Searching For Glitter Faraday
– Novel –
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Summary The main character of the novel is a writer driven by an irrepressible desire, embarking on a road trip across America in search of Glitter Faraday, a man who allegedly received a manuscript over forty years ago in Algiers, at a time when the city served as a refuge for the Black Panthers. Glitter, now old and weakened, lives on the streets of San Francisco, marked by memories of his time in Algiers, a global revolutionary stronghold. Through Glitter’s narrative, the novel explores a history shaped by the violence of segregation, moments of revolutionary euphoria, and the urgency of memories. Guided by Glitter, the narrator traverses the intertwined destinies of various characters, creating a jazz composition where each has their own rhythm to impose. Beyond the quest for the manuscript, Glitter becomes the unique guide of the narrator, leading him towards unforeseen horizons. Searching For Glitter Faraday by Kebir M. Ammi transports us from the deep United States to post-independence Algeria, extending an invitation to reimagine the world and foster new political hopes. The narrative begins with the narrator’s purchase of an old red and white Buick, marking the start of a journey across America. The author, an Algerian-Moroccan residing in France, skillfully juggles the codes of crime fiction, westerns, and road movies, creating a vivid cinematic setting. The book’s soundtrack, dominated by jazz and featuring renowned names like Charlie Mingus and Archie Shepp, unveils a poignant subtext on the Black experience in the United States and the enduring nature of racial segregation. Glitter Faraday, once vibrant and now disfigured, becomes a symbol of human resilience, supported by the power of music. The novel reveals a subtle second path through Algeria, a haven for Black Panthers in the 1960s. Algiers, mythicized for its Pan-African Festival, emerges as a promised land of revolutionary struggles. The author adeptly juxtaposes eras, questioning the contemporary situation and urging readers to rekindle hope despite disappointments. Searching For Glitter Faraday transcends the mere quest for the manuscript, becoming a profound meditation on history, resilience, and hope. It offers a literary symphony where jazz sets the rhythm for the narrator’s journey through the intricacies of America and Algeria. |
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Information Publication: Project’Iles, 2023 Rights inquiries: Here |
Biography
 Kebir Mustapha Ammi, born in 1952 in Taza, Morocco, is a writer whose journey transcends cultural and national boundaries. Born to an Algerian father and a Moroccan mother, he has chosen France as his adopted homeland for over thirty years. This cultural, linguistic, and national diversity has shaped Kebir Ammi’s identity, as he primarily sees himself as a citizen of a single homeland: that of words and literature. Confronted with a reality often described as “uncomfortable,” Kebir Ammi has found allies in words, serving as passports to a “common world.” He has abandoned the divisions between people and nations to embrace a vision open to “the Other”, a vision reflected in his literary work. In addition to his role as a writer, Kebir Ammi teaches English, sharing his passion for words and communication. Through his work, Kebir Mustapha Ammi addresses injustices, suffering, and identity questioning, creating a literary body of work open to the discovery of the Other and carrying a universal message of sharing and humanity. |