At once a fiendishly devious mystery, a beguiling love story, and a brilliant symposium on the power of art, My Name Is Red is a transporting tale set amid the splendor and religious intrigue of sixteenth-century Istanbul, from one of the most prominent contemporary Turkish writers. The Sultan has commissioned a cadre of the most acclaimed artists in the land to create a great book celebrating the glories of his realm. Their task: to illuminate the work in the European style. But because figurative art can be deemed an ...
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At once a fiendishly devious mystery, a beguiling love story, and a brilliant symposium on the power of art, My Name Is Red is a transporting tale set amid the splendor and religious intrigue of sixteenth-century Istanbul, from one of the most prominent contemporary Turkish writers. The Sultan has commissioned a cadre of the most acclaimed artists in the land to create a great book celebrating the glories of his realm. Their task: to illuminate the work in the European style. But because figurative art can be deemed an affront to Islam, this commission is a dangerous proposition indeed. The ruling elite therefore mustn't know the full scope or nature of the project, and panic erupts when one of the chosen miniaturists disappears. The only clue to the mystery-or crime? -lies in the half-finished illuminations themselves. Part fantasy and part philosophical puzzle, My Name is Red is a kaleidoscopic journey to the intersection of art, religion, love, sex and power. Translated from the Turkish by Erda M Goknar From the Trade Paperback edition.
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Add this copy of My Name is Red (Audio Cd) to cart. $29.99, new condition, Sold by Meadeco Media rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from VINE GROVE, KY, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by Random House Audio.
Pamuk tells two stories: that of the people in Istanbul at the end of the 15th century; and of their attitudes toward art and religion; so different from that we westerners are familiar with. He writes beautifully, and deeply. The use of many voices gives both altered perceptions and styles and allows the author to remain in the background, while telling the story more fully.
Kenneth Edwin V
Nov 27, 2010
Difficult read
I was curious as to what I could learn from this book by the Turkish author Orhan Pamuk--an cultural insight and there is some of that but the book seems for me to stand still, we learn about calligraphers and miniature artists and their work--but I must confess that I have stopped about 1/5 of the way through and hopefully I can get another start but not at this moment.
jchibi
Apr 3, 2007
New and Creative
Each chapter of the book is a different person persepctive. This is something i 've never seen in a book. It push's the story and gives it a creative edge. If you are wondering about Turkey this book has a lot of information that's given in the stroy. The first couple of chapters are hard to get into, but after that it's hard to put down.
