Archipelago’s first book club

Archipelago Books and Barbès are starting a book club! 

Join the editors for drinks and discussion at Barbès. Our pick for November is Sevgi Soysal’s Walking, a novel first published in 1970 and translated from Turkish by Maureen Freely. 

Soysal was a major figure in Turkey in the 60s and 70s, a committed socialist opposing the military dictatorship and a novelist and short story writer. At Walking’s heart are two young people, Elâ and Memet, each trapped by forms they did not choose for themselves. Fury seems to power the novel, but this fury expands into a larger attention and delicacy. Soysal writes about the earth as much as the society that surrounds her characters. It’s a beautiful and complex book, rife for discussion. Books are available for purchase here, and at Barbès a couple weeks ahead of our meeting. 

After the discussion, there will be an oud performance by Julie Dodge.