sultanahmet diaries

hüzün

i finished reading orhan pamuk's latest novel,

istanbul: memories and the city

last night a little after midnight. it was the first book of his
that i have read, and although i found it to be a bit long-winded
and overindulgent, i really enjoyed it. i highly recommend it to
anyone who is curious about istanbul. pamuk talks a lot about
the hüzün, the melancholy, that is an essential part of this city.
it's fascinating to read about his memories of old istanbul, of
other artists' and writers' impressions and experiences in
istanbul, and how pamuk's life has been shaped by this
environment.

it's also interesting because he grew up in cihangir (where i
am living right now) and talks a lot about the neighborhood,
the people, and the things he remembers.

there's another book i would really like to buy before i
leave turkey, but i don't think it has been published yet. it's
a collection of stories (all personal essays, i believe) written
by foreign women who live or have lived in turkey. the book
is called tales from the ex-pat harem and i hope i can find it
here because it won't be published in the USA until spring 2006.

posted by camille @ 11:47 AM