In May, Alberto Vázquez Figueroa returns to bookstores with "La GRAN SEQUÍA (The Great Drought)", unveiling a cruel form of sexism prevalent in Mauritania, the Leblouh, and opening our eyes to the
issue of water scarcity.
Laila was born in a small semi-nomadic camp deep in the Mauritanian desert, and when she turned eleven, old matchmakers arrived at her 'jaima' following an ancient tradition known as 'Leblouh,' leaving no detail of her body - including the most intimate corners - unexamined in an attempt to gauge her worth in the market. Most agreed on one point: - 'To secure a good match, she must gain fifteen more kilos.' In that remote corner of the African desert, an old saying persisted: 'The space a woman occupies in her husband's heart is the same as in his bed.' This surprising adage meant that for a man to accept a marriageable girl, she had to weigh almost eighty kilos, and the more she weighed, the more chances she had of finding a husband; hence, their families fed them the same dietary supplements provided to the livestock. But when Laila turned fifteen, she decided to escape into the desert and embark on a difficult struggle to stop the women of her tribe from being considered trophies always at the service of men's whims. In search of freedom... And in that fascinating forward flight, she will discover captivating landscapes, incredible characters, and the greatest problem humanity has faced, faces, and will continue to face: The lack of water.