Award-winning novelist Elif Shafak is known for her outspoken views as well as books that resonate with spirituality. Nisha Paul catches up with her in London.
Born in Strasbourg, her childhood spent in Ankara, Madrid, Cologne, Amman and Istanbul and extensive travels have impacted her world view. In Elif Shafak’s own words, “I am a storyteller with a curious mind and a student of life. For me, it’s important that I never stop being open to learning. I can never assume I have arrived. It’s always about travelling, always being on the move.”
Today, her internal compass is firmly fixed around Istanbul. Professor, journalist and fiction writer, Shafak is an active political commentator, columnist and public speaker, and has been on several international platforms advocating gender equality and women’s empowerment. In a tête-à-tête at London’s Chiltern Firehouse, she reflects on what it means to be Turkish, her books and the upcoming release.
DID YOU ALWAYS KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER?
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