The museum of innocence by Orhan Pamuk
18 Apr 2011 20 Comments
in Turkey Tags: 2011, NOBEL LIT, TRANSLATIONS
Source – library
Translator – Maureen Freely
Orhan Pamuk won the nobel prize in 2006 ,he was the first Turkish citizen to win a nobel prize .he is professor of comparative literature at Columbia university ,he has been at odds at times with his own country about its past he has had a number of books translated into in english by Maureen Freely that has also done the Istanbul memories book and his novel snow .,this book like his book Istanbul memories of a city which I read and I feel probably inspired this book in a lot of ways Istanbul is like an extra character at times
Well Museum of innocence is an epic book ,it has scope and vision it use the Janus like city of Istanbul ,a city torn between the arabic and western world ,between old and new ,also between classes .The book is a history of a love affair between a lowly shop girl and a much older businessman ,now I know what you are thinking this is going be a book about a dirty old man ,a new Lolita .W ell no it is a bout true love in its purest sense ,about obsession ,class and society within turkey ..so who are these people ? the lowly shop girl Fusun is beautiful the sort of girl who stops men in the track but she is only a shop girl ,the man is Kemal he is heir ,a man railroad into marriage by expectations of his class to keep the status quo going .so they embark on a 20 year affair ,The clandestine couple meet at an apartment ,this place becomes the home of the museum of innocence as Kemal start converting every thing about Fusun ,he has put this lowly girl on a pedestal ,over the course of the book we see the affair unfold and the collecting of items increase greatly .
During my eight years of going to Keshkins for supper ,I was able to squirrel away 4,213 of Fusun’s cigarette butts .Each one of these had touched her rosy red lips and entered her mouth ,some even touching her tongue and becoming moist ,as I would discover when I put my finger on the filter soon after she had stubbed the cigarette out ,the stub ,reddened by her lovely lipstick bore the unique impression of her lips .
Kermal gathering items for his collection .
This book is the best of the four I ve read by Pamuk ,he even writes himself into the story at a couple of points being observed at some parts .I found this love affair touching and sad touched with the sadness of what should have been in a different world .The apartment is a bit like bridge that cross the Bosphorus connecting the two parts of the city ,in this case the apartment connects two classes of Istanbul .There is something timeless about the story ,I can see this being popular for a long time due the love ,obsession ,city and characters that make up Museum of innocence .the book is on the IFFP short list
Istanbul the heart of this story .
HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK OR ANY BY PAMUK ?
national poetry day – the book of things by Ilhan Berk
07 Oct 2010 6 Comments
in poems, TRANSLATIONS, Turkey Tags: 2010, TRANSLATIONS
Ilhan Berk was turkey’s foremost poet a member of the post modernist ,he was a leading light in the second new genration of Turkish poets ,Salt publishing has published a number of his works in translation including this one translated by the Aanglo Turkish poet George Messo,his style is sparce ,visual using ppictures and photos ,avant grade but approachable ,he lived most of his life in Bodrum and Died in 2008 ,as the theme for National poetry day is Home ,I thought of Ilhan Berks long Poem – House
A GRAND METAPHOR :HOSE II
House rings instantly at the door of the world’s rich images.
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House:privileged existence.
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House is a grand metaphor :both right beside us.and at the end of the earth .
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The house is you.
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House is your homeland
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Our name ,house
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The house has no one.
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Everything talks at home .
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Stairs either go up,or down
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At home the door is either opeen or closed.
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The house is tight lipped.
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Language is the house.
House stores time and lives.
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Narrow paths feed the house.
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A great dream: to be at home .
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House :throne of the unconscious.
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House is the world .
this is the first part of long poem called House .
love clever Typography ,his use of language ,which has been wonderfully brought alive in English by George Messo ,simple at times but like a magic eye picture full of depth and hidden meanings the more you read theem ,if you want a collection that will stick with you to next National poetry day and beyond try this one .
