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bookelfe

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Jan 20, 2011 11:35

I almost wish I'd waited to read Orhan Pamuk's Istanbul: Memories and the City until after I'd actually had a chance to see Istanbul with my own eyes. (SOMEDAY.) But on the other hand, from the context of the book, coming to see Istanbul as a tourist wouldn't make a huge difference; he's writing an intensely personal memoir about growing up in ( Read more... )

booklogging, orhan pamuk

Comments 13

skelody January 20 2011, 17:23:05 UTC

'Melancholy', huh? That's a much more ~poetic~ translation than 'gloom'. /editttt

bookelfe January 20 2011, 17:30:30 UTC

'Melancholy' is what my translation of the book says, anyway! Before going on to spend pages and pages on how it is slightly different from melancholy, or a specific form of melancholy, but close enough for one to get the idea if they wish to be reductionist and do not understand Turkish. I do suspect Orhan Pamuk is the kind of writer to pick 'melancholy' over 'gloom'.

skelody January 20 2011, 17:59:51 UTC

LOL

That's a digression I can enjoy. Fascinating picture you're painting of this writer, aha.

bookelfe January 20 2011, 18:45:46 UTC

Hah, I find Orhan Pamuk a fairly fascinating gentleman! If you read just one thing of his, read Other Colours - it's a collection of essays on reading, writing and other topics, and it's beautiful.

(The comment has been removed)

bookelfe January 20 2011, 18:41:05 UTC

I desperately want to big travel this year but I think it is probably going to have to wait until next year, conditional on grad school. But OH how I want to be a backpacking student on summer break!

ceitfianna January 20 2011, 18:07:34 UTC

I've been to Istanbul, its a chaotic city and not one of the happiest. This book sounds like it might be worth a read and you should definitely go there.

Just also go to Athens and Greece too since Greece and Turkey are two sides of a really fascinating coin.

bookelfe January 20 2011, 18:42:59 UTC

My dream Mediterranean trip involves time in Israel with my relatives, Istanbul, Athens and Cairo. This dream trip may never actually happen, but it's nice to know what I would do with a million air miles if they fell into my lap.

cursor_mundi January 21 2011, 00:28:56 UTC

Have you read Pamuk's Snow, by chance? I've not read Istanbul, but the melancholy that diffused through Snow was very stylistically and emotionally striking.

But extended digressions and musings on architecture? Ufff, sign me up!

bookelfe January 21 2011, 05:03:08 UTC

Snow is actually the one of his major works I have not read! I think I've worked my way through most of the others now, which means that when I next feel in need of Pamuk-ish melancholy Snow will be next on the list.

izilen January 22 2011, 14:08:22 UTC

Ohhhh, man. I feely admit I did not get very far with this book. It strikes me as a little bit too GLOOMY, yes, never mind that I have never been one for ~autobiographical~ books in this style. SEE ALSO: never getting through Vargas Llosa's stuff.

(UNRELATED: I will reply to your email ONCE I FINISH READING THAT BOOK. I have the next one here already, ee)

bookelfe January 22 2011, 16:57:27 UTC

Haha, well, I will also freely admit that I was reading it last week when I was getting sick, and feeling slightly stressed out and gloomy! IT MATCHED MY MOOD. Although probably did not help it much . . .

(OH GOOD YOU WILL NEED IT. Because TRUST ME you will not want to be waiting on the next one.)