Ayşe Kulin
Author of Last Train to Istanbul: A Novel
About the Author
Works by Ayşe Kulin
Sarajevo Of Love and War: National Best Seller from the author of Face to Face, Farawell and Last Train to Istanbul (2012) 5 copies
Dönüş: Aldatmanın, aldatılmanın, affetmenin, acıtan gerçeklerin romanı. (Turkish Edition) (2018) 4 copies
Handan Midi Boy 2 copies
TRENI I FUNDIT PËR STAMBOLL 1 copy
4 Gün 3 Gece 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1941-08-26
- Gender
- female
- Education
- American College for Girls, Turkey
- Short biography
- Ayşe Kulin, Arnavutköy Amerikan Kız Koleji Edebiyat bölümünü bitirdi. Çeşitli gazete ve dergilerde editör ve muhabir olarak çalıştı. Uzun yıllar televizyon, reklam ve sinema filmlerinde sahne yapımcısı, sanat yönetmeni ve senarist olarak görev yaptı.
Öykülerden oluşan ilk kitabı Güneşe Dön Yüzünü 1984 yılında yayınlandı. Bu kitaptaki Gülizar adlı öyküyü, Kırık Bebek adıyla senaryolaştırdı ve bu filmi 1986 yılında Kültür Bakanlığı Ödülü'nü kazandı.
1986'da sahne yapımcılığını ve sanat yönetmenliğini üstlendiği Ayaşlı ve Kiracıları adlı dizideki çalışmasıyla Tiyatro Yazarları Derneği'nin En İyi Sanat Yönetmeni Ödülü'ni kazandı.
1996 yılında Münir Nureddin Selçuk'un yaşam öyküsünün anlatıldığıBir Tatlı Huzur adlı kitabı yayınlandı. Aynı yıl, Foto Sabah Resimleri adlı öyküsü Haldun Taner Öykü Ödülü'nü, bir yıl sonra aynı adı taşıyan kitabı Sait Faik Hikaye Armağanı'nı kazandı.
1997'de yayınlanan Adı Aylin adlı biyografik romanı ile, İstanbul İletişim Fakültesi tarafından yılın yazarı seçildi.
1998 yılında Geniş Zamanlar adlı öykü kitabı, 1999'da Iletişim Fakültesi tarafından yılın romanı seçilmiş olanSevdalinka ve 2000'de yine bir biyografik roman olan Füreyya yayınlandı.Geniş Zamanlar adlı öykü kitabı 2007 yılında Star Tv ekranlarında dizi olarak yayınlanmaya başlandı.
2001 yılında yayınlanan Köprü isimli romanı ile Doğu illerimizde yaşanan dramın kökenleri ve Cumhuriyet tarihi içindeki nedenlerini ele aldı.
Ayşe Kulin 2002 yılında yayınlanan Nefes Nefese isimli romanı ile ikinci dünya savaşı sırasında yüzlerce Yahudi'yi soykırımda kurtaran Türk diplomatlarının kahramanlıklarını bir aşk öyküsü ile birlikte işliyor. - Nationality
- Turkey
- Birthplace
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Associated Place (for map)
- Istanbul, Turkey
Members
Reviews
Last Train to Istanbul was slow to leave the station, but once it took off, what a ride it was! The first third of the book introduces various characters and their back stories. Older sister Sabiha and her diplomat husband, Macit, live in Ankara with their young daughter and Sabiha’s parents. Younger sister Selva married Rafael, a Jew, against her Muslim family’s wishes. Selva and Rafo found it more comfortable to live in Marseilles where they won’t have to face the disapproval from show more both families. Sabiha is the French tutor for Tarik, a young diplomat in her husband’s office, who develops an unrequited passion for Sabiha. His new language skills have him prepared when he’s promoted to a position in the Paris embassy.
The German occupation of France changes everything for Selva and Rafo. Their Turkish citizenship is the only thing keeping Rafo from being interred with the other Jews in France. As neutral Turkey faces pressure from both sides in the conflict, their diplomats in France don’t know how long they’ll be able to protect their Jewish citizens on French soil, so they begin to make plans for a train to take the Jews to Istanbul and out of German reach.
Although the characters in this novel are fictional, many are based on real people. The Turkish diplomats in France are said to have saved many Jews from the Holocaust. For instance,Necdet Kent, a Turkish consul in Marseilles during the war who died the year of this book’s release, claimed to have boarded a train filled with Jews (some Turkish) being deported to secure their release .
If I were a film producer, I’d option the film rights for this book. My film version would write out Sabiha, since I think the book would be stronger without her and her neuroses. Her diplomat husband, Macit, might become Selva’s brother, or maybe I’d have her father still working instead of retired. Tarik’s unrequited passion would be for Selva, who chose Rafo instead, and this love would inspire his actions to aid the Turkish Jews in fleeing France.
This is really a 3 ½ star book, but I’ve boosted it by half a star since I loved the last half so much. show less
The German occupation of France changes everything for Selva and Rafo. Their Turkish citizenship is the only thing keeping Rafo from being interred with the other Jews in France. As neutral Turkey faces pressure from both sides in the conflict, their diplomats in France don’t know how long they’ll be able to protect their Jewish citizens on French soil, so they begin to make plans for a train to take the Jews to Istanbul and out of German reach.
Although the characters in this novel are fictional, many are based on real people. The Turkish diplomats in France are said to have saved many Jews from the Holocaust. For instance,
If I were a film producer, I’d option the film rights for this book. My film version would write out Sabiha, since I think the book would be stronger without her and her neuroses. Her diplomat husband, Macit, might become Selva’s brother, or maybe I’d have her father still working instead of retired. Tarik’s unrequited passion would be for Selva, who chose Rafo instead, and this love would inspire his actions to aid the Turkish Jews in fleeing France.
This is really a 3 ½ star book, but I’ve boosted it by half a star since I loved the last half so much. show less
Selva is the daughter of a traditional Turkish man who disowned her when she decided to marry Rafael Alfandari, son of a prominent physician--and a Jew. As much as it pained her to lose the connection to her family, Selva had to follow her heart. And to get out of the shadow of disapproval from both sets of parents, Selva and Rafael relocated to France where they had a son and made a life for themselves. But things changed quickly when the Nazis invaded France and began seeking out and show more rounding up Jews. While Turkey, being neutral in the conflict, has been able to keep some of their Jewish citizens from being taken, they worry that they may not be able to protect them in the face of continuing extreme approaches by Nazi officials. In an effort to keep their citizens safe, Turkish officials arrange for a train to bring a single car of Turkish citizens home. But for people like Selva, whose community includes friends who are not Turkish but are clearly in danger, there's a compulsion to take a risk to protect them. And it's a risk that could lead to consequences for everyone...
This is a wonderfully-written and well-researched piece of writing that I am so glad I took the time to read. While this period of humanity's history is challenging to approach and read about, I think it's incredibly important that we don't simply ignore it. And thankfully this story provides the contrast between those who acted with very little regard for others and those who are willing to risk themselves in service of doing what's right. You'll quickly become connected to these characters. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll enjoy an excellent story that embodies the better aspects of our nature. show less
This is a wonderfully-written and well-researched piece of writing that I am so glad I took the time to read. While this period of humanity's history is challenging to approach and read about, I think it's incredibly important that we don't simply ignore it. And thankfully this story provides the contrast between those who acted with very little regard for others and those who are willing to risk themselves in service of doing what's right. You'll quickly become connected to these characters. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll enjoy an excellent story that embodies the better aspects of our nature. show less
It was interesting reading a book about the experience of a Jewish refugee family in modern Turkey, a country I’d known virtually nothing about. As much as I enjoy multigenerational family epics, this one left something to be desired; the pacing was off and some of the characters underdeveloped. The conception of religion felt reductive as well. I thought that angle could have been a lot more interesting, even if it were looked upon mainly as an expression of culture. It’s told but not show more shown that characters are Jewish, Muslim, or Christian. There isn’t a whole lot of religious content to their religions. show less
Multi-generational family saga that takes place mostly in Turkey over a period of over eighty years. It starts with a family of Jewish Germans fleeing Hitler prior to the start of WWII. The story begins in 1933 with Dr. Gerhard Schliemann, his wife Elsa, and their two children, Peter and Susy, leaving their home at short notice and eventually making their way to Turkey. Gerhard and other Jewish scientists are hired by a Turkish university to help with the modernization of their curriculum. show more Although Germany still attempts to exert influence to dismiss the Jewish scientists, the family overcomes many difficulties and makes Istanbul their home. The story then shifts to Susy, who has readily adapted to the Turkish culture, and continues following the family’s legacy into 2016.
This novel starts out strong. The story of the doctor and his family fleeing the Nazis is riveting. When the narrative shifts to future generations, it reads more like a biography of each subsequent family member, and the momentum slows considerably. It begins to focus on family dramas, romantic relationships, and misunderstandings. At this point, the storyline takes a backseat to the history of the country.
The author excels at providing descriptions of the cities, the countryside, and what it is like to live there. She imparts the flavor of the Turkish culture and conveys a strong sense of the country as a melting pot of various religions and ethnicities. I enjoyed gaining more understanding of how Turkey developed into a modern nation. Although this is a fictional account, the history is based upon actual events, including the influx of Jewish Germans, ongoing anti-Semitism, military coups, political upheaval, and civil unrest.
Overall, I found this book to be a mixed bag. I enjoyed the historic aspects and it tempts me to visit Istanbul someday. Unfortunately, the family saga lacked depth and cohesiveness. My sense is that the author tried to capture too much in too few pages. show less
This novel starts out strong. The story of the doctor and his family fleeing the Nazis is riveting. When the narrative shifts to future generations, it reads more like a biography of each subsequent family member, and the momentum slows considerably. It begins to focus on family dramas, romantic relationships, and misunderstandings. At this point, the storyline takes a backseat to the history of the country.
The author excels at providing descriptions of the cities, the countryside, and what it is like to live there. She imparts the flavor of the Turkish culture and conveys a strong sense of the country as a melting pot of various religions and ethnicities. I enjoyed gaining more understanding of how Turkey developed into a modern nation. Although this is a fictional account, the history is based upon actual events, including the influx of Jewish Germans, ongoing anti-Semitism, military coups, political upheaval, and civil unrest.
Overall, I found this book to be a mixed bag. I enjoyed the historic aspects and it tempts me to visit Istanbul someday. Unfortunately, the family saga lacked depth and cohesiveness. My sense is that the author tried to capture too much in too few pages. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 54
- Members
- 1,692
- Popularity
- #15,179
- Rating
- 3.6
- Reviews
- 50
- ISBNs
- 131
- Languages
- 10