Orhan Pamuk

Orhan Pamuk grew up in an affluent, Westernized district of Istanbul called Nisantasi. When he was young, he dreamed of becoming a professional artist. He studied at the American Robert College and Istanbul Technical University, but dropped out of his architecture program there in order to enroll in the journalism program at Istanbul University. At 23, he decided to become a novelist, and moved in with his parents in order to focus on his writing. His first book, Cevdet Bey and His Sons, was published seven years later in 1982, and received critical acclaim. Since then, he has published 19 books in total, most of which have been translated into English (as well as many other languages). Pamuk’s novels often explore the meeting of Eastern and Western cultures epitomized in the city of Istanbul. He is a vocal critic of the Turkish government, speaking out against restrictions on freedom of expression and against the state’s treatment of Kurds. In 2006 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. He currently holds the position of Robert Yik-Fong Tam Professor of the Humanities at Columbia University.