“I like to borrow a metaphor from the great poet and mystic Rumi who talks about living like a drawing compass. One leg of the compass is static. It is fixed and rooted in a certain spot. Meanwhile, the other leg draws a huge wide circle around the first one, constantly moving. Just like that, one part of my writing is based in Istanbul. It has strong local roots. Yet at the same time the other part travels the whole wide world, feeling connected to several cities, cultures, and peoples.” WorldWritingFirstsWholeFeelingsMovingCertainCultureStrongCitiesPoetHugeDrawsRootsMetaphorLegsConnectedWideDrawingCirclesLocalsSpotsFixedRootedCompassMysticStaticGreat PoetIstanbulConstantly Moving Author:Elif Safak
“No reason to feel depressed about being depressed. A depression can be a golden opportunity to collect the pieces and build ourselves anew. Global Souls are always on the move, nomads at heart, connected to various cities, commuters between cultures, both from here and everywhere.” FeelsHeartSoulReasonMovingCultureOpportunityCitiesPiecesVariousConnectedGoldenNo ReasonNomadBeing DepressedGolden Opportunity Author:Elif Safak
“But let us not forget that cities are like human beings. They are born, they go through childhood and adolescence, they grow old, and eventually they die” HumansDiesGrowsBornHuman BeingsForgetCitiesChildhoodAdolescence Author:Elif Safak
“Cities are erected on spiritual columns. Like giant mirrors, they reflect the hearts of their residents. If those hearts darken and lose faith, cities will lose their glamour.” IfsHeartSpiritualLosesCitiesMirrorsGiantsGlamourColumnsResidents Author:Elif Safak
“Yeah, we should all line up along the Bosphorus Bridge and puff as hard as we can to shove this city in the direction of the West. If that doesn't work, we'll try the other way, see if we can veer to the East. It's no good to be in between. International politics does not appreciate ambiguity.” IfsWayShouldTryingDoeHardLinesCitiesAppreciateYeahWestInternationalEastBridgesAmbiguityPuffBosphorus Author:Elif Safak
