred because of linguistic, ideological and racial conflicts.The reader can follow three passionate love stories between main characters, an Algerian young man, a French young girl, an Egyptian young man and an Algerian young girl, presented in a simple way. These stories reflect, in a way, human relations among peoples of different races, nationalities and cultures. They also raise the question of the success of mixed marriage.In the end, the novel evokes the cultural atmosphere of the time. It gives the reader some examples of domestic and foreign cultural centers activities specially those of Egypt, France and United Kingdom. Here is an extract: The rhythms varied, from Slow to Waltz and from Tango to Jerk. I did not dance with Janine to these rhythms. We danced to the rhythm of our love, we didn't care about anyone around us and nobody cared about us. There are no spectators; everyone was on the dance floor. The state of passion made me feel ecstatic that I had not reached the thresholds before. I felt like I was swimming above the clouds of poetry, scent and magic. I don't know how long we danced when it was midnight. The lights went out and a minute later, they turned on. The dance lasted for hours; we counted minutes. Our confidential conversations were whispers, sometimes-expressive silence. We whispered the words "I love you", "You are my life", "We will stay together forever", "Do you love me as I love you" and "I swear to do it". Some of these sentences were in English and others in French. We danced until the first appearance of dawn. We capture happiness with our own hands and we will never let it escape us.