“It happens all the time to you fortunate literate people: A maiden who can't read begs you to read a love letter she's received. The letter is so surprising, exciting and disturbing that its owner, though embarrassed at your becoming privy to her most intimate affairs, ashamed and distraught, asks you all the same to read it once more. You read it again, In the end, you've read the letter so many times that both of you have memorized it. Before long, she'll take the letter in her hands and ask, "Did he make that state- ment there?" and "Did he say that here?" As you point to the appropriate places, she'll pore over those passages, still unable to make sense of the words there. As she stares at the curvy letters of the words, sometimes I am so moved I forget that I myself can't read or write and feel the urge to embrace those illiterate maidens whose tears fall to the page.”
Quote by Orhan Pamuk
Work
In this intricate and atmospheric novel, the reader is transported to the bustling city of Istanbul during the reign of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. The story revolves around a group of miniaturists who are commissioned to create a book of the Sultan's life. As they work, they are haunted by a mysterious figure known as the Black Painter, who challenges their beliefs and artistic abilities. The novel delves into the complexities of the Ottoman society, the power of art, and the search for identity amidst religious and cultural tensions. more
Author
Orhan Pamuk, born on June 7, 1952, is a renowned Turkish novelist. His works are characterized by their depiction of Turkish society, history, and culture, and have won him a wide audience. Pamuk has received the Nobel Prize in Literature and is considered a leading figure in Turkish literature. more
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“You shouldn’t ever be ashamed of your tears.”