Mbarek Ould Beyrouk è un riconosciuto sostenitore della libertà di parola, il cui lavoro letterario esplora spesso profonde questioni sociali e culturali. La sua prosa è caratterizzata da uno sguardo acuto sulla psiche umana e sul complesso rapporto tra tradizione e modernità. Le storie di Beyrouk, ambientate in un vibrante paesaggio mauritano, trascinano i lettori in un vortice di emozioni e li spingono a riflettere su temi umani universali. Il suo stile narrativo unico offre uno spaccato avvincente di un mondo che risulta allo stesso tempo estraneo e familiare.
The narrative unfolds through the alternating perspectives of a father imprisoned and his son navigating life outside, highlighting the clash between traditional values and the encroachment of modernity in sub-Saharan Africa. This poignant exploration delves into themes of survival, familial bonds, and the impact of societal change, creating a haunting reflection on the challenges faced by individuals in a rapidly evolving world.
"The Desert and the Drum reveals a hidden Bedouin world and what happens when its values clash with those of contemporary urban life. It was awarded the Ahmadou-Kourouma Prize in 2016 and is the first novel from Mauritania to be translated into English. Everything changes for Rayhana when foreigners with strange machines arrive to mine for metal near her Bedouin camp. One of them is the enigmatic Yahya. Her association with him leads to Rayhana to abandon all that she has ever known and flee alone to the city. But when her tribe discover she has stolen their sacred drum, they pursue her to exact their revenge. The Desert and the Drum tells of Rayhana's rift with her family, the disturbing characters she encounters in the metropolis, her attempts to distinguish friend from foe and to find a place for herself amidst the contradictions of contemporary Mauritania"--Back cover