The Skull
Will be published approx. on 29. October 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
978-1-913109-58-5 (ISBN)
Description
The Skull is a reflection on the author's French/Algerian heritage and the legacy of colonialism, with particular reference to the remains to be found in the Musee de l'Homme in Paris which are those of the thousands of Algerians slaughtered by French forces in Algeria in the 19th century. As a noted writer, Le Clerc is given access to the vaults of the Musee de l'Homme, and picks out the severed skull of a small girl he imagines is 'Zohra'. His address to Zohra's skull includes accounts of his own life and experience as an Algerian immigrant, as well as of the violent history of the country and its conquest by the French. The unflinching tone he uses to describe the barbarity of the invading forces contrasts with the lyricism of his recollection of the beauty of his country and its people.
Reviews / Votes
'It is the discovery of the skull of a 7-year-old girl, lodged in a simple shoebox, that makes him decide to write The Skull, a striking hybrid novel, part historical quest, part autobiography and part fiction' Le Monde 'Xavier Le Clerc writes a memorial to those close to him, to the humiliated without land, without rights, without a burial ground. As is the case for Zohra whose skull he finds in the basement of the Musee de l"Homme'- Le Figaro 'It is an uplifting book but above all the writing is magnificent. For me the most beautiful passages are those of anger and emotion, those where Le Clerc writes of the dignity of his parents and of a people confronting oppression.' -Quotidien MatinMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HopeRoad Publishing Ltd
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Weight
137 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-913109-58-5 (9781913109585)
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Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Xavier Le Clerc (Hamid Ait-Taleb) is a celebrated French Algerian novelist and poet. He was born in 1979 in Kabylia, Algeria. His family moved to France and he grew up in Normandy. He studied law, sociology and philosophy at the University of Caen and has a Masters in both Human Sciences and Literature from the Sorbonne. In 2004, Xavier Le Clerc moved to London, where he has made a successful career in the luxury industry. The Skull, his fourth book, follows on from his autobiographical novel, A Man With No Title (Saqi Books 2024) currently being adapted for the stage.
Helen Stevenson studied Modern Languages at Oxford and has been translating French to English for 25 years, including Black Moses (shortlisted for the 2017 Man Booker International Prize). She is also the author of Mad Elaine and Love Like Salt: A Memoir. After living in France for many years, she now resides in Somerset, UK. Her translation of Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, published April 2024, was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025.
Helen Stevenson studied Modern Languages at Oxford and has been translating French to English for 25 years, including Black Moses (shortlisted for the 2017 Man Booker International Prize). She is also the author of Mad Elaine and Love Like Salt: A Memoir. After living in France for many years, she now resides in Somerset, UK. Her translation of Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, published April 2024, was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025.