Jenny white, an anthropologist and the author of numerous nonfiction works on turkish society and politics, has written a real winner with her debut novel, the sultans seal. Jul 03, 2017 the book of the sultans seal does not read at all like a translation. Jenny white, an anthropologist and the author of numerous nonfiction works on turkish society and politics, has written a real winner with her debut novel, the sultan s seal. The crocodiles is the first book in a trilogy on the arab spring, of which paolo is the second part. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. The sultans seal publishers summary the body of a young englishwoman washes up in istanbul wearing a pendant inscribed with the seal of the deposed sultan. Feb, 2006 the sultan s seal by jenny white begins a series featuring kamil pasha as a magistrate in istanbul during the late 1800 s. Rich in sensuous detail, this first novel brilliantly captures t. Kamil pasha is a magistrate trying to introduce western methods of investigation and prosecution in a rigid and arthritic culture. Unlike the book of the sultans seal, it is not hard to look at the crocodiles as a roman a clef, and to speculate about how closely the events depicted in it bear a resemblance to the unknown facts of the authors life.
Please use the follow button to get notification about the latest chapter next time when you visit. Dec 26, 2014 emperors wore the quadrangular seal made of emerald, and they affixed the seal on documents recording treasury money and goods allocated to them. Together these create a portrait of cairo, city of post911 islam. For academic interest in the book of the sultans seal, see paul starkeys chapter in studying modern arabic literature, benjamin koerbers paper in the journal of arabic literature, and anton shammass remark on the english publishers website. I hope it is just the first in a long list of awards which this delicious cornucopia of a book deserves to receive. She is a professor of anthropology at boston university, specializing in tur. I read the sultans seal in preparation for a bookclub meeting. The book of the sultans seal by youssef rakha translated by paul starkey inte. Part confessional, part letter to a friend, part philosophical treatise and a journey of selfdiscovery. However, as i slowly got further and further into the novel, i found myself becoming more and more distracted. Iain pears rich in sensuous detail, this first novel brilliantly captures the political and social upheavals of the waning ottoman empire. Jenny white is the author of the kamil pasha novels, the sultans seal, the abyssinian proof, and the winter thief. The sultan s seal publisher s summary the body of a young englishwoman washes up in istanbul wearing a pendant inscribed with the seal of the deposed sultan.
Robin moger is almost done with paolo, i think, so fingers crossed it should be published in english soonish. The naked body of a young english woman washes up in the bosphorus wearing a pendant inscribed with the tughra, the sultan s seal, found only on possessions of the imperial household. A historical mystery with a bit of romance thrown in, this book makes for an unputdownable read. Our list is devoted to works of literature, history, contemporary politics, travel, art, and cuisine from around the world, often from areas underrepresented in western media. The sultans seal was a wellplotted, beautifully written novel set in istanbul in the last days of the ottoman empire. Read the sultan s seal a powerful blend of murder, mystery and romance set in the ottoman court by jenny white available from rakuten kobo. Even now they are working on a joint book, which is still secret but will feature a lighthouse and a greenland shark.
Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. A turkish murder mystery, love story and culturalhistorical panorama, told from three points of view. When the scene settles in your head, you will continue in your imagination. See also the abyssinian proof and the winter thiefby jenny white. Rich in sensuous detail, this first novel brilliantly captures the political and social upheavals of the waning ottoman empire. Around her neck is a pendant that contains the tughra, the sultans seal a signature that is only found on special possessions of the imperial household. Strange incidents from history in the city of mars interlink world fiction swallow edition series youssef rakha, translated from the arabic by paul starkey on. Youssef rakhas extraordinary the book of the sultans seal was published less than two weeks after then egyptian president hosni mubarak stepped down, following mass protests, in februa. With the book of the sultans seal, rakha has, in shammass words, realized at long last, one of the dreams of modern arabic novelists since. Youssef rakha biography, career,books, sultans seal.
The book of the sultans seal does not read at all like a translation. I read the sultan s seal in preparation for a bookclub meeting. This complex novel from rakha the crocodiles is set in 2007, and follows 30yearold mustafa corbaci, a disgruntled cairo newspaperman who is having an affair with a woman named yildiz. Jan 01, 2006 listen to sultan s seal audiobook by jenny white. Jan 08, 2020 even now they are working on a joint book, which is still secret but will feature a lighthouse and a greenland shark. Review the book of the sultans seal, youssef rakha bookblast. A gripping tale of murder in nineteenthcentury istanbul. Strange incidents from history in the city of mars interlink world fiction by youssef rakha, paul starkey from amazon s fiction books store. The turkish was mispronounced and the accents sounded more like they were from india rather than turkey. The murder sets him on a course to find marys killer and seek justice, though justice in his society proves a malleable thing.
The naked body of an englishwoman washes up in istanbul wearing a pendant inscribed with the seal of the deposed sultan. Strange incidents from history in the city of mars interlink world fiction by youssef rakha, paul starkey from amazons fiction books store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Send me a note, if you have a sea book you no longer need. It is the year rumi year 2 or 1886 by the christian calendar. Sultans and crocodiles reorient middle eastern arts and. Scanning the back of the book, the story looked promising enough. The sultans seal ebook by jenny white 9781780223797. I interviewed them together, although each was on a different continent when i received their answers. The sultans sea a finalist for the ellis peters historical crime award, the abyssinian proof and the winter thief. The oldest seal that has survived to the present day belonged to sultan bayezid ii who lived between 1481 and 1512. Jenny white is the author of the kamil pasha series. A powerful blend of murder mystery and romance set in the ottoman court a gripping tale of murder in nineteenthcentury. For all its exoticness, the sultans seal is a detective story, and the detective here is the logical but not quite hardboiled magistrate kamil pasha.
A novel kamil pasha novels by jenny white available from rakuten kobo. She writes of rich fabrics, the sparkle of jewels, the velvety black petals of kamil s favorite orchid and the best way to peel the skin of an almond with your thumbnail. Paul starkey has done a truly exceptional job, no wonder he has been awarded the saif ghobash banipal prize. No, the book of the sultans seal is its own project, complete in itself. The book of the sultans seal is an outstanding first novel by an author who has a special ability to deal with modern and classical material, both arab and western, with equal ease. The sultans seal by jenny white begins a series featuring kamil pasha as a magistrate in istanbul during the late 1800s. It would have been better if it had sounded more authentic. A profoundly original debut from a highly acclaimed egyptian writer. A powerful blend of murder mystery and romance set in the ottoman court. Click to read more about the sultan s seal by jenny white. She is a professor of anthropology and the author of numerous nonfiction works on turkish society and politics. Youssef rakhas groundbreaking novel the book of the sultans seal was published in egypt in february 2011, less than two weeks after then egyptian president.
Our list is devoted to works of literature, history, contemporary politics, travel, art, and cuisine from around the world, often from areas underrepresented in. Modeled on a medieval arabic manuscript in the form of a letter addressed to the writers friend, the book of the sultans seal is made up of nine chapters, each centered on a drive our hero, mustafa corbaci, takes around greater cairo in the spring of 2007. The naked body of a young englishwoman washes up in istanbul wearing a pendant inscribed with the seal of the deposed sultan. The book of the sultans seal, strange incidents from history in the city of mars. Strange incidents from history in the city of mars interlink world fiction swallow edition series youssef rakha, translated from.
One could argue, though, that the facts of an authors life cannot help but inform their writing, as rakhas do. The important thing is that you imagine me writing, making fair copies, and clarifying the many things that happened to me during those twentyone days in the form of a letter, as every book is called in arabic. Her world, despite its restrictions, is one in which you will want to immerse yourself. Mona anis, alahram weekly a great novel, the ultimate in eloquence. Review the book of the sultans seal, youssef rakha book. A novel kamil pasha novels paperback reprint by jenny white isbn. Emperors wore the quadrangular seal made of emerald, and they affixed the seal on documents recording treasury money and goods allocated to them. Jenny b white rich in sensuous detail, this first novel brilliantly captures the political and social upheavals of the waning ottoman empire. In late 19th century istanbul, the body of a young englishwoman has washed ashore, and it soon becomes apparent that she was not only a governess in the current sultans household, but was also. The sultans seal by jenny white books hachette australia. The sultan s sea a finalist for the ellis peters historical crime award, the abyssinian proof and the winter thief. Unfortunately, the narration left a lot to be desired. Feb 09, 2012 a powerful blend of murder mystery and romance set in the ottoman court.
The sultans seal book by jenny white 8 available editions. For academic interest in the book of the sultan s seal, see paul starkey s chapter in studying modern arabic literature, benjamin koerber s paper in the journal of arabic literature, and anton shammas s remark on the english publisher s website. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. White is an anthropologist who has written many nonfiction books about turkish society and their politics. Buy this book historical drama meets traditional murder mystery in this uneven but passionate debut. Review the book of the sultans seal, youssef rakha. She writes of rich fabrics, the sparkle of jewels, the velvety black petals of kamils favorite orchid and the best way to peel the skin of an almond with your thumbnail. Nov, 2019 you can donate a book to the sea library to help to fill its shelves.
The sultans seal rich in sensuous detail, this debut novel brilliantly captures the political and social upheavals of the waning ottoman empire. The setting is istanbul where the naked body of a white woman had been found floating in the bosphorus. Iain pears rich in sensuous detail, this first novel br. You said you are also writing something in english. The book of the sultan s seal by youssef rakha translated by paul starkey inte. Rather impulsively, he divorces his pregnant wife after their oneyear marriage. You can donate a book to the sea library to help to fill its shelves. Read the sultans seal a powerful blend of murder, mystery and romance set in the ottoman court by jenny white available from rakuten kobo.
White uses a dead bodydrugged, drowned english governess mary dixon, who worked at the imperial court and is found floating in the bosphorusas the point of entry into this evocation of the waning days of the ottoman empire, a world of eunuchs, harems, secret police, bath houses and. Mustafa corbacis stream of consciousness carries the reader along in a weird and wonderful coherent swirl of words that conveys his thoughts, impressions and emotions as his world is turned upside down. Jenny white is the author of the kamil pasha novels, the sultan s seal, the abyssinian proof, and the winter thief. Click to read more about the sultans seal by jenny white. The book of the sultans seal established in 1987, interlink is an independent publishing house that offers a global, cosmopolitan perspective.
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