In 'Dawn,' Selahattin Demirtas explores the intertwining lives of individuals caught in the tumultuous landscape of contemporary Turkey. Set against a backdrop of political unrest and personal struggles, the characters navigate their hopes and fears in a society on the brink. With poignant prose, Demirtas illuminates the resilience of the human spirit amidst chaos. As their stories unfold, readers are drawn into a vivid tapestry of love, loss, and defiance. This masterfully crafted novel leaves you questioning the price of freedom and the power of dreams.
By Selahattin Demirtas
Published: 2019
"In the quiet hours of dawn, when the world holds its breath, we find the courage to face our shadows and the hope to rise anew."
A new book from Sarah Jessica Parker’s imprint, SJP for Hogarth: Written from behind bars, the unforgettable collection from one of Turkey’s leading politicians and most powerful storytellers. In this essential collection, Selahattin Demirtaş’s arresting stories capture the voices of ordinary people living through extraordinary times. A cleaning lady is caught up in a violent demonstration on her way to work. A five-year-old girl attempts to escape war-torn Syria with her mother by boat. A suicide bombing shatters a neighborhood in Aleppo. And in the powerful story, 'Seher', a young factory worker is robbed of her dreams in an unimaginable act of violence. Written with Demirtas’s signature wit, warmth, and humor, and alive with the rhythms of everyday speech, DAWN paints a remarkable portrait of life behind the headlines in Turkey and the Middle East – in all its hardship and adversity, freedom and hope.
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“In the quiet hours of dawn, when the world holds its breath, we find the courage to face our shadows and the hope to rise anew.”
Dawn
By Selahattin Demirtas
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Selahattin Demirtas is a prominent Kurdish writer and politician known for his impactful prose and poetry. Born in 1973 in Turkey, Demirtas has emerged as a significant voice in contemporary literature, often addressing themes of identity, social injustice, and human rights. His notable works include the acclaimed short story collection "Seher" and the novel "Devran," both of which reflect his unique storytelling style that blends realism with poetic elements. Despite facing political persecution and imprisonment, Demirtas remains an influential figure, utilizing his literary talents to advocate for freedom and equality.
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SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILEY'S WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 'A delicious, important novel' The Times 'Alert, alive and gripping' Independent 'Some novels tell a great story and others make you change the way you look at the world. Americanah does both.' Guardian As teenagers in a Lagos secondary school, Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love. Their Nigeria is under military dictatorship, and people are fleeing the country if they can. Ifemelu--beautiful, self-assured--departs for America to study. She suffers defeats and triumphs, finds and loses relationships and friendships, all the while feeling the weight of something she never thought of back home: race. Obinze--the quiet, thoughtful son of a professor--had hoped to join her, but post-9/11 America will not let him in, and he plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Thirteen years later, Obinze is a wealthy man in a newly democratic Nigeria, while Ifemelu has achieved success as a writer of an eye-opening blog about race in America. But when Ifemelu returns to Nigeria, and she and Obinze reignite their shared passion--for their homeland and for each other--they will face the toughest decisions of their lives. Fearless, gripping, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story of love and expectation set in today's globalized world.
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'Slaughterhouse-Five' follows the unconventional journey of Billy Pilgrim, a soldier who becomes 'unstuck in time' and experiences moments from his life out of sequence. As he navigates through the horrors of World War II, including the firebombing of Dresden, the narrative intertwines elements of science fiction and anti-war sentiment. Vonnegut's unique blend of dark humor and poignant commentary challenges the nature of free will and the chaos of war. Will Billy ever come to terms with his fragmented existence and the absurdity of human conflict? Join him on a mind-bending odyssey that questions reality and morality.
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