About
Elif Şafak is a British-Turkish novelist born on 25 October 1971 in Strasbourg. She writes in both Turkish and English and has published 21 books, including 13 novels, translated into 58 languages. Her debut novel, Pinhan, won the Rumi Prize in 1998. She is known for works such as The Bastard of Istanbul (2006) and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World (2019), which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Her novel The Island of Missing Trees was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2022. She has received numerous awards, including the Halldór Laxness International Literature Prize in 2021 and the British Academy President's Medal in 2024. She is also a prominent advocate for women's rights and freedom of expression.
* 1971-10-25
Major works
- Pinhan (1997)novel
- The Bastard of Istanbul (2006)novel
- Black Milk (2007)memoir
- 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World (2019)novel
- The Island of Missing Trees (2021)novel
Key milestones
- 2006Prosecuted in Turkey for 'denigrating Turkishness' over her novel The Bastard of Istanbul, then acquitted.
- 2010Appointed Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters in France.
- 2024Awarded the British Academy President's Medal for her body of work.
Themes
Identity and belongingMemory and historyFeminism and women's rightsExile and migrationFreedom of expression
Sources: britannica.com · thebookerprizes.com