Time Out at 40

Nuri Bilge Ceylan | Elif Şafak | Sezen Aksu

Elif Şafak

Elif Şafak
Few people have spoken out as fearlessly as Elif Şafak. Her second novel in English, ‘The Bastard of Istanbul’, was the best-selling book in Turkey in 2006, but brought Şafak under prosecution by the Turkish government for ‘Insulting Turkishness’. The charges were ultimately dismissed and Şafak continues to address the pull between her love of Ottoman culture and distrust of orthodoxy both in her novels and her journalism.

What do you think is the most important thing that’s happened in the world of literature in the last 40 years?
Literature is no longer exclusive to an intellectual ‘elite’. Everyone has a story to tell and everyone has a book within them. This has brought about a great deal of excitement and dynamism to literature, although it’s also made writing literature that much more challenging as a result.

You’re one of our Istanbul heroes. Who are your heroes?
When I write a novel I pay attention to not creating any heroes. I prefer to present characters who are flawed and troubled, and who have weaknesses and inferiorities. The same goes for real life. I’m curious about the hero that lies within an ordinary person, and the average person that lies within someone who looks like a hero. Feature continues

Your books include the streets and neighborhoods of Istanbul. Are these landmarks important to you personally? When you walk around the city are you basically collecting mental material for your next novel?
What makes Istanbul ‘Istanbul’ are her streets. I am very much in love with this city. The characters and streets I write about in my books are all the product of my observations and imagination. I’m not one to shut themselves in a house and write in solitude, shut off from the world. Most of my novels are in fact written in cafés, airports, libraries, ferries and while I’m travelling. In other words, I write as I live.

Why are people so critical of writers who actively promote their books? Do you think that giving too many interviews devalues a writer?
I find it completely normal that a writer would want to give interviews about a book they’d just had published. A writer would naturally want to talk about their work, and the process of writing. But ultimately interviews and the like have only superficial and short-term relevance. What matters is the book. Novels are multi-layered and multi-dimensional. The book and its relationship with the reader is permanent.

What does Istanbul mean to you?
There are some cities that are central in terms of creating the right kind of energy and stimulation that you need to create stories. Istanbul is one of them. I think there is a kind of soul-bond between cities like Istanbul, Barcelona, London, New York and Cairo. In all of these cities there is a clear distinction between being ‘native’ to the city, and being an outsider, a ‘migrant’ as it were. I’m also one of those who came from the outside and settled in this city. I know what it’s like to long for this city. Whenever I’m abroad I miss Istanbul dearly.

Forty years ago, how did you imagine Istanbul would turn out to be?
Every moment, every hour, every day has an endless array of opportunities and potential. Istanbul is a city that can change very quickly. I don’t think every city is like this. Istanbul has a remarkable ability to replenish and renew itself. I think in the coming years, Istanbul will continue to open up even more to the world, and the world will appreciate the importance and beauty of a city like Istanbul.

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Nuri Bilge Ceylan | Elif Şafak | Sezen Aksu