Books about Essaouira

Books about Essaouira

Essaouira is a tremendous mosaic of cultures and traditions, and hence a fertile ground for creation and renovation. So many writers, artists, poets and politicians have expressed their mysterious attachment to this city in their works.Muslims, christians and jews have revealed to the general public the secrets and sensations the ramparts and the trade wind have inspired them in the form of texts, photos, music or cinematographic scenes.

« Essaouira, cité heureuse » by Edmond Amran El Maleh testifies of the writer's love for Mogador, the writer's hometown. The book is also a watercolour illustration highlighting the poetic moments the writer has lived. Likewise,George Lapassade, in his book « Regard sur Essaouira » shows this cultural diversity which lies in the realm of permanent creativity and renovation. To demonstrate clearly this intense affinity between the intellectuals and Mogador, Paul Claudel said:"There is only one castle that I know where it feels good to be imprisoned, One would rather die than hand over the keys: That's Mogador in Africa."
Many years later, Bruno Barbey et Morgan Sportès had gone in Claudel's footsteps and came up with a nice book called « Essaouira ».
Frédéric Damgaard, a faithful lover of Essaouira, a galery-owner and an art critic has illustrated in his book « Essaouira, Histoire et création » the secret of a tense love for the city and its artists namely the painters, and tried to make answers to the questions of the fermenting art and creation in this small Atlantic city. « Mogador mon amour » An other novel that relates the childhood memories of Marcel Crespil, memories that come with force to describe the nostalgic moments lived in Essaouira.
The woman with haik has not eluded the curiosity of photographers. Abderrazzak Ben Chaabane has zoomed the Souiri haik and succeeded in capturing the charm of the moment, which he has collected in a book called « Haïk, le drapé des femmes d’Essaouira », a true testimony of daily Souiri life in full.
An other book dedicated to this little pearl of the Atlantic is « Essaouira, Mogador parfums d’enfance » by Katia Azoulay, Elsa Rosilio and Régine Sibony, illustrated by Liliane Bénisty and Pierre Gailhanou's photos. A work of art where we find personalities speaking well of the city and expressing with sense, sensibility and talent what Mogador represents today for them.