

Elif Shafak - The Forty Rules of Love
Mar 1, 2014
Elif Shafak, a celebrated Turkish-British novelist and essayist, dives into her bestselling novel, exploring love and mysticism through Rumi and Ella’s stories. She discusses the universal appeal of Rumi's teachings and reflects on how historical figures can be complex characters in fiction. The conversation also touches on navigating personal desires against societal expectations and the transformative power of Sufism. Elif shares insights on balancing solitude and connections in the creative process, making for an engaging dialogue on love transcending time and culture.
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Living Between Two Cities
- Elif Shafak lives between London and Turkey and feels psychologically split between both places.
- She says being physically in one makes her miss the other, which feeds her cosmopolitan perspective.
Mysticism As A Shared Quest
- Elif was drawn to mysticism intellectually first and later emotionally.
- She links Islamic, Jewish, Christian and Taoist mystic quests as sharing common ground.
Blend Fact With Fiction Carefully
- Where historical facts support you, stay loyal, and where fiction serves the story, choose artistic freedom.
- Balance respect for real figures with treating them as human, flawed characters.