Yes, general interest -- as I mentioned, the number was the main clue for me. Also, I spent some time in France around 20 years ago, where there were a large number of ethnic Algerians who often discussed the issue at length.
Yeah, 20 years ago is practically the height of the crisis with the more brutal massacres (like 200 at a time). They were probably of those who asked for asylum or the thousands who left the country. It was harder for them because they knew peace before and easier on my generation because we were children who'd only known that, so it was sort of normal.
"Jugurtha" is a pretty easy tipoff. Not that Americans would learn who Jugurtha was in school, except maybe grad school, but a few of us still read books...
Love to hear any book recommendations on the Algerian wars, especially older books in English, not by Alistair Horne, and not taking the standard Western "missionary position." Really like Wolves in the City by Paul Henissart, about the OAS episode...
Hard to think of something off the top of my head. I don't really think about this stuff with "internationalization" in mind so I've never paid attention to which authors were translated.
Not sure if you'd like content in a "History" perspective, I know Benjamin Stora is translated.
Henri Alleg also wrote about it (The Question. He was in trouble with Maurice Audin). Frantz Fanon was in the Algerian Liberation Front.
For novels, you can look up Mouloud Mammeri, Mouloud Feraoun, Albert Camus, Assia Djebar, etc.
Yeap. Still in.
On a side note, how did you match it? Is this part of the stuff you usually read about, etc?