In fact, About My Mother… is as much about my mother as it is about my grandmother. That’s not to say About My Mother… is not about my mother – it is. Moroccan writer Tahar Ben Jelloun is an award-winning internationally bestselling author who has been regularly shortlisted for the Nobel Prize, among others. Review written by Elayne Clift. He also listens to her imaginary conversations, hallucinations, and redundant rants with extraordinary patience. Readers who enjoy cross-cultural novels, have been to Morocco (or wish to go), and want to know more about life in a conservative Muslim country will be drawn to his story about a devoted son and the life of his dying mother. That’s not to say it’s not about my mother—it is. The problem is readers are unlikely to share his good grace. That’s the good news. . . Click to read the full review of About My Mother: A Novel in New York Journal of Books. After all, Lalla Fatma is not their own suffering mother and therefore the repetitive nature of this tale renders the author’s work a challenge and a disappointment. In that … And I’m bored.” Alas, it seems likely that many readers will be, too. Tahar visits regularly (unlike his siblings) and listens to his mother’s long-hidden secrets and stories, including those of her widowhood at age 16 and the two husbands who followed. A Message from Mike Rowe, the Dirty Jobs Guy: Just to be clear, About My Mother is a book about my grandmother, written by my mother. In that sense, it’s really a book about my “mothers.” It is not, however, a book written by me. . . The strength of this novel lies in explaining Moroccan culture. Read 450 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. In that sense, it’s … But as Tahar’s mother proclaims near the end of the story, “Keltum’s bored. That doesn’t mean there are no problems or arguments, but we cultivate love above all. [A relative] is bored. He comes to know about his mother’s life in post-war Morocco and to understand why resignation to her fate in a culture of female containment was her only way to survive. We live in fear of one day being denied our parents’ blessing. For example, in comparing how elders are treated there in comparison to other places, Ben Jelloun writes, “In Morocco, besides the love of God, we’re taught an almost religious reverence for our parents. In fact, About My Mother is as much about my mother as it is about my grandmother. Elayne Clift’s award-winning short fiction has appeared in numerous literary magazines and anthologies. About My Mother book. . Given the accolades this author has garnered, it seems disrespectful to say that the story needed more character development, perhaps a subplot or two, or more humor. Filial love is a bond that can’t be quantified. True, I did write the foreword, and yes – I’m clearly pictured (in the … . In fact, About My Mother is as much about my mother as it is about my grandmother.