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You are a human animal.

You are a very special breed.

Or you are the only animal.

Who can think, who can reason, who can read.

From KCRW, Santa Monica, I'm Michael Silverblatt, and this is Bookworm.

Today my guest is Abdelataya, a Moroccan writer living in Paris.

His first novel, Salvation Army, has been translated into English by Frank Stock and published by Simeo text.

This program was recorded when, as a guest of the cultural services of the French embassy,

I was in Paris for the very first time.

I am assisted by translator Sandra Schmal.

I am in Abdelataya's Paris apartment.

He has written two, now three previous books of short stories, which have not yet been translated.

The reason I thought it would be very interesting to speak to him is that this is an autobiographical novel

called Salvation Army. It's been published in Paris, but it speaks of life in North Africa. He is a member

of the North African Arabic diaspora. He is also one of the very

first writers to speak of coming from a gay background and from Morocco. So the press in his

country have called him the first Moroccan to have the courage to publicly assert his difference.

But as we know, while that sounds like words of praise, there was also a lot of controversy as well,

that it's not as simple as waiting for someone with enough courage.

So I wanted to talk to the product of several cultures.

He has taught in America at Bard College.

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