Elif Shafak inspires with a tale of writing in Turkey

Elif Shafak is an award-winning novelist and the most widely read woman writer in Turkey. Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages and she was awarded the honorary distinction of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. Shafak has published eleven books, eight of which are novels. She writes fiction in both Turkish and English and blends Western and Eastern traditions of storytelling, bringing out the myriad stories of women, minorities, immigrants, subcultures, youth and global souls. Her work draws on diverse cultures and literary traditions, as well as deep interest in history, philosophy, Sufism, oral culture, and cultural politics, with a keen eye for black humor. The Bastard of Istanbul, written in English, was the bestselling book of 2006 in Turkey and was longlisted for the Orange prize. The novel brought Shafak under prosecution but the charges were ultimately dismissed. The Forty Rules of Love sold more than 600 000 copies, becoming an all time bestseller in Turkey and in France awarded with the Prix ALEF.