Elif Şafak

Who is Elif Şafak?

Elif Şafak is an outspoken Turkish author, columnist, speaker and academic. "As Turkey's bestselling female writer, Şafak is a brave champion of cosmopolitanism, a sophisticated feminist, and an ambitious novelist who infuses her magical-realist fiction with big, important ideas...". Critics have named her as "one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Turkish and world literature".

Her books have been published in more than 40 countries, and she was awarded the honorary distinction of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2010.

Şafak has published thirteen books, nine of which are novels. She writes fiction in both Turkish and English. Şafak blends Western and Eastern traditions of storytelling, bringing out the myriad stories of women, minorities, immigrants, subcultures, youth and global souls. Her writing draws on diverse cultures and literary traditions, reflecting a deep interest in history, philosophy, Sufism, oral culture, and cultural politics. Şafak also has a keen eye for black humour, with "a particular genius for depicting backstreet Istanbul."