Man zoekt vrouw om hem gelukkig te maken

This collection of short stories by Moroccan-born Dutch writer Yusef el Halal could perhaps be called a collection of tall stories. My Dutch is not completely fluent, so I was not always sure if I was getting the tone and nuances correctly in reading this, but the author seemed to be enjoying playing with the contrasts between Moroccan and Dutch culture, and with the expectations placed on young immigrant Muslim men by Western readers.

The contrasts and cultural differences appear especially in the attitudes to women explored in these stories. From a Moroccan uncle renowned for his prowess in literally knocking troublesome wives into submission (but ultimately getting his come-uppance from a woman) to sexual adventures with liberated show more Dutch women which sometimes end in comic disaster, el Halal explores and sometimes subverts stereotypical views of women, while always returning to the them of his muse, his unattainable lost love, Nadjoua.

His other main theme is writing itself, and the journey to becoming a published writer. One story tells of his relationship with a number of publishers, seeking to keep them all on the go at the same time while trying to get the best deal, treating them like the several women he is seeing simultaneously. Other tales include reflections on the nature of truth in stories, and a reminder to both friends and critics who have not quite grasped the fact, that though these stories are told in the first person, story telling is not the same thing as autobiography. show less

A book with stories written from a Moroccon point of view in the Dutch society. And it seems that all Yusef thinks about is girls (and sex with them) and becoming an writer. The last seems to be more succesful than the first.

The stories are quite stereotypical, but also made me smile about the stupid behaviour of Yusef and friends.

Just before I started reading this book, I found out it was written by a Dutch person and not by a Morrocan immigrant. Disapointing. Something I would have liked to find out afterwards...

http://boekenwijs.blogspot.com/2010/05/man-zoekt-vrouw-om-hem-gelukkig-te.html

Auteur heeft ook mama Tandoori geschreven, wat ik een hylarisch boek vind. Dit boek (onder pseudoniem) kan je beter in de boekenkast laten. Ernest van der Kwaak z'n weblog is wel leuk om te lezen.

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