Elif Shafak

There are Rivers in the Sky is an enchanting epic, told through the vantage of a single raindrop, where the sacred mysteries of water, science, and poetry collide. This rich, sweeping novel is set between the 19th century and modern times. It explores themes of love and loss, memory and erasure, hurt and healing. At its heart are three enchanting...

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak is a captivating and poignant novel that delves into the intertwined lives of two star-crossed lovers in war-torn Cyprus and their enduring legacy decades later. This Sunday Times bestselling novel intricately weaves themes of love, loss, and identity amidst a backdrop of cultural and historical turmoil. Set in 1974 on the island...

How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division by Elif Shafak is a compelling and crucial read, especially in today's fragmented world. As societal rifts deepen and misinformation flourishes, Shafak’s work becomes an essential guide on how to navigate the chaos with clarity and hope. This eloquent, pocket-sized book offers a profound exploration into the current state of our...

A rich, sensual novel that gives voice to the invisible - Financial Times, shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2019. In the first minute following her death, Tequila Leila's consciousness began to ebb, slowly and steadily, like a tide receding from the shore. Her brain cells, having run out of blood, were now completely deprived of oxygen. But they did not...

A violent secret that hides beneath the streets of Istanbul threatens the peace of two interwoven families. One rainy afternoon in Istanbul, a woman walks into a doctor's surgery. "I want an abortion," she announces. She is nineteen years old and unmarried. What happens that afternoon is to change her life and the lives of everyone around her. Twenty years...

A sweeping, magical novel from Elif Shafak set in 16th-century Istanbul, bursting with colour, romance, and white elephants. When Jahan travels to 16th-century Istanbul as a stowaway carrying the gift of a white elephant for the sultan, little does he know the journey on which he is about to embark. As he settles into life in Istanbul, Jahan's fortunes are...

A breath-taking novel about a violent secret that threatens the peace of two interwoven families – now a Penguin Essential. One rainy afternoon in Istanbul a woman walks into a doctor's surgery. 'I want an abortion', she announces. She is nineteen years old, and unmarried. What happens that afternoon is to change her life, and the lives of everyone around...

A magical, cross-century tale of self-discovery from the Booker-shortlisted author of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World - now a Penguin Essential. Ella Rubinstein has a husband, three teenage children, and a pleasant home. Everything that should make her confident and fulfilled. Yet, there is an emptiness at the heart of Ella's life - an emptiness once filled...

A beautiful and compelling novel that considers the damage which can be inflicted by our simple desire to look at others. 'I didn't say anything. I didn't return his smiles. I looked at him in the wide mirror in front of where I was sitting. He grew uncomfortable and avoided my eyes. I hate those who think fat people are...

A gripping tale of love, betrayal, and two clashing cultures, from the Booker-shortlisted author; now a Penguin Essential. My mother died twice. I promised myself I would not let her story be forgotten. Pembe and Adem Toprak leave Turkey for London. There they make new lives for their family. Yet the traditions and beliefs of their home come with them...

From one of the most beloved authors writing today, a mesmerising novel about finding love and inspiration in the most unlikely of places - now with a beautiful new jacket. Ella Rubinstein has a husband, three teenage children, and a pleasant home. Everything that should make her confident and fulfilled. Yet there is an emptiness at the heart of her...

A powerful, sweeping tale of faith, love and friendship set across Istanbul and Oxford. Peri, a wealthy Turkish housewife, is on her way to a dinner party at a seaside mansion in Istanbul when a beggar snatches her handbag. As she wrestles to get it back, a photograph falls to the ground—an old Polaroid of three young women and their...

This is an exceptional moment for democracy. In the year of elections, read Margaret Atwood, Mary Beard, Lea Ypi, Elif Shafak and more on what democracy means - and why it matters. In 2024, nearly half the world will take part in a national election, with billions heading to the polls. It's a thrilling, unprecedented opportunity for change - yet...

The new novel from the Booker-shortlisted, internationally bestselling author of There Are Rivers in the Sky and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World. In One Brief Moment All Eternity is an astonishing new novel by the bestselling, prize-winning novelist Elif Shafak. Spanning decades and continents, from revolutionary 19th century France to Istanbul, Egypt, and Beirut, it is a...

In this lyrical, exuberant tale, acclaimed Turkish author Elif Shafak, author of The Island of Missing Trees (a Reese's Book Club Pick), incarnates Rumi's timeless message of love. Ella Rubenstein is forty years old and unhappily married when she takes a job as a reader for a literary agent. Her first assignment is to read and report on Sweet Blasphemy,...

The latest masterpiece from Elif Shafak, There are Rivers in the Sky, promises readers an unforgettable journey through time and space, transcending the ordinary boundaries of storytelling. From the acclaimed Booker-shortlisted author of The Island of Missing Trees and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World, this novel intertwines history, mythology, and human fragility in a way only Shafak...