The 39th edition of the Tunis Book Fair (April 25-May 4, 2025) is an ideal opportunity to discover works that mark deeply. Among the many books on display, there are four that have particularly touched me and that I consider my favorites this year. Each of these works, with its wealth and its depth, offers a unique reflection on humans, society and history.
Djamal Guettala
1. “How did the prayer of Sulaiha become?”
This book, at the crossroads of history and intimate, plunges us into the world of Tunisian singer Saliha, an icon of music. The author explores her destiny through a narration that combines historical research and personal touches, which allows you to discover a woman and an era from another angle. It is an emotional work that challenges women’s struggles and sacrifices in a complex socio -political context.
-2.
In this novel, Rima Alouane transforms a place as austere and impersonal as a municipality into a real human theater. The author takes us through characters rich in contradictions, using a writing that is both funny and poignant. This book tackles the challenges of a Tunisian society in full transition, where meetings and dialogues, sometimes absurd, reveal complex and sometimes confusing social and political realities.
3. “Blue bead”
Nesrine Meddeb gives us here a deep work on love and war, two elements that intertwine to draw the contours of human existence. Through a subtle writing and a controlled narration, Meddeb explores the complexities of post-revolutionary Tunisia, while proposing a reflection on the fragility of human beings and human relations. It is a book that pushes us to think about the world and on ourselves.
4. “The great people die in April”
This book by Amira Ghenim is a tribute to one of the greatest leaders in Tunisia, Habib Bourguiba. Through an exploration of her last years of exile, the author offers us a nuanced portrait of man, between the historical leader and the individual in the face of loneliness and the end of his power. Ghenim explores with great finesse the contradictions of a man who remains, after his death, an essential figure in Tunisian history. It is a reflection on heritage, power and collective memory. These four books are more than readings: these are windows open to human stories, social reflections and crucial historical dimensions. At the Fair of the Tunis Book, I highly recommend these works that will not fail to captivate you and make you think. They are, for me, essentials who deserve to be discovered and appreciated.
