Moroccan author Idris El Ouagich documents "Journeys Towards Guerguerat"

Moroccan writer Idris El Ouagich has published a new literary work titled "Thus I Knew the Sahara: Exciting Journeys Between Fez and Guerguerat." Published by Bilal Printing House in Fez, the book continues El Ouagich's exploration of the Moroccan Sahara through narrative and reflective writing, adding to his creative output of ten previous works spanning stories, poetry, and criticism.

The 402-page book details a literary journey based on the author's observations and impressions during his travels between Fez and the Guerguerat border crossing. The cover features a painting by El Ouagich, symbolizing contemplation amidst the vastness of the desert, which is the central theme of the publication.

El Ouagich dedicates the book to the soldiers defending the Kingdom's territorial integrity and to all who have contributed to preserving the nation. He states that the work is an acknowledgment of their sacrifices in the Moroccan Sahara. Literary critic Mohamed Youb notes that the book transcends mere documentation or fictional narrative, presenting a literary text that merges travel and reflection. Youb explains that the desert becomes a space for existential questions, history, and identity, where details of the road, soldiers, truck movements, and wind transform into narrative elements reflecting the depth of the human experience in this environment.

The author himself describes the work as belonging to travel literature, grounded in personal observations and reflections on place and people. He emphasizes his approach to the Sahara as a cultural and civilizational space embodying human and anthropological values, while ensuring the text possesses an artistic dimension that balances description, impression, and contemplation.