Xavier Le Clerc (Algeria, 44 years old) doesn’t let his pulse tremble. Neither to tell the story of his father, Mohand-Saïd Aït-Taleb, nor to condemn the racism and identity crisis that is emerging in France, one of the countries he already calls home today. In his new book a man without a titleLe Clerc, translated into Spanish by Cabaret Voltaire publishers, follows his family’s footsteps from Algeria under French colonialism to emigration to Normandy in 1962. His work immerses the reader in this life of cultural uprooting and sacrifice, that of extreme poverty shaped by a generation of immigrants without international protection.
Born in Kabylia and raised in the French town of Hérouville-Saint-Clair, on the outskirts of the city of Caen (north-western France), the author currently resides in Paris, from where he is conducting this telephone interview. Her passions are shared between writing and the fashion industry. He published the stories under his original name, Hamid Ait-Taleb, which he says he gave up to leave identity discrimination behind Mazeltof j Requiem for a pipeand his first novel Thankswith his great-grandfather as the protagonist, which have not yet been translated into Spanish.
Questions. what is a man without a title? What does this title mean?
Answer. a man without a title refers to my father and his generation of immigrants who came to Europe from Algeria and other former colonies. They only had transport titles and precarious administrative titles to stay, never any real recognition of their contribution, no title of peerage, no title to a house. And yet their dignity made them somehow noble men, even without crests.
P In the book he tells the story of his family, but especially that of his father. Why did you decide to tell your story? Is it a declaration of love and respect?
R I wrote this book shortly after my father passed away in 2020. It is indeed a homage to him and an attempt to articulate our post-colonial legacy. It is both the history of Europe and my personal history. My father, Mohand-Saïd Aït-Taleb, grew up in Algeria during the famine of the 1930s and moved to France in 1962 at the age of 25 to work for decades in a steel mill in Normandy.
P In his book and other interviews, he affirms that the name has been changed. Because? As the French-Lebanese writer Amin Maalouf says, can identities be murderers?
R In fact, I translated my birth name into French. The obvious answer is to confront the discrimination that I and so many others face. I am very proud of my Algerian roots and hope that this will not be necessary for the new generations. I agree with Amin Maalouf, identities should not become dogma, I prefer to build bridges to others. Our differences should not become walls or a source of conflict.
“France’s history is complex, with dark sides, and it is important to talk about its colonial legacy in order to enlighten, soothe and finally emerge from grudges together.”
P Xavier comes from Basque and means “new house”. Where is your house today?
R Xavier is a new house that protected me from discrimination. In practice I live in both England and France.
P Is Algerian society as revolutionary as French?
R Definitely yes, the country’s independence in 1962 is the result of a revolution. Algiers was dubbed the “Mecca of revolutions” in the 1960s and 1970s. All the revolutionary movements in the world were represented and funded there, from Spanish, Portuguese, Latin American, Palestinian, Vietnamese, South African and Ethiopian activists to the Black Panthers.
P You mentioned that France is one of your new homes. What do you think of the recent protests following the death of young Nahel by police shots?
R My heart bleeds every time I think about these tragedies. I call for peace, mutual respect and dialogue.
P What are the foundations of these social movements? Do you think France is a racist country?
R I’m not a politician and I don’t want to stir up tensions. Racism is a moral disease, just like homophobia, anti-Semitism, sexism, etc. We all need to stay vigilant and respect one another. France is what we make of it. Its history is complex, with dark sides, and speaking out about its colonial legacy is vital to enlighten, appease, and ultimately emerge from grudges together. Both history and societal challenges must not become weapons against our ability to live in peace.
P If you now look back at your home country Algeria, what has changed?
R Algeria is a wonderful country and young demographic, I see many bright people there and I am confident that they will rise to the huge challenges that we in Europe are also facing in terms of identity, freedom and economy.
P And what do you think could change in the next few years? What are the biggest challenges?
R I look forward to closer cooperation between France and Algeria to put the past behind us and usher in an era of respect and reconciliation. This is also essential to solving the migratory crisis fueled by the illusion of an Eldorado across the sea that has tragically claimed countless lives.
P If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, which book would you choose?
R AbroadAlbert Camus.
P ¿Y A man without a title by Xavier Le Clerc?
R This book will stay in my memory for the rest of my life.
You can follow PLANETA FUTURO on Twitter, Facebook e Instagramand subscribe Here a new newsletter.
Subscribe to continue reading
Read without limits
