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44-726: Elif Shafak FRSL ( Turkish : Elif Şafak , pronounced [eˈlif ʃaˈfak] ; née Bilgin ; born 25 October 1971) is a Turkish-British novelist , essayist , public speaker , political scientist and activist. Shafak writes in Turkish and English , and has published 21 books. She is best known for her novels , which include The Bastard of Istanbul , The Forty Rules of Love , Three Daughters of Eve and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World . Her works have been translated into 57 languages and have been nominated for several literary awards. She has been described by

88-513: A diplomat . After her parents separated, Shafak returned to Ankara , Turkey, where she was raised by her mother and maternal grandmother. She says that growing up in a dysfunctional family was difficult, but that growing up in a non-patriarchal environment had a beneficial impact on her. Having grown up without her father, she met her half-brothers for the first time when she was in her mid-twenties. Shafak added her mother's first name, Turkish for " dawn ", to her own when constructing her pen name at

132-593: A historical fiction novel about a fictional apprentice to Mimar Sinan , in 2014. Her novel Three Daughters of Eve (2017), set in Istanbul and Oxford from the 1980s to the present day, was chosen by London Mayor Sadiq Khan as his favourite book of the year. American writer Siri Hustvedt also praised the book. The book explores themes of secular versus orthodox religious practice, conservative versus liberal politics and modern Turkish attitudes towards these . Following Margaret Atwood , David Mitchell and Sjon , Shafak

176-590: A nationalist lawyer, sued Elif Shafak for allegedly "insulting Turkishness" in her novel by dealing with the Armenian Genocide in the last years of the Ottoman Empire . The lawsuit was opened at Istanbul's Beyoğlu district court in accordance with Article 301 of the Turkish Criminal Code. After the prosecutor dropped the charges due to lack of insult, the lawyer refiled his complaint at a higher court,

220-413: A new doll nesting. It is a hall of mirrors where nothing is quite what it seems. One should be cautious when using categories to talk about Istanbul. If there is one thing the city doesn't like, it is clichés." Shafak blends Eastern and Western ways of storytelling, and draws on oral and written culture. In The Washington Post , Ron Charles Wrote: "Shafak speaks in a multivalent voice that captures

264-675: A number of literary prizes and awards, including the RSL Ondaatje Prize , the RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction, the RSL Encore Award for best second novel of the year and the V. S. Pritchett Memorial Prize for short stories. In 2000, the RSL published a volume that provides a description and history of the society, written by one of its fellows, Isabel Quigly . In 2020, the RSL celebrated its 200th anniversary with

308-567: A panellist or commentator on BBC World , Euronews and Al Jazeera English . Until 2009 when she transferred to Habertürk , Shafak was a writer for the newspaper Zaman , which was known for its affiliation with Fethullah Gülen . In July 2017, Elif Shafak was chosen as a "castaway" on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs . Shafak has been a TEDGlobal speaker three times. In January 2024, Shafak found guilty of plagiarism in her book Bit Palas. She plagiarised characters and plot of Mine Kırıkkanat's book, Sinek Sarayı. Shafak has appealed

352-742: A visiting professor at the University of Michigan , and was a tenured professor at the University of Arizona in Near Eastern studies . In the UK, she held the Weidenfeld Visiting Professorship in Comparative European Literature at St Anne's College , University of Oxford , for the 2017–2018 academic year, where she is an honorary fellow. Shafak has published 21 books, fiction and nonfiction. Shafak's first novel, Pinhan ,

396-721: Is There are Rivers in the Sky , a split-timeline novel about water, that reaches from the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal to a hydrologist in present day London. Shafak's non-fiction essays in Turkish have been collected in four books: Med-Cezir (2005), Firarperest (2010), Şemspare (2012) and Sanma ki Yalnızsın (2017). In 2020, Shafak published How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division . Shafak has written for Time , The Guardian , La Repubblica , The New Yorker , The New York Times , Der Spiegel and New Statesman . Shafak has been

440-481: Is a learned society founded in 1820 by King George IV to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". A charity that represents the voice of literature in the UK, the RSL has about 600 Fellows, elected from among the best writers in any genre currently at work. Additionally, Honorary Fellows are chosen from those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of literature, including publishers, agents, librarians, booksellers or producers. The society

484-427: Is a cultural tenant at London's Somerset House . The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) was founded in 1820, with the patronage of George IV , to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent", and its first president was Thomas Burgess , Bishop of St David's (who was later translated as Bishop of Salisbury ). As of 2018, the RSL's patron is Queen Camilla , who took over in the role from Elizabeth II . At

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528-477: Is centred on the characters of Asya Kazancı and Armanoush Tchakhmakhchian. It is set in Tucson , Arizona ; San Francisco , California ; and Istanbul , Turkey . The novel deals with their families and how they are connected through the events of the 1915 Armenian genocide . At age nineteen, Armanoush travels secretly to Istanbul to search for her Armenian roots. Geraldine Bedell of The Guardian wrote, "The book

572-464: Is important for having drawn attention to the massacres and to the Turks' ambivalence about them, and for what it has exposed about freedom of speech. It's unquestionably an ambitious book, exuberant and teeming. But, perhaps because of the sometimes florid writing, reading it feels like holding a sack from which 20 very angry cats are fighting to escape." Lorraine Adams of The New York Times wrote, "When

616-570: Is lacking in today's Turkey". Shafak has spoken and written about various global political trends. In the 2010s, she drew parallels between Turkish political history and political developments in Europe and the United States. Writing in The New Yorker in 2016, she said "Wave after wave of nationalism, isolationism , and tribalism have hit the shores of countries across Europe, and they have reached

660-485: Is married to the Turkish journalist Eyüp Can Sağlık , a former editor of the liberal newspaper Radikal , with whom she has a daughter and a son. In 2017, Shafak came out as bisexual . Following the birth of her daughter in 2006, Shafak suffered from postnatal depression , a period she addressed in her memoir Black Milk . NOTE: Marion Boyars Publishers Ltd was bought out by Viking in 2011. Royal Society of Literature The Royal Society of Literature ( RSL )

704-539: Is no water and oil. They do mix. And in a city like Istanbul they mix intensely, incessantly, amazingly." The New York Times Book Review said of Shafak, "she has a particular genius for depicting backstreet Istanbul, where the myriad cultures of the Ottoman Empire are still in tangled evidence on every family tree." In a piece she wrote for the BBC , Shafak said, "Istanbul is like a huge, colourful Matrushka – you open it and find another doll inside. You open that, only to see

748-564: Is to re-humanize people who have been dehumanized ... People whose voices we never hear. That's a big part of my work". Specific topics have included persecution of Yazidis , the Armenian genocide and the treatment of various minorities in Turkey . Shafak is an advocate for freedom of expression . While taking part in the Free Speech Debate, she commented: "I am more interested in showing

792-457: The Financial Times as "Turkey's leading female novelist", with several of her works having been bestsellers in Turkey and internationally. Her works have prominently featured the city of Istanbul , and dealt with themes of Eastern and Western culture , roles of women in society, and human rights issues. Certain politically challenging topics addressed in her novels, such as child abuse and

836-534: The Armenian genocide , have led to legal action from authorities in Turkey that prompted her to emigrate to the United Kingdom. Shafak has a PhD in political science . An essayist and contributor to several media outlets, Shafak has advocated for women's rights , minority rights, and freedom of speech . Shafak was born in Strasbourg , France , to Nuri Bilgin, a philosopher, and Şafak Atayman, who later became

880-457: The Benson Medal for lifetime service in the field of literature . The RSL runs a membership programme offering a variety of events to members and the general public. Membership of the RSL is open to all. The RSL also runs an outreach programme, currently for young people and those in prison. The RSL administers two annual prizes, two awards, and two honours. Through its prize programmes,

924-554: The Beyoglu 2nd Court of First Instance, in July 2006. Shafak faced a sentence of up to three years in prison for the remarks made in her novel. In September 2006, the court, attended also by Joost Lagendijk , co-chair of the delegation to the EU – Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, acquitted her of criminal charges due to lack of legal grounds for the crime in question and insufficient evidence in

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968-473: The RSL roll book. The RSL's 2022–23 Open initiative aimed to recognise writers from backgrounds currently underrepresented in UK literary culture by electing 60 fellows over a two-year period from communities, backgrounds and experiences currently under-represented in UK literary culture, through drawing on a broad range of writers from "different parts of the UK, from different communities, different demographics", as Bernardine Evaristo noted. The * before

1012-478: The RSL supports new and established contemporary writers. The Council of the Royal Society of Literature is central to the election of new fellows, and directs the RSL's activities through its monthly meetings. Council members serve for a fixed term of four years, with new members being elected by Council when members retire. The Royal Society of Literature comprises more than 600 Fellows, who are entitled to use

1056-702: The United States. Jingoism and xenophobia are on the rise. It is an Age of Angst—and it is a short step from angst to anger and from anger to aggression." Shafak signed an open letter in protest against Russian persecution of homosexuals and blasphemy laws before Sochi 2014 . Shafak had lived in Istanbul , and in the United States before moving to the UK . Shafak has lived in London since 2013, but speaks of "carrying Istanbul in her soul". As of 2019, Shafak had been in self-imposed exile from Turkey due to fear of prosecution. Shafak

1100-463: The age of eighteen. Shafak spent her teenage years in Madrid , Jordan and Germany. Shafak studied an undergraduate degree in international relations at Middle East Technical University , and earned a master's degree in women's studies . She holds a Ph.D. in political science . She has taught at universities in Turkey. Later emigrating to the United States, she was a fellow at Mount Holyoke College ,

1144-415: The announcement of RSL 200, "a five-year festival launched with a series of major new initiatives and 60 new appointments championing the great diversity of writing and writers in the UK". Initiatives included RSL Open (electing new Fellows from communities, backgrounds and experiences currently under-represented in UK literary culture), RSL International Writers (recognising the contribution of writers across

1188-464: The best writers in any genre currently at work. Additionally, Honorary Fellows are chosen from those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of literature, including publishers, agents, librarians, booksellers or producers, or who have rendered special service to the RSL. Paid membership is open to all and offers a variety of benefits. The society publishes an annual magazine, The Royal Society of Literature Review , and administers

1232-496: The decision of the court. Istanbul has been prominent in Shafak's writing. She depicts the city as a melting pot of different cultures and various contradictions. Shafak has remarked: "Istanbul makes one comprehend, perhaps not intellectually but intuitively, that East and West are ultimately imaginary concepts, and can thereby be de-imagined and re-imagined." In the same essay written for Time magazine Shafak says: "East and West

1276-558: The first Turkish novel to address the genocide. She was acquitted of these charges in September 2006 at the prosecutor's request. Shafak's novel The Forty Rules of Love ( Aşk in Turkish) became a bestseller in Turkey upon its release; it sold more than 200,000 copies by 2009, surpassing a previous record of 120,000 copies set by Orhan Pamuk 's The New Life . In France, it was awarded a Prix ALEF* – Mention Spéciale Littérature Etrangère. It

1320-467: The globe to literature in English) and Sky Arts RSL Writers Awards. In 2021, the RSL launched "Literature Matters: Reading Together", a project aiming to make recreational reading accessible to young people across the UK. The society maintains its current level of about 600 Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature : generally 14 new fellows are elected annually, who are accorded the privilege of using

1364-537: The heart of the RSL is its Fellowship, "which encompasses the most distinguished writers working today", with the RSL Council responsible for its direction and management, being drawn from the Fellowship. As an independent charity, the RSL receives no regular public or government funding, relying on the support of its Members, Patrons, Fellows and friends to continue its work. The RSL has about 600 Fellows, elected from among

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1408-470: The name denotes an Honorary Fellow. The list is online at the RSL website. The RSL International Writers programme is a new life-long honour and award recognizing the contribution of writers across the globe to literature in English, and the power of literature to transcend borders in bringing people together, the inaugural list of recipients being announced in 2021. The Bastard of Istanbul The story

1452-408: The novel's skeleton finally dances out of its flimsy closet, it's clear that although Shafak may be a writer of moral compunction she has yet to become — in English, at any rate — a good novelist. A valuable moment in the klieg lights has been squandered, but Shafak, still in her 30s, has more than enough time to grow into a writer whose artistry matches her ambition." In June 2006, Kemal Kerinçsiz ,

1496-548: The post-nominal letters FRSL . New fellows of the Royal Society of Literature are elected by its current fellows. To be nominated for fellowship, a writer must have published two works of literary merit, and nominations must be seconded by an RSL fellow. All nominations are presented to members of the Council of the Royal Society of Literature, who vote biannually to elect new fellows. Nominated candidates who have not been successful are reconsidered at every election for three years from

1540-639: The post-nominal letters FRSL. Past and present fellows include Samuel Taylor Coleridge , J. R. R. Tolkien , W. B. Yeats , Rudyard Kipling , Thomas Hardy , George Bernard Shaw , Arthur Koestler , Chinua Achebe , Ruth Prawer Jhabvala , Robert Ardrey , Sybille Bedford , Muriel Spark , P. J. Kavanagh , Hilary Mantel , and Sir Roger Scruton . Present Fellows include Margaret Atwood , Bernardine Evaristo , David Hare , Kazuo Ishiguro , Andrew Motion , Paul Muldoon , Zadie Smith , Nadeem Aslam , Sarah Waters , Geoffrey Ashe , J. K. Rowling , and Nick Cave . A newly created fellow inscribes his or her name on

1584-677: The roiling tides of diverse cultures." Mysticism and specifically Sufism has also been a theme in her work, particularly in The Forty Rules of Love . A feminist and advocate for gender equality , Shafak's writing has addressed numerous feminist issues and the role of women in society. Examples include motherhood and violence against women . In an interview with William Skidelsky for The Guardian , she said: "In Turkey, men write and women read. I want to see this change." Shafak's novels have explored human rights issues, particularly those in Turkey . She has said: "What literature tries to do

1628-428: The society's official roll using either Byron's pen, T. S. Eliot 's fountain pen , which replaced Dickens 's quill in 2013, or (as of 2018) George Eliot 's pen, with pens belonging to Jean Rhys and Andrea Levy being additional choices from 2020. From time to time, the RSL confers the honour and title of Companion of Literature to writers of particular note. Additionally, the RSL can bestow its award of

1672-505: The things we have in common as fellow human beings, sharing the same planet and ultimately, the same sorrows and joys rather than adding yet another brick in the imaginary walls erected between cultures/religions/ethnicities." Shafak has been critical of the presidency of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan , describing his tenure as leading to increased authoritarianism in Turkey. She signed an open letter in protest against Turkey's Twitter ban in 2014, commenting: "the very core of democracy  ...

1716-522: The year in which they were proposed. Newly elected fellows are introduced at the Society's AGM and summer party. While the President reads a citation for each, they are invited to sign their names in the roll book which dates back to 1820, using either T. S. Eliot 's fountain pen or Byron 's pen. In 2013, Charles Dickens ' quill was retired and replaced with Eliot's fountain pen, and in 2018 George Eliot 's pen

1760-465: Was also nominated for the 2012 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. In 2019, it was listed by the BBC as one of the 100 "most inspiring" novels and one of the "100 novels that shaped our world". Her 2012 novel Honour , which focuses on an honour killing , was nominated for the 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize and 2013 Women's Prize for Fiction , followed by The Architect's Apprentice ,

1804-561: Was awarded the Rumi Prize in 1998, a Turkish literary prize. Shafak's 1999 novel Mahrem ( The Gaze ) was awarded "Best Novel" by the Turkish Authors' Association in 2000. Her next novel, Bit Palas ( The Flea Palace , 2002), was shortlisted for Independent Best Foreign Fiction in 2005. Shafak released her first novel in English, The Saint of Incipient Insanities , in 2004. Her second novel in English, The Bastard of Istanbul ,

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1848-548: Was long-listed for the Orange Prize . It addresses the Armenian genocide , which is denied by the Turkish government . Shafak was prosecuted in July 2006 on charges of "insulting Turkishness" ( Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code ) for discussing the genocide in the novel. Had she been convicted, she would have faced a maximum prison sentence of three years. The Guardian commented that The Bastard of Istanbul may be

1892-404: Was offered as a choice, the first time in the RSL's history that a pen that belonged to a woman writer was an option. In 2018, the RSL honoured the achievements of Britain's younger writers through the initiative "40 Under 40", which saw the election of 40 new fellows aged under 40. In 2020, pens belonging to Andrea Levy and Jean Rhys were added to the choices offered to fellows for signing

1936-684: Was selected as the 2017 writer for the Future Library project . Her work The Last Taboo is the fourth part of a collection of 100 literary works that will not be published until 2114. Shafak's 2019 novel 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World , revolving around the life of an Istanbul sex worker, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize . In 2019, Shafak was investigated by Turkish prosecutors for addressing child abuse and sexual violence in her fiction writing. Shafak released her twelfth novel The Island of Missing Trees in 2021. Her latest novel

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