Nobel Prize-Winning Orhan Pamuk Edinburgh Bound for Book Festival Autumn Event

We are gearing up to welcome Nobel Prize-winning Turkish author, Orhan Pamuk, to Edinburgh this weekend. Appearing as part of the Festival’s Booked! programme, the award-winning novelist will discuss his latest novel, The Red-Haired Woman, with Literary Editor and author, Stuart Kelly, on Sunday 17 September. Booked! is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Nick Barley, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said “We are thrilled to welcome this world-renowned novelist to Edinburgh this autumn.  After a record breaking year of growth in all areas this August, we are excited we can continue to give audiences the opportunity to see important writers outwith the busy summer season, thanks to the support of players of People’s Postcode Lottery.”

Orhan Pamuk, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2006, is one of the world’s greatest writers bringing Turkey to the forefront of our literary imaginations and will be making a rare appearance and his first at the Book Festival since 2001. From the IMPAC winning My Name is Red to his recent Man Booker International Prize shortlisted A Strangeness in My Mind, his work investigates the complex relationship between East and West. His latest novel is set in his beloved Istanbul where a master well digger and his young apprentice form a simple life sharing their days, meals, and stories. Until the arrival of a travelling theatre company, and a beautiful woman, opens up new dreams and possibilities that will ultimately lead to devastating consequences.

Orhan Pamuk is the latest internationally renowned author to join the Book Festival’s 2017 programme, which saw 1,000 authors, illustrators, poets, politicians and performers from 50 countries appear; in a year when audience numbers have been the highest in the Book Festival’s 34 year history. As well as expanding into George Street for the first time, the Book Festival also presented mini-festivals in Irvine, East Kilbride and Aberdeen as part of the Booked! programme, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. 

Orhan Pamuk will speak at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Sunday 17 September at 3.00pm and tickets for the event cost £15.00 (£12.00 concession) and are available through the Book Festival website or by calling the Book Festival on 0131 718 5666.

As part of the Booked! on-the-road programme, the Festival will also welcome Man Booker winner Alan Hollinghurst to Edinburgh on Tuesday 10 October, to introduce his long-awaited sixth novel The Sparsholt Affair.

Clara Govier, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “I am delighted that funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery is supporting Edinburgh International Book Festival in the expansion of their Booked! on-the-road programme. These two new events are a very exciting addition.”

Booked!, the Edinburgh International Book Festival on the road around Scotland throughout the year, is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.