The Algerian Odyssey 1928-1947

The Algerian Odyssey is about the incongruities of three conflicting cultures: Arab, French, and Russian surrounding a young boy born of Russian parents in Algiers in1928. He witnesses the nascent hostilities between the native Arabs and the French colonials and describes them in vivid episodes throughout the book. The Casbah, Bou Saada, The Ouled Naïls, Belcacem, Sidi Omar and Aïsha illustrate an irreconcilable culture confronting the European Colonials. This narrative is interwoven with the dilemma of parents hoping to return to Russia. The American military landing in Algiers during WWII changes his life forever. After an adventurous crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, he arrives in Galveston, Texas on November 30, 1947 with only five dollars and no working knowledge of English.