The Pillar of Salt

by Albert Memmi and Memmi. Albert

Book Overview

Originally published in 1955, The Pillar of Salt the semi-autobiographical novel about a young boy growing up in French colonized Tunisia. To gain access to privileged French society, he must reject his many identities - Jew, Arab, and African. But, on the eve of World War II, he is forced to come to terms with his loyalties and his past

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0807083275
• ISBN13: 9780807083277
• Release Date: February 1992
• Publisher: Beacon Press
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Fabulous Book

This is a great book about the life of an African Jew covering pre and postwar France. Compelling and thought provoking!

Coming of Age in the Jewish Ghetto of Colonial Tunis

"Pillar of Salt" is a remarkable autobiographical novel about coming of age in the Jewish ghetto of Tunis during the 1930s and 1940s. Besides providing an enjoyable narrative, Memmi conveys a vivid picture of the impact of French colonialism on Tunisian society in general and on Tunisian Jews in particular. It is a study of multiple alienation, at once from traditional Jewish culture, Tunisian Muslim culture, and French culture. Memmi's work also sheds light on the little known story of the Holocaust in Axis-occupied Tunisia as well as the growth of zionism among North African Jews.This book is a must read for anyone interested in French colonialism, North Africa, and modern Jewish history. It is also simply a good read.