The Scents of Marie-Claire
Habib Selmi
Following a well-established tradition in modern Arabic fiction, Tunisian author Habib Selmi’s novel, The Scents of Marie-Claire (Dar El-Adab, Beirut, 2008), explores the cultural encounter/clash between East and West. Selmi explores this theme through the relationship between an Arab man and a Western woman, each embodying the value system of their respective cultures.
Since being shortlisted for IPAF, The Scents of Marie-Claire has been translated into a number of different languages internationally, including English, through Arabia Books. To find out about more, visit the Translations section.
Nomination
2009 Shortlist
Habib Selmi
Country of origin Tunisia
About the author
Habib Selmi was born in Al-Ala, Tunisia, in 1951. He obtained a Higher Teaching Certificate (agrégation) in Arabic Language before immigrating to Paris in 1985, where he now lives and teaches Arabic in a prestigious secondary school. His published novels include Goat Mountain (1988), Portrait of a Dead Bedouin (1990), Sand Labyrinth (1994), Warm Pits (1999), Bayya’s Lovers (2002) and Abdallah’s Secrets (2004).