Unmapped Storylands with Elif Shafak

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November 2024

Why Can't You Write About Flowers, Trees and Stars?
Years ago, I was put on trial for “insulting Turkishness” following the publication of my novel The Bastard of Istanbul. My book told the story of two…
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Elif Shafak
79
The Tyranny of Certainty in Uncertain Times
Let’s begin with the first line of Don Quixote: "Somewhere in La Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember, a gentleman lived not long…
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Elif Shafak
67
A Letter To An Anxious Writer
Dear Anxious Writer,
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Elif Shafak
60
"The Bluebirds In Our Hearts and Creative Writing"
So today I wanted to do something slightly different and I recorded an audio reading.
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Elif Shafak
77

October 2024

A Salute to Every Tolstoy Across Borders
It was many moons ago when an academic researching "women writers in the Middle East" wanted to interview me in Istanbul.
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Elif Shafak
36
A Hopeless Introvert's Guide to Hopeful Public Speaking
This week it was a true pleasure and honour for me to give the keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Frankfurt Book Fair.
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Elif Shafak
43
"The Perfect Writing Space"
It was a long time ago, in a different world, I moved to Istanbul on my own, dreaming of becoming something—someone— I had never seen growing up as a…
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Elif Shafak
47
When Do We Give Up on Writing?
Plato versus Patrick
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Elif Shafak
115

September 2024

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