France, Story of a Childhood

by Zahia Rahmani, Lara Vergnaud (Translator)

An intimate, heartbreaking autobiographical novel of an Algerian Muslim family’s exile from home and unwelcoming reception in France

This moving tale of imprisonment and escape, persecution and loss, is narrated by the daughter of an alleged Harki, an Algerian soldier who fought for the French during the Algerian War for Independence. It was the fate of such men to be twice exiled, first in their homeland after the war, and later in France, where fleeing Harki families sought refuge but instead faced contempt, discrimination, and exclusion. Zahia Rahmani blends reality and imagination in her writing, offering a fictionalized version of her own family’s struggle. Lara Vergnaud’s beautiful translation from the French perfectly captures the voices and emotions of Rahmani’s childhood in a foreign land.

While the author delves deeply into the past, she also indicts present-day France and Algeria. From the unique perspective of the daughter of an accused Harki, she examines France’s complex and controversial history with its former colony and offers new insight into the French civil riots of 2005. She makes a stirring plea for understanding between generations and cultures, and especially for an end to the destructive practice of condemning children for their fathers’ actions and beliefs.

Genres: Fiction, France

216 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2006

About the author

Zahia Rahmani, an author and art historian at the National Institute for Art History in France, was born in Algeria during the Algerian War of Independence. Her father was an accused Harki, who was imprisoned as a traitor by the Algerians after the war. He escaped prison and fled with his family to France in 1967. Rahmani now lives in Paris and Oise, France.

Reviews

[Robin MacIntyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keeping in mind that I'm not that big on memoirs and I haven't read the translation (only the original French)... The story of the mother/daughter relationship is compelling and the linguistic style is beautiful, if hard to follow at times. The structure is a bit chaotic, as it is basically a series of anecdotes that are not in chronological order and don't flow from one to the other in a very natural way. It's worth reading if only for the vivid depiction of the strain between the daughter, who embraces French culture, and the mother, who absolutely does not. The official description of the book is misleading, as the child's interactions with French society are more often positive than negative. This is much more the story of a girl with guts than that of a victim, and that is highly refreshing.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a mesmerizing autobiographical novel. It uses sparse prose and barebones storytelling to great effect to present the story of the author’s childhood as a refugee and an outsider navigating between the social and cultural mores of her adopted homeland, which seeks to reject her due to her national origin in a lost former colony and her religion, and her place of birth which rejected her due to her father’s political affiliation. It also tells the tale of her mother’s efforts to preserve the family and its history while facing the challenges posed by life in a new nation with a new language, rebellious children, and an abusive husband whose efforts to preserve the strict social and cultural customs and boundaries imposed by their former homeland and religion limit the family’s ability to integrate into the society of their new homeland.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very moving memories of a painful childhood by a girl rejected by French society because her parents are Algerians, and rejected by Algerian society because her father was condemned as a harki.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're interested in colonialism you should probably read this book!

[Nan's · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intéressant

[Shirley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am pleased to have won this book in a giveaway. Words I would use to describe this book would be: interesting, insightful, thought provoking.... While caring for her ailing mother, the narrator reflects on her childhood, of being an immigrant in a foreign land, the difficulties faced while trying to "fit in" yet, having a father who demands they adhere to their own culture, teaches them fear of the french people/their culture. During the Algerian war, when they fought for indepence from France, some Algerians fought with the French against their countrymen - these men were called Harkis(traitors). After Algeria won its independence, the harkis and their families were forced to flee Algeria and moved to France. Her story is tells of the hardships faced, racism, trying to honor their own heritage, family relationships, while trying to assimilate and build a new life in their new country. A good read though it did seem her thoughts/memories jumped around a bit - I would recommend this book for everyone, as it gives great insight into immigrant families and the struggles they go through - not just with their new environment, but also within their family between adults and children.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to see this Author speak on this book during the Boston Book Festival 2016 and probably because I knew it was somewhat autobiographical, I could hear her voice as I read her book which I purchased there at the reading. (Thank you for hosting, French Cultural Society!) Such a lyrical book, dreamlike in places, but still painting a vivid picture of a girl whose life is disrupted by events beyond her control, and yet those same events shaped her very existence. An homage to both individuality and the power of literature.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book as a GoodReads First Reads giveaway. I'm looking forward to reading this collection of short stories and will post a complete review when I am finished reading it. More to follow.

2023: interesting and important read; felt stilted in places

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unexpected gem that I found on top of a table in my local bookstore, and turned out to be one of the most beautiful books I've read in a long time. Would love to read it in French next.