Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Alicia Kenworthy's avatar

What a fantastic review! I'd seen this title before and briefly noted it, but now you've really piqued my interest. Selling more copies than Orhan Pamuk. Wow. I have a longstanding fascination with Turkish culture and literature, even if my attempts at learning the language have all failed miserably. (I signed up for a Turkish class in college and ended up being the dumb blonde eg the one girl in the class who didn't already speak a Turk-ic adjacent language. I'll always remember the polyglot who sat next to me and proclaimed, "F*ck! I always get this confused with my Azerbaijani!" Me too, girl. Me too. And here I thought my French was impressive.) Anyway, I still harbor dreams of Istanbul.

On a language level, the '40s in Turkish lit must have been fascinating. I've always been intrigued by the language's mandated switch from Arabic Script to Latin circa 1929. (Law on the Adoption and Implementation of the Turkish Alphabet.) Imagine waking up in the morning and The New York Times is written in Arabic script. An incredibly powerful tool for rendering entire generations illiterate and infusing new ones with a different cultural identity.

Anyway, I wish Ali would have escaped safely. What a loss.

Somewhat related, if you find yourself eager for more Turkish lit in Translation, one of my Substacker friends (Oleg, from Fictitious) recently introduced me to Barış Bıçakçı. We've been corresponding about his book "The Mosquito Bite Author." It's a quick read and, perhaps relatably, filled with reflections of a writer who's anxiously trying to pass the time as he waits on a response from his editor. One of the most delightful things I've read in awhile.

Can't wait to pick up your new book and delighted to have discovered you here on Substack!

En iyi dileklerimle,

Alicia

Expand full comment
Philippe du Col's avatar

R: Great review, sent this to a friend who makes (moyen orient) soaps, in Lebanon. What a find. This is fun.

Expand full comment
13 more comments...

No posts