Fiction reflects our inner worlds, our possibilities, our hopes, wishes, making sense of so much senselessness around us…is medicine ,an antidote to so much systemic madness! Don’t let a mad system make you mad…read a novel, some poetry, listen to music, see a play ,eat art!
And… when will your novels be made into a film Elif?!?💛🩷🧡❤️💙💜💚🩵
During our long pre-scientific history, before we split writing into fiction and non-fiction, there were only STORIES. Stories were, and are, our human way of representing the world as we experience it. With the development of alphabets and storage media (stone, clay, papyrus, paper, digital), we could preserve and share our stories with each other everywhere.
AI has just told me:’ Yes, several of Elif Shafak's novels have been adapted into films or are in the process of being adapted. One notable example is "The Forty Rules of Love," which is being adapted into a web series by Netflix. Additionally, "The Island of Missing Trees" has been optioned for a film adaptation!’
Sometimes I avoid fiction books because they will suck me in so hard that I will cease living my life until I finish. You never know what book will do this to you so I have to be ready to abdicate life for a few days every time I start a work of fiction.
I appreciate this point of view immensely. Reading ‘fiction’ is always a reflection of human character and global issues in my opinion.
Relationships that cover a wide range of topics that are written with a creative influence often teach me about life in a way that nonfiction is more difficult for me to grasp. In the world of time is money, the writing that is offered , not always, but sometimes, does not leave room for my mind to grow or plant new ideas.
I read a novel every day and have done since l learnt to read. And every night without fail l read in bed before l go to sleep. I love works of fiction, imagine the characters in my head, the places they live in, the people they love, their enemies , their friends, the towns or countryside etc. I’m also not fond of films of fiction I’ve loved. Something l discovered when taken by school to see Jane Eyre. Neither Jane nor Mr Rochester were anything like what I’d imagined, a great disappointment.
Absolutely. Fiction is an essential tool in persuading of the need for social change or as a warning. There is nothing like reading a story and feeling empathy with some characters and not with others to help you really understand what is going on in society.
Elif, thank you, as always, for your insightful view on subjects, this one ‘reading’. Your book ‘There are islands in the Sky’ is an amazing work of fiction, rooted in fact. My imagination was able to soar while reading it (2nd time too).
Wrote about this the other day, making stories is our purpose, it perfectly captures & defines our role in the universe as the mediators between the abstract (spiritual) and tangible (material) worlds. Love your piece, and so beautifully written!
He is an Artist of our lives and He crafted each character with magestic architectural design. One that is visible and the other that is hidden in the core of our heart- the mirror- that reflects His Grandeur.
I really appreciate this article. I always think of fiction is a guilty pleasure-like something I should only do when I have one week to waste time on a beach. Honestly, I haven’t read a novel since the last time I had one week on a beach. Maybe it’s not such a guilty pleasure. Maybe it would help me connect with something profound.
Fiction is like oxygen for me! Im currently totally lost in your exquisite novel There are Rivers in the Sky , thank you for sharing your gifts with us!
Fiction brings us closer to the truth
Truth. 😉
Fiction reflects our inner worlds, our possibilities, our hopes, wishes, making sense of so much senselessness around us…is medicine ,an antidote to so much systemic madness! Don’t let a mad system make you mad…read a novel, some poetry, listen to music, see a play ,eat art!
And… when will your novels be made into a film Elif?!?💛🩷🧡❤️💙💜💚🩵
During our long pre-scientific history, before we split writing into fiction and non-fiction, there were only STORIES. Stories were, and are, our human way of representing the world as we experience it. With the development of alphabets and storage media (stone, clay, papyrus, paper, digital), we could preserve and share our stories with each other everywhere.
AI has just told me:’ Yes, several of Elif Shafak's novels have been adapted into films or are in the process of being adapted. One notable example is "The Forty Rules of Love," which is being adapted into a web series by Netflix. Additionally, "The Island of Missing Trees" has been optioned for a film adaptation!’
I hope this is true… very excited!👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Sometimes I avoid fiction books because they will suck me in so hard that I will cease living my life until I finish. You never know what book will do this to you so I have to be ready to abdicate life for a few days every time I start a work of fiction.
Ha! Right?! This resonates, Amy.
You're a reader, Amy
I appreciate this point of view immensely. Reading ‘fiction’ is always a reflection of human character and global issues in my opinion.
Relationships that cover a wide range of topics that are written with a creative influence often teach me about life in a way that nonfiction is more difficult for me to grasp. In the world of time is money, the writing that is offered , not always, but sometimes, does not leave room for my mind to grow or plant new ideas.
I read a novel every day and have done since l learnt to read. And every night without fail l read in bed before l go to sleep. I love works of fiction, imagine the characters in my head, the places they live in, the people they love, their enemies , their friends, the towns or countryside etc. I’m also not fond of films of fiction I’ve loved. Something l discovered when taken by school to see Jane Eyre. Neither Jane nor Mr Rochester were anything like what I’d imagined, a great disappointment.
Thank you for your lovely post Elif 🙏
Absolutely. Fiction is an essential tool in persuading of the need for social change or as a warning. There is nothing like reading a story and feeling empathy with some characters and not with others to help you really understand what is going on in society.
Someone needs to be writing about ICE and its victims, and the many detention camps to come. I just read the long Wikipedia article on Hugo, wow.
Elif, thank you, as always, for your insightful view on subjects, this one ‘reading’. Your book ‘There are islands in the Sky’ is an amazing work of fiction, rooted in fact. My imagination was able to soar while reading it (2nd time too).
I’m reading it now.
I don’t know who said it, but I heard it when I was studying “children’s” (as if literature isn’t literature.).
“A story doesn’t have to be true. It has to be true to life.” Think of “Frankenstein” and “Charlotte’s Web”
Fiction is an alternative form of the truth. Sometimes more palatable and moving.
Wrote about this the other day, making stories is our purpose, it perfectly captures & defines our role in the universe as the mediators between the abstract (spiritual) and tangible (material) worlds. Love your piece, and so beautifully written!
Our Creator is a storyteller.
He is an Artist of our lives and He crafted each character with magestic architectural design. One that is visible and the other that is hidden in the core of our heart- the mirror- that reflects His Grandeur.
You expressed this beautifully!
Thank you 💕
I really appreciate this article. I always think of fiction is a guilty pleasure-like something I should only do when I have one week to waste time on a beach. Honestly, I haven’t read a novel since the last time I had one week on a beach. Maybe it’s not such a guilty pleasure. Maybe it would help me connect with something profound.
Fiction is like oxygen for me! Im currently totally lost in your exquisite novel There are Rivers in the Sky , thank you for sharing your gifts with us!
Yes ! We need to keep on reading all the genres! Fiction offers us so much ! 👍🏽