Mourad is strangely torn between a desire for freedom and the fear of his worst nightmare: that of becoming an overweight bachelor with salt and pepper hair.
WINNER OF THE 2023 SCOTT MONCRIEFF PRIZE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 WARWICK PRIZE FOR WOMEN IN TRANSLATION
Is it possible to make your own path in the world while upholding your family legacy? That's the question at the heart of this tender and poignant coming-of-age story from the widely-acclaimed author of Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow.
Born in Nice to Algerian parents, Mourad is fuelled by the desire to forge his own destiny. His retired father spends his days fixing up things in the backyard; his mother, bemoaning the loss of her natal village in North Africa. Mourad lives in fear of becoming an overweight bachelor with salt and pepper hair, living off his mother's cooking. When Mourad’s father has a stroke, he makes his son promise to reconcile things with his estranged sister Dounia, a staunch feminist and aspiring politician, who had always felt constrained living at home. Now living in the Paris suburbs himself, Mourad tracks down Dounia and battles to span the gulf separating her and the rest of the family.
“A tender portrayal of manhood, Men Don’t Cry brims with humour,
distinct voices and colourful characters. Through Mourad’s shy narration, Faïza
highlights France’s elephant in the room in this timely, thought-provoking and
joyous read.”
Olumide Popoola, author of When We Speak of Nothing
