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The Women's Podcast

Elif Shafak: There are Rivers in the Sky

Aug 15, 2024
Elif Shafak, a renowned Turkish-British author known for her compelling storytelling on global issues, discusses her new novel as a "love letter to water". She reflects on the climate crisis and its impact on fresh water supply, emphasizing storytelling as a means of advocacy. Shafak shares insights from her nomadic upbringing and the strength of women in her life. Surprising listeners, she also reveals her passion for melodic death metal, illustrating how it fuels her creativity. Their poignant conversation weaves together personal and political themes.
45:11

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Elif Shafak's novel highlights the interconnectedness of humanity and the environment through the metaphor of water, emphasizing shared experiences across borders.
  • The discussion underscores the urgent need to address the fresh water crisis, particularly its disproportionate effects on women and marginalized communities.

Deep dives

The Connection of Water Across Cultures

The novel 'There Are Rivers in the Sky' is described as a love letter to water, revealing how rivers like the Thames and Tigris connect humanity across borders. The discussion emphasizes that despite geographical differences, all water is made of the same drops, which highlights our interconnectedness as human beings and our relationship with nature. Elif Shafak uses the metaphor of a single raindrop to illustrate the shared experience of humanity. This perspective encourages a reflection on how deeply entwined our lives are with the environment around us.

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