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“Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?” –Elif Şafak, The Gaze
Her Birth
Elif Şafak was born in Strasbourg, France on October 25, 1971. Her mother was member of Turkey’s diplomatic corps, and gave birth to Şafak while posted in France.
Personal Information
Elif Şafak is the daughter of Nuri Bilgin (a philosopher) and Safak Atayman (a diplomat). She is married to Eyup Can (a journalist) and they have two children, Sehrazat (daughter), Emir (son).
Şafak received a degree in International Relations at the Middle East Technical University of Ankara. She later went on to earn a Masters degree in Gender and Women’s Studies and a Doctorate in Political Science. Şafak has since taught at several universities, including the University of Arizona and the University of Michigan.
When Şafak started publishing in English, she also decided to change her pen name. If you search he by the name Elif Şafak, you will get results showing her English pen name Elif Shafak. She has written 17 books, 11 being novels.
Criminal Charges in Turkey
In 2006 Şafak faced three years in prison due to criminal charges brought against her in Turkey. What brought these charges? In her novel The Bastard of Istanbul Şafak used the term genocide when an Armenian-American refers to the massacre of Armenian people in 1915.
The charges against Şafak were brought under the terms of the Turkish Criminal Code, Article 301. This article criminalizes statements perceived as insulting to Turkey or Turkishness. In her first court appearance Şafak argued that because her novel in question is fictional it is exempt from the terms of the article, and the judge agreed. This case was reopened a few months later, but was once again dismissed.
List of awards
| Year | Award | Work |
| 1998 | The Great Rumi Award | Pinhan |
| 2000 | Union of Turkish Writers’ Best Novel Prize | The Gaze |
| 2005 | Shortlisted for Independent Foreign Fiction Prize | The Flea Palace |
| 2007 | Longlisted for Independent Foreign Fiction Prize | The Gaze |
| 2008 | Longlisted for Orange Prize for Fiction | The Bastard of Istanbul |
| 2011 | Prix ALEF – Mention Spéciale Littérature Etrangère | The Forty Rules of Love (Soufi, mon amour, Phébus) |
| 2012 | Nominated (longlisted) for International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award Longlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize | The Forty Rules of Love Honour |
| 2013 | Longlisted for Women’s Prize for Fiction 2013 Prix Relay des voyageurs Nominated (longlisted) for International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award | Honour Honour (Crime d’honneur, Phébus) Honour |
| 2014 | le prix Escapades Prix du livre Lorientales | Honour (Crime d’honneur, Phébus) |
| 2015 | longlisted for Walter Scott Historical Novel Prize shortlisted for RSL Ondaatje Prize | The Architect’s Apprentice |
Elif Şafak 