Shantytown Kid
The child of Algerian immigrants, Begag has written widely on ethnic and national identity in his native France; in 2005, Dominique de Villepin named him minister for equal opportunities. In this autobiographical work, originally published in 1986 asLegone du Chaaba, Begag narrates the story of his childhood in Le Chaaba, a shantytown suburb of Lyon in which poverty and poor sanitation exacerbate tensions between immigrants and nonimmigrants, as well as between Arab families. A talented student, young Begag learns quickly and speaks French well, which facilitates a relationship with apied-noirteacher, who introduces him to Algeria and the Arabic language in a way Begag's parents cannot. As an adult writer, Begag's attention to linguistics persists--his original French version drew much praise for its exploration of colloquial Arabic expressions in France (using the wordbeur,for example, to refer to second-generation North Africans). Although some subtleties are no doubt lost in translation, this book's translators strive to preserve and explain the most salient uses of such slang. An important look at Algerian ethnic identity in France, this discussion will also attract readers generally interested in immigration issues.Brendan DriscollCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved