As guilty as I am about neglecting my blog for over three months, I am not going to wallow in self reproach (done enough of that) and instead move on to tell you of the books I've been reading and the things I've been doing.
First things first, I moved to a new city! I now live in Istanbul, Turkey which feels pretty much like lıvıng ın a museum at times. Excuse the dot less 'i's, for I haven't gotten used to the Turkish keyboards. I'm studying Psychology, exploring a highly intriguing city and adjusting to a completely different (read: independent) life over here. Living alone has its charms and I feel extremely lucky to be having that oh-so-desirable European college experience.
Needless to say I haven't allowed the craziness around me take its toll on my reading. So here's the list of books I read since I got here.
- The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
- Animal Farm - George Orwell
- Istanbul: Memories and the City - Orhan Pamuk
- A Mercy - Toni Morrison
- The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde
...and currently Im reading This side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald. My obsession with Fitzgerald ıs at an all time high these days due to the movie adaption of The Great Gatsby. The trailer alone gives me chills every time I watch ıt. We've all had our share of horror stories about brllıant books ruined by movies but I have high hopes from this one, primarily because I think the cast is gorgeous!
Moving on, last night I made a collage...a sort of hodge podge of pop culture mixed with personal favorites. Its for the cover of a notebook I recently got.
No pretentiousness intended but I carry around a notebook with me when I'm travelling, writing down whatever grabs my attention. A seat by the window is all you need to get the ideas rolling in. I love the cover, its a painting of the Maiden's Tower (built during the Byzantine era) in the middle of the Bosphorus. The tower gets it's name from the two maidens who are said to have lived there.
Every
monument in Turkey has a story behind ıt. Some are enshrouded in legends and
myths, others in ancient glory. Its a city of varying tastes, beliefs and
sights. Before coming here I heard and read a lot about the 'stark contrasts'
within the city or as Orhan Pamuk puts it, the dilemma of: 'Westernisation and Europe or tradition and
Islam.' Istanbul undeniably has strong elements of both. In his memoir he talks at length
about the Huzun (melancholy) of the city's citizens which comes of living amid
the ruins of a lost empire, but lets leave that discussion for another post. I'm itching
to write about this fascinating city so expect something of
that sort in the near future.
Every
monument in Turkey has a story behind ıt. Some are enshrouded in legends and
myths, others in ancient glory. Its a city of varying tastes, beliefs and
sights. Before coming here I heard and read a lot about the 'stark contrasts'
within the city or as Orhan Pamuk puts it, the dilemma of: 'Westernisation and Europe or tradition and
Islam.' Istanbul undeniably has strong elements of both. In his memoir he talks at length
about the Huzun (melancholy) of the city's citizens which comes of living amid
the ruins of a lost empire, but lets leave that discussion for another post. I'm itching
to write about this fascinating city so expect something of
that sort in the near future.
