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I hope that the news of Orhan Pamuk's Nobel Prize for Literature turns some people on to this Turkish writer. Although I've read only one of his books, "Snow," I consider myself a big fan. Here's a BBC link with all the details. (Yes, this laughing photo of the writer paired with this post seems hokey, but I like it.)

Novelist Acquitted

A Turkish court dismissed charges against novelist Elif Shafak, and now I have yet another book to add to my ever-expanding reading list. Shafak had been accused of denigrating Turkishness because characters in her book "The Bastard of Istanbul" discussed the massacre of Ottoman Armenians during WWI, which is a major no-no in Turkey. Article 301, the law under which Shafak would have been prosecuted, has a "1984"-Room 101 ring to it. Here's the BBC's report for more details.

Turkish Taboo

I've never heard of her before, but now I want to read her. Another Turkish writer, Elif Shafak, will go on trial next week under the same law that almost put Orhan Pamuk behind bars. The crime? "Publicly denigrating Turkish identity." Shafak's case is a bit different from Pamuk's. Pamuk, whose case was dismissed, was to face a judge after he publicly talked about the highly taboo subject of the Turkish slaughter -- many believe genocide -- of Ottoman Armenians during WWI. Shafak, on the other hand, has come under attack because in one of her fictional books, characters discuss the genocide. This case seems utterly absurd. (Image via Winternachten.nl)

All Orhan, All the Time

Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk's speech at PEN World Voices was the hottest ticket in town last week. If you missed the event, don't fret. The New York Review of Books published his address in its latest edition. If you don't have time to read it, again, no problem. While checking your email or shopping for shoes online, you can listen to Pamuk himself give the speech at the PEN website. This site, by the way, will keep you busy for hours. It has audio recordings and photos of almost every major event at the four-day festival.

No Interviews Please, We're Turkish

Orhan Pamuk recently spoke at a PEN World Voices forum, and, as the NY Sun points out, although his address was about freedom of speech, he refused to give any interviews:

A Knopf publicist told one reporter that [Pamuk] was not taking interviews. So it was somewhat ironic that Mr. Pamuk was whisked out of a PEN World Voices panel--which is dedicated to freedom of speech and expression--as several people wanted to speak with the noted writer.

I can understand Pamuk's reluctance to give interviews considering the fact that he was tried in Turkey based on an interview he gave (the charges were dropped). If interested, here's an account of the author's PEN World speech. (Image of Pamuk and Margaret Atwood via MetaxuCafe)

Charges Dropped

A Turkish court has dropped charges against writer Orhan Pamuk that he denigrated "Turkishness." Pamuk could have been sent to prison for up to three years under a law that forbids insulting the republic or parliament. Pamuk was charged after he commented in an interview about the Turkish slaughter/genocide of Armenian Kurds. Here's a BBC link with more details. Pamuk is one of my favorite authors. Check out his novel "Snow" or his memoir "Istanbul: Memories and the City."

Trial Postponed

Orhan Pamuk's trial for "denigrating Turkish identity" has been postponed. Yesterday, a Turkish judge said that the case would need approval by the Justice of Ministry before it could proceed. The next hearing is set for February 7. Here's a BBC link with all the facts.

The Subject Was Genocide

By the time you read this, Orhan Pamuk's future may have already been decided. Pamuk, an amazing Turkish writer whose works leave many a Western novelist in the dust, will stand before a Turkish judge today for the crime of "publicly denigrating Turkish identity." As Pamuk explains in this week's New Yorker, he came under attack after publicly talking about the highly taboo subject of the Turkish slaughter -- many believe genocide -- of Ottoman Armenians during WWI. I read Pamuk's "Snow" last year, and it blew me away, so I will be surely checking on the trial's outcome throughout the day. (Image via Orhanpamuk.net)