Ottmani's literary work is largely focused on his hometown,
Essaouira, which he often referred to by its former name
Mogador. His first book, "
Une cité sous les alizés" ("a city under the trade winds"), is a historical study of Mogador-Essaouira from prehistory to the
World War II. Then he turned to fiction, but retaining a strong historical basis. In "''Si Mogador m'était contée
" ("if Mogador could talk"), the old narrator, Lalla Aïcha, revives twenty stories from the ignored past of the city. "Le Soldat qui venait de Mogador''" ("The soldier who came from Mogador") tells the story of the trip to
Mecca of Si Taieb El Ech Chiadmi Maskali, since 1912 ; the young man spent nearly twelve years in
Libya and is involved in guerrilla warfare by the
Senussi against the
Italian colonization. "
Le Fils du Soleil" ("Son of the Sun") is a historical novel which tells the amazing story of Mustapha Zemmouri, better known under the name
Estevanico, Moroccan from
Azemmour region, slave kidnapped by a Spanish man to America and became one of the first discoverers of
Arizona and
New Mexico. == Awards ==