The Land of an African Sultan: Travels in Morocco

by Walter Burton Harris

""There are men,"" say the Moors, ""who have come from islands far away to the west, upon the great ocean, to see Morocco. Like all the world, they know that there is no other land to compare to it…""' Walter Harris and Morocco are inextricably linked. For 35 years, he immersed himself in the culture and way of life of Morocco in a way that few ever had before. At a time when the wild, lawless interior of the country had hardly been explored by any westerner, Harris would dress as a local and venture into the badlands, fearlessly encountering caids and saints, brigands and warriors. In this classic work, Harris gives an evocative account of his journeys around Morocco from 1887-1889. In Tangier he writes of the eccentrics, artists and lost souls who lived there. He takes an eventful ride through Wazzan -- a place few Europeans would ever dare to visit. In Marrakech, he paints a riveting picture of the decadence and darkness of the sultan's court. And, finally, he recounts the story of his now-celebrated ride, in disguise, to Sheshouan -- the second of only three Christians ever to enter the town. Walter Harris was a legendary storyteller and through his rich descriptions of the tribes, customs and everyday life of Morocco, he renders a portrait of the country that is hard to surpass. The Land of an African Sultan is a story as compelling now as it was over a century ago - a gem of a book for all those who follow in his footsteps to the land of the setting sun.  

Genres: Morocco

344 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Walter Burton Harris was an English journalist, writer, traveller and socialite who achieved fame for his writings on Morocco, where he worked for many years as special correspondent for The Times.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_...

Reviews

[Yuseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Walter’s book the Land of an African Sultan manifested as an example of Europe’s point of view toward Morocco in the 19th century, it did not only uncover the crucial ways and bad words the explorers used to portray the locals , but also showed the vicious and horrid description that portrayed Morocco in the worst picture imaginable. The book is believed to illustrate the concept that most travellers followed in the writing of travel books, which literary affected on the traditional method of writing travelogues. The portrayal of Harris was dishonest and based on a perspective; socially, he portrayed the Moors in a dramatic way by revealing the severe problems occurred among the racial class of the society, he attacked their religious beliefs and made fun of their culture, he also expounded loopholes of their social norms exaggeratedly.

[Lena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Perhaps because of the age of the book and the style of writing fitting to an 18-century tale, this was a total miss for me. Too many lengthy descriptions (of hunting, floods, types of donkeys they rode), and not enough of Moroccan flair or culture. Rarely does a travel book turn out so boring!

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very engaging read if you can look beyond the rampant and totally unapologetic racism of the British imperialist mindset. Wonderful vignettes and anecdotes of life and travel in Morocco in 1898.