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"Istanbul is the contradiction of East and West, not their synthesis."Interwiew with Nikos Vatopoulos from "Kathimerini"1. Modern Turkish literature has shown signs of maturity and produces now what I would call "urban" novels. Do you see yourself belonging to a new generation of writers who talk about urban life with no immediate references to history and politics? The important thing for me is to tell a story. The location doesnt matter, It could be a city or an Anatolian village. Also politics and history can take their parts if the story asks for it. I really don't have any prejudgments about these issues. For instance, my second novel's ("Bu Iste Bir Yalnizlik var-The Way of Loneliness") backdrop is the Turkish economical crisis that took place at 2001 and my characters are influenced by the era. This necessarily creates a historical background but I frankly don't like novels that have a pure political expression. I dont feel like belonging to a certain generation or a movement. Maybe it is historians and critics job to determine where i stand I think that a writer should think about what he is going to write next rather then wondering his position in the world of literature. 2. Your novel has a central character and many secondary characters, building a network of relations. What was your aim as you placed your hero on the turning point of youth/maturity, father/lover, friendship/ solitude ? Good point. There really is one centric story and some other side stories that help it to grow. This is the kind of 'story telling' I like most. I mean, putting the main character at the center of a dramatic situation and watching it over. The subjects that you mention are the things I would like to discuss in my novels. When does the youth ends and the maturity begins? What does being a father mean? Can love and friendship save us from our loneliness? These are the things I argue with myself. I share them with my readers in my novels. 3. I particularly liked your sense of humour on the edge of sarcasm. I have a feeling that is also a new trend in Turkish literarture. Do you agree? Thank you, that is so kind of you. Turkish Literature always had it's own kind of sense of humor. You can feel it when you read Ahmet Hamdi's or Huseyin Rahmi's work which were written at the beginning of the century. Sadly the world is discovering it newly I think that telling a sad story by using humor makes the sadness deeper. t is just like a friend of yours telling you a sad memory of his and smiling at the same time. It is just as touching 4. What are you writing now? At the moment, I am writing a novel based on two women's dialogues. One of them is old and the other one is young. The old woman is a jew who had witnessed the 2nd world war. The young girl is a muslim from Istanbul. They are both hurt by love. They find each other at Geneva. 5. Where you born in Istanbul? Do you feel linked to the culture of this city? Can we talk of an Istanbul School of Literature? Even that I was born in Eskisehir, the roots of my family belong to Fatih, which is one of Istanbul's oldest districts. I guess because of that, I love Istanbul's historical part most. When I go there, I feel connecting to the history of Ottoman and Byzantium. Visiting Old Istanbul is always like going back home. Istanbul is the contradiction of East and West, not their synthesis. Rock music gets lost in the 'ezan' at the streets, girls that look like they just popped out of a fashion magazine and the long bearded dervishs live side by side. Istanbul gets all its energy from these contradictions. Orhan Pamuk is one of the best writers who tells this 'feeling.' 6. How do you feel about Orhan Pamuk as a Nobel Laureate? Personally, i am very happy. I feel like someone from my family won the award. Orhan Pamuk is a 'complete' Istanbul writer. He examines Istanbul's position between East and West. He trys to reach a synthesis, just like the city itself trys all the time. As you know, Istanbul is both westerner and easterner. That's why it can be the antithesis of the 'Clash of Civilizations' in the world. I think, this is what the Nobel Academy rewarded. 7. Do you feel part of a global generation of shared values? When I'm reading Zadie Smith, Alain de Botton or Panos Karnezis, I notice that we have a common sense of melancholy and humor. It is also the same when I'm reading Eastern writers like Banana Hoshimoto or Shan Sa... It is obvious that we have read the same books, watched the same movies or singed the same songs. We have similar hopes and fears about the world. We are all trying to add our local color to the literature. 8. What was the reception of your novel ("Bu Iste Bir Yalnizlik Var-The Way of Loneliness") in Turkey? It was one of the best sellers of the year. Some critics that i respect a lot, wrote surprisingly good reviews. At the same time, it was little bit of a surprise to everyone. No one was expecting a young writer to get so much attention. To be honest, I wasnt expecting It myself too. 9. Do you view yourself in the future as a full time writer? I am a full time writer at the moment. I spend my day with writing or playing with my son. I dont only write novels, I also write song lyrics for some Rock bands, screenplays and I have a column in a daily Turkish newspaper. 10. Do you play music yourself as the hero in your novel? Yes, I admit that I am a loser musician! When I was younger I tried everything to stay on the stage but it just didn't work out. I still love to get together with my friends and play some music. I like spending time with musicians, it helps me to balance the feeling of desolation that writing gives me. 16/12/2006-Kathimerini, Athens |
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