The Most Secret Memory of Men

"An impressive coming-of-age novel and a gripping investigation into the life of a mysterious author. A prolific novel and a true ode to literature in the vein of Roberto Bolaäno's Savage Detectives, written by one of the most prominent figures in contemporary literature. In 2018, Diâegane Latyr Faye, a young Senegalese writer, discovers a legendary book in Paris, published in 1938 and entitled Le labyrinthe de l'inhumain (The Maze of Inhumanity). No one knows what happened to the author, once referred to as the "Black Rimbaud," after his book created a scandal. Diâegane is fascinated and decides to look for the mysterious T.C. Elimane. On his path, he confronts the great tragedies of history such as colonialism and the holocaust. From Senegal to Argentina to France, will he get to the truth at the center of the maze? Alongside his investigation, Diâegane, becomes part of a group of young African writers in Paris. They check each other out, talk, drink, make love...a lot, and philosophize about the role of exile in artistic creation. He becomes particularly close to two women: the seductive Siga, who holds many secrets and the fleeting photojournalist Aèida... The Most Distant Memory of Men continuously reinvents itself. It is an astonishing novel about choosing between living and writing, about the desire to go beyond the confrontation between Africa and the West. Above all, it is an ode to literature and its timeless qualities"--