Author. Born in El Jadida, Morocco, Chraïbi is considered the father of the modern Moroccan novel. He moved to Paris in 1946,  where he spent most of his life. His many works have been translated into several languages and examined themes such as colonialism, culture clashes, generational conflict and the treatment of Islamic women. They include “The Simple Past,” “From All Horizons,” “The Crowd,” “Heirs to the Past,” “A Friend Is Coming To See You,” “Mother Comes of Age,” “The Flutes of Death,” “The Mother of Springtime,” “Birth at Dawn” and “Inspector Ali.”  (bio by: José L Bernabé Tronchoni)