Khalid Lyamlahy
MoroccoAbout
Khalid Lyamlahy (born 1986) is a Moroccan novelist, literary scholar, and academic whose work explores migration, identity, memory, and the relationship between literature and political reality. Born in Rabat, Morocco, he pursued advanced studies in French and Francophone literature, earning a doctorate from the University of Oxford. His academic research examines postcolonial writing and the intellectual movements that have shaped modern Moroccan literature. Lyamlahy made his literary debut with Un roman étranger in 2017. His subsequent novel, Venice Requiem, draws on the real-life death of Gambian refugee Pateh Sabally in Venice in 2017 to investigate the moral implications of public indifference and the treatment of migrants in Europe. Originally written in French, the book combines literary references, social criticism, and a search for human dignity. It received the 2024 Prix Éthiophile, recognising its contribution to literature exploring Africa and its diasporas. Lyamlahy teaches French and Francophone literature at the University of Chicago, continuing to combine his academic interests with creative writing.
