Located across the narrow Straits of Gibraltar, Morocco has been Europe’s gateway to Africa. For many years ruled by both France & Spain, the free Morocco of today asserts its Islamic & Berber heritage.
I recommend the following books for your first time Morocco travels. These will help plan your trip and familiarize yourself with the rich and conflicted history of this small country in North Africa.
Fodor’s Travel : Essential Morocco
From the multicultural hippy Tangier in the north to the family-friendly beaches of Agadir in the south, Morocco is rich in diversity of geography and culture.
A single visit isn’t enough to cover it all. We did a lot of research to plan our first vacation to Morocco. Fodor’s Travel : Essential Morocco was our trusted handy guide. It provided insight into all important areas of the country, suggested itineraries and had great recommendations on food and shopping.
Dreams of Trespass by Fatima Mernissi
A Fodor recommendation, this non-fiction autobiographical book is written by Moroccan sociologist & university professor, Fatima Mernissi. A native of Fes, Fatima spent her childhood navigating harem life under the guidance of her mother and older siblings.
Outside the prison-like walls of the harem, the city itself was controlled by the French. Fatima’s collection of childhood stories at it’s simplest provide insight into the day-to-day life of an upper-middle-class household and it’s harem politics. Through her experiences we learn about life in Morocco under French & Spanish occupation. Her stories also focus on the Nationalist movement and its impact on women’s right in the country. This book is a great primer to the history and culture for your Morocco travels!
For our experiences in Morocco, read about our 8 day trip here
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For other international reading recommendations, check out my Around the World in Books reading list.
