Abdellatif Laabi
Abdellatif Laâbi (born 1942) is a Moroccan poet, journalist, novelist, playwright, translator and political activist. Laâbi took a degree in French Literature at the University of Rabat, then taught French at a lycée in that city. He founded, with other poets, the artistic journal Souffles, an important literary review in 1966.
Also recorded as Abdellatif Laâbi
Abdellatif Laabi

Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Abdellatif Laabi
- Born
- 1942
- Birthplace
- Fes, Morocco
- Occupation
- Poet, novelist, playwright, translator, political activist
- Education
- University of Rabat
- Nationality
- Morocco
- Honours
- honorary doctor of the University of Rennes 2 · Prix Goncourt de la Poésie · Grand prix de la francophonie · Scriptures & Spiritualities Award · Roger-Kowalski award
- Languages
- Arabic · French
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Abdellatif Laâbi (born 1942) is a Moroccan poet, journalist, novelist, playwright, translator and political activist. Laâbi took a degree in French Literature at the University of Rabat, then taught French at a lycée in that city. He founded, with other poets, the artistic journal Souffles, an important literary review in 1966.
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In this article
Biography
Biography
It was considered as a meeting point of some poets who felt the emergency of a poetic stand and revival, but which, very quickly, crystallized all Moroccan creative energies: painters, film-makers, men of theatre, researchers and thinkers. It was banned in 1972, but throughout its short life, it opened up to cultures from other countries of the Maghreb and those of the Third World. Abdellatif Laâbi was imprisoned, tortured and sentenced to ten years in prison for "crimes of opinion" (for his political beliefs and his writings) and served a sentence from 1972 to 1980. He was, in 1985, forced into exile in France. The political beliefs that were judged criminal are reflected in the following comment, for example: "Everything which the Arab reality offers that is generous, open and creative is crushed by regimes whose only anxiety is to perpetuate their own power and self-serving interest.

Abdellatif Laâbi en conversation avec Jean-Pierre Han dans une librairie strasbourgeoise (France)
Ji-Elle
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Abdellatif Laabi • Birth Name — Abdellatif Laabi • Born — 1942 • Birthplace — Fes, Morocco • Occupation — Poet, novelist, playwright, translator, political activist • Education — University of Rabat • Notable Works — Le Règne de barbarie, Histoire des sept crucifiés de l'espoir • Genre — Poetry, fiction, drama • Subjects — Political activism, human rights, cultural identity
Works
Works
Each year for a first edition links to its corresponding "[year] in poetry" article for poetry or "[year] in literature" article for other works:
Poetry
Poetry
• 1980: Le Règne de barbarie. Seuil, Paris (épuisé) • 1980: Histoire des sept crucifiés de l'espoir. La Table rase, Paris • 1981: Sous le bâillon le poème. L'Harmattan, Paris • 1985: Discours sur la colline arabe. L'Harmattan, Paris • 1986: L'Écorché vif. L'Harmattan, Paris • 1990: Tous les déchirements. Messidor, Paris (épuisé) • 1992: Le soleil se meurt. La Différence, Paris • 1993: L'Étreinte du monde. © La Différence et © Abdellatif Laâbi, Paris • 1996: Le Spleen de Casablanca. La Différence, Paris • 2000: Poèmes périssables, La Différence, coll. Clepsydre, Paris (épuisé) • 2003: L'automne promet, La Différence, coll. Clepsydre, Paris • 2003: Les Fruits du corps, La Différence, coll. Clepsydre, Paris • 2005: Écris la vie, La Différence, coll. Clepsydre, Paris, Prix Alain Bosquet 2006 • 2003: Œuvre poétique, La Différence, coll. Œuvre complète, Paris • 2007: Mon cher double, La Différence, coll. Clepsydre, Paris • 2008: Tribulations d'un rêveur attitré, coll. La Clepsydre, La Différence, Paris • 2010: Oeuvre poétique II, La Différence • 2016: Le Principe d'incertitude, La Différence • 2018: L'Espoir à l'arraché, Le Castor astral • 2020: Presque riens, Le Castor astral • 2022: La poésie est invincible, Le Castor astral
Novels
Novels
• 1969: L'Œil et la Nuit, Casablanca, Atlantes, 1969; SMER, Rabat, 1982; La Différence, coll. "Minos", Paris, 2003 • 1982: Le Chemin des ordalies. Denoël, Paris; La Différence, coll. "Minos", Paris, 2003 • 1989: Les Rides du lion. Messidor, Paris (épuisé); La Différence, coll. "Minos", Paris, 2007
Drama
Drama
• 1987: Le Baptême chacaliste, L'Harmattan, Paris • 1993: Exercices de tolérance, La Différence, Paris • 1994: Le Juge de l'ombre, La Différence, Paris • 2000: Rimbaud et Shéréazade, La Différence, Paris
Other works
Other works
• 1983: Chroniques de la citadelle d'exil; lettres de prison (1972–1980), Denoël, Paris; La Différence, Paris, 2005. • 1985: La Brûlure des interrogations; entretiens-essais (réalisés par J. Alessandra). L'Harmattan, Paris • 1997: Un continent humain; entretiens, textes inédits. Paroles d'aube, Vénissieux • 2005: D'humus et de lave; poème manuscrit; gravures de Bouchaïb Maoual; édition limitée à 12 exemplaires; Al Manar
Translations from Arabic
Translations from Arabic
• 1982: Rires de l'arbre à palabre (poèmes), d'Abdallah Zrika. L'Harmattan, Paris • 1983: Rien qu'une autre année (poèmes), de Mahmoud Darwich. Unesco/Éditions de Minuit, Paris, 1983. • 1986: Soleil en instance (roman), de Hanna Mina. Unesco/Éditions Silex, Paris, 1986. • 1987: Autobiographie du voleur de feu (poèmes), d'Abd al-Wahhab Al-Bayati. Unesco/Actes Sud, Paris, 1987. • 1988: Je t'aime au gré de la mort (poèmes), de Samih al-Qâsim. Unesco/Éditions de Minuit, Paris, 1988. • 1989: Plus rares sont les roses (poèmes), de Mahmoud Darwich. Éditions de Minuit, Paris, 1989. • 1990: La Poésie palestinienne contemporaine (anthologie). Éditions Messidor, Paris, 1990. • 1990: L'Espace du Noûn (poèmes), de Hassan Hamdane. En collaboration avec Leïla Khatib. Éditions Messidor, Paris • 1991: Les Oiseaux du retour. Contes de Palestine, bilingues. En collaboration avec Jocelyne Laâbi. Éditions Messidor/La Farandole, Paris • 1992: La Joie n'est pas mon métier (poèmes), de Mohammed Al-Maghout. Éditions de la Différence, coll. Orphée, Paris • 1997: Retour à Haïfa (nouvelles), de Ghassan Kanafani. En collaboration avec Jocelyne Laâbi. Actes-Sud, Paris
Autobiography
Autobiography
• 2004: Le fond de la Jarre (translated in Spanish: Fez es un espejo, Madrid, ediciones del oriente y del mediterráneo • 2021: La Fuite vers Samarkand, Le Castor astral
Works available in English
Works available in English
• 2003: The World's Embrace: Selected Poems. City Lights, 2003. Translated by V. Reinking, A. George, E. Makward. • 2009: Fragments of a Forgotten Genesis. Leafe Press, 2009. Translated by Gordon & Nancy Hadfield. • 2012: The Rule of Barbarism. Pirogue Poets series, 2012. Translated by André Naffis-Sahely • 2013: The Bottom of the Jar. Archipelago Books, 2013. Translated by André Naffis-Sahely • 2013: Poems. Poetry Translation Centre, 2013. Translated by André Naffis-Sahely • 2013: Little Things. Leafe Press, 2013. Translated by Alan Baker • 2016: Beyond the Barbed Wire: Selected Poems of Abdellatif Laâbi. Carcanet Press, 2016. Translated by André Naffis-Sahely • 2016: In Praise of Defeat. Archipelago Books, 2016. Translated by Donald Nicholson-Smith (shortlisted for the 2017 Griffin Poetry Prize) • 2021: The Uncertainty Principle. Lithic Press, 2021. Translated by Annie Jamison • 2023: Poetry is Invincible. Penniless Press, 2023. Translated by Howard Slater http: www.pennilesspress.co.uk/poetry/Laabi.htm
Identity
Identity
Abdellatif Laabi is recorded with the occupation autobiographer. Recorded as having received honorary doctor of the University of Rennes 2, Prix Goncourt de la Poésie and Grand prix de la francophonie. Recognition and collections. Laabi received honorary doctor of the University of Rennes 2, Prix Goncourt de la Poésie, Grand prix de la francophonie, Scriptures & Spiritualities Award and Roger-Kowalski award.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1942
Abdellatif Laabi was born on 1 January 1942.
Children's books
Children's books
• 1986: Saïda et les voleurs de soleil; bilingue français-arabe; images de Charles Barat. Messidor/La Farandole, Paris, (épuisé) • 1995: L'Orange bleue; illustrations de Laura Rosano. Seuil Jeunesse, Paris
Adaptations (drama) and other publications
Adaptations (drama) and other publications
• 1984: Va ma terre, quelle belle idée. Pièce tirée du Chemin des ordalies, roman. Compagnie des Quatre Chemins, dirigée par Catherine de Seynes. Paris • 1984: Histoire des sept crucifiés de l'espoir. Atelier-théâtre du Septentrion, dirigé par Robert Condamin et Jacqueline Scalabrini. Antibes • 1984: Chroniques de la citadelle d'exil. Théâtre Expression 7, Guy Lavigerie. Limoges, 1984. • 1987: Saïda et les voleurs de soleil. Atelier-théâtre du Septentrion. Antibes, 1987. • 1988: Le Règne de barbarie. Compagnie du Mentir-Vrai, dirigée par Omar Tary. Lille • 1988: Journal du dernier homme. Tiré des Rides du lion, roman. Lecture par Edwine Moatti et Denis Manuel. Paris • 1992: Le Retour de Saïda. Atelier-théâtre du Septentrion. Antibes, 1992. • 1994: Le Soleil se meurt. Théâtre d'Aujourd'hui. Casablanca
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Abdellatif Laabi”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2821160: Abdellatif Laabi
General reference · Wikidata
Awards and honors
• In 1985, Laabi was made Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres • In 1999, he won the Fonlon-Nichols Award • In 2006, he received the Alain Bosquet Prize, for all of his work • In 2008, Laabi won the Naim Frashëri Prize • In 2008, he was awarded the Robert Ganzo Prize of Poetry • In 2009, he received the Prix Goncourt de la Poésie • In 2011, he won the Benjamin Fondane International Prize for Francophone Literature • In 2011, he was awarded Academie française's Grand prix de la francophonie • In 2015, he won the Prix Ecritures & Spiritualités • In 2020, he was awarded the Mahmoud Darwish Award for Culture and Creativity • In 2021, Laabi won the Roger Kowalski Award for Poetry, for his collection, Presque riens
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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