Life and Art from FT Weekend Novelist Elif Shafak: ‘Writers are the memory keepers’
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Dec 16, 2024 
Elif Shafak, a celebrated novelist with 13 novels, discusses her latest work, which intertwines stories across centuries, highlighting how fiction can illuminate forgotten histories. She shares insights on the role of oral traditions in preserving memory, especially within the Yazidi community. The conversation dives into nostalgia's dual nature, revealing how storytelling fosters connection amid identity struggles. Elif emphasizes the writer's role as a memory keeper and the importance of acknowledging emotions in today's complex societal landscape.
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Connecting with Ancestors
- Explore family stories and silences to connect with ancestral knowledge.
- Writers and poets act as memory keepers for their societies, preserving cultural heritage.
Novels as Keepers of Facts
- Novels are democratic spaces containing facts, not just escapism.
- Facts embedded within stories have a more profound and lasting impact.
Fiction and Truth
- Fiction conveys truth through emotions and stories, fostering emotional intelligence.
- It encompasses various disciplines, enabling a deeper understanding of the world.
