Many analysts compare Turkey with countries in the Middle East, but I think we need to compare it with Russia. Both countries come from a tradition of empire, and also from a tradition of the strong state. — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
Turkey in general became too involved with what is happening in Egypt and in Syria. Some politicians with neo-Ottoman dreams developed this idea of being a major player in the Middle East, which hasn't gone as expected. — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
Turkey is a complex country. Most readers are women, of all generations, and they are passionate about books. However, the written culture is mostly… — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
With 'The Forty Rules of Love,' I wanted to write a love story. But I wanted a love story with a spiritual dimension. For… — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
Writing is a tribute to solitude. It is choosing introversion over extroversion, lonely hours/days/weeks/years over fun and sociability. — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
Submission does not mean being weak or passive. It leads to neither fatalism nor capitulation. Just the opposite. True power resides in submission. A… — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
The lack of trust in supranational entities and cosmopolitan elite creates a fertile ground for tribalist belongings and reactionary politics. — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
In a normal democracy, you protect the individual from the excessive power of the state. In Turkey, power elites try to protect the state… — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
Obviously, Turkey is not a typical authoritarian regime, and obviously it's very important that there are free elections. But it's also obvious that this… — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
Feminists are now being vilified in politics, erdogan used to speak more embracingly, saying he was the leader of everyone, whether they voted for… — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
We're born into a certain family, nation, class. But if we have no connection whatsoever with the worlds beyond the one we take for… — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
I write my novels in English first; then they are translated into Turkish by professional translators. Then I take their translation and rewrite. So… — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
For me, coming from the women's movement, politics is not just about parties and parliament. There is politics in our private space and in… — Elif Safak Copy Share Image
