The Black Book

Description

In his novel “The Black Book,” Pamuk says, “I ended up thinking about another story where the only way to be yourself was to become someone else or lose your way in another story. The story I want to write in The Black Book reminds me of a third or fourth story, very similar to the love story we know, and the memories that crumble, each opening onto the next… But in the end, nothing is as amazing as life. There is only writing, only writing, only writing. Yes, without a doubt, only writing, for it is the solace of the soul.” What distinguishes Orhan Pamuk from other Turkish writers is that writing is existence for him. While this certainly doesn’t mean he’s the most committed writer, it’s how he defines himself so concisely. Even if writing is a form of self-expression, love, or an indication of harmony with life and giving it meaning, he still seems enamored with it as a profession on the level that it means to him as a writer and novelist. On another level, it doesn’t adhere to this simple definition when writing is linked to subjects like history, politics, beauty, or any of the subjects related to his human existence.