Elif Shafak quotes

Elif Shafak is a renowned Turkish-British author known for her novels addressing identity, feminism, and cultural complexity. Her works often blend Eastern and Western storytelling traditions and explore political and social issues. She is celebrated as one of the most influential contemporary voices in world literature. Here are 4 of her quotes:

I have met lots of women who have grown up in Turkey who cannot bring themselves to swear in Turkish. But in English they use the F-word all the time. Writing is like that for me.

Elif Shafak

I learned to pay attention to the readers and not to the madness...Because to be a writer in Turkey is a bit like being kissed on one cheek and slapped on the other.

Elif Shafak

Many women are asking: why do some women choose to cover their heads? We have to understand this and other questions. This is one of the biggest challenges for feminism today. What is worrying is that when women are divided into categories it is the status quo – the patriarchy – that benefits....

Elif Shafak