Elif Shafak
Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist and storyteller, whose 21 books—translated into 58 languages—include The Island of Missing Trees, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World, and The Forty Rules of Love. A fellow and Vice President of the Royal Society of Literature, she holds a PhD in political science, has taught at Oxford University, and is a celebrated voice for women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and freedom of expression. Her latest book, There Are Rivers in the Sky, is out in paperback now.
We loved speaking with Elif and hearing about how and why she moved from writing in Turkish to English, and how she found the transition. We also speak about censorship, including the need to not self-censor as you write, and how she uses her writing to explore important and topical themes.