Elif Shafak’s writing has always challenged norms and explored diverse voices and inspired through the power of story. Her work reflects a deep wisdom and, in this lecture that took place on Monday 10 November, she speaks about the beliefs she stands for, why she writes and the stories she wants to tell as one of Turkey and Britain’s most celebrated and influential novelist.

Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist, essayist, and public intellectual whose writing bridges cultures and disciplines. Her fiction is acclaimed for its lyrical storytelling, nuanced characterisation, and exploration of themes such as identity, memory, belonging, and the power of narrative to connect people across divides. A passionate advocate for freedom of expression, women’s rights, and LGBTQ+ equality, she speaks about the importance of empathy, imagination, and the written word in times of polarisation. Known for her imaginative scope and intellectual curiosity, Shafak’s writing illuminates the complexities of human experience with compassion and bold creativity. Through her distinctive narrative voice and cross-cultural vision, she brings to life stories that defy easy categorisation and amplify perspectives often left unheard.

Shafak is the author of There Are Rivers in the Sky, The Island of Missing Trees, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World, The Architect’s Apprentice, and The Forty Rules of Love, among many others. Her books have been translated into 58 languages and honoured with numerous literary awards, including the Edward Stanford Award and the Gordon Bowker Volcano Prize, and she has been shortlisted for both the Booker Prize and the Women’s Prize for Fiction. She was awarded the medal of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and received the Halldór Laxness International Literature Prize for her contribution to “the renewal of the art of storytelling”.

A Fellow and Vice President of the Royal Society of Literature, Shafak holds a PhD in political science and has taught at universities in Turkey, the US, and the UK, including Oxford University, where she is an honorary fellow. In 2024 she received the British Academy President’s Medal for her outstanding contribution to literature and intercultural understanding.

The suggested price for tickets is £10 to cover our costs, but free tickets are also available so as not to exclude anyone who would like to come. All are welcome.