DR ‹ › The French novelist and philosophy professor Laurent Crassat is poised to unveil his debut novel, «The Residence» (published by Intervalles, 2026), which is set to hit bookstores on February 6th. This meticulously researched work, deeply rooted in historical events that shaped regional politics at the close of the 19th century and the dawn of the 20th, offers a compelling exploration of European colonization in North Africa from 1830 to 1925. Once an educator at Paul Valéry High School in Meknes, Morocco, Crassat uses his narrative prowess to invite readers to «understand both the past complexities and the contemporary reverberations of colonization». His novel delves into «the political, military, and financial strategies of colonial conquest, alongside the power dynamics among major European powers». Laurent Crassat «juxtaposes two faces of colonization: in Algeria, a brutal and bloody conquest; in Morocco, a subtler protectorate», explains the publisher in a statement to Yabiladi. The author meticulously retraces the significant historical events of this era, both in North Africa and France. To enrich his narrative, Crassat references pivotal moments such as the capture of Algiers, the July Monarchy, the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the Paris Commune, the birth of the Third Republic, the Tangier crisis, and the establishment of the Moroccan Protectorate, not forgetting the Rif War. Underpinning the narrative is a vivid portrayal of «the lives of both the colonized and the colonizers» during this tumultuous period. With a tone steeped in political intrigue and critical analysis, the book also revisits the tensions in Agadir in 1911 and the First World War, while shedding light on figures from both French colonialism and North African resistance. Among the prominent figures featured are Thiers, Talleyrand, Lyautey, Bugeaud, Abdelkader, and Abdelkrim el-Khattabi, alongside intellectuals and artists like Eugène Delacroix, among others. Article modifié le 07/01/2026 à 12h51
