Synopses & Reviews
Fifteen-year-old Meryem lives in a rural village in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Her simple, conventional way of life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes herand condemns her to death for shaming the family. Asked to carry out the honor killing” is his son Cemal, a commando in the Turkish army. So begins a long, mystifying voyage for Meryem as her shell-shocked cousin ushers her to the shining metropolis of Istanbul where another troubled soul, the Harvard-educated professor Irfan, embarks on his own journey of transformationone that catapults him into the heart of Meryem and Cemals conflict. The crossed-paths and interwoven destinies of these three characters makes for an affecting, by turns brutal and life-affirming portrayal of traditional and modern-day Turkey that no reader will soon forget. Livaneli is an essential force in Turkeys musical, cultural, and political scene.”--Orhan Pamuk, Nobel Prize Winner and author of Snow
Bliss is eye-opening and deeply moving.”
--Kirkus Reviews (starred)
Compelling [for] American readers
hard to put down.”
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
With lush scenes of Turkish life and nuanced depictions of the [characters] inner lives. . .a convergence of lost, likable souls.”
--Entertainment Weekly O. Z. Livaneli, one of Turkeys most prominent authors, is also an accomplished composer, and previously served as an elected member of the Turkish Parliament. For more information about his background and books, visit his website at www.livaneli.net. O.Z. Livaneli is one of Turkey's most prominent and popular authors as well as an accomplished musician and composer, whose works have been recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra. He was held under military detention during the coup of March 12, 1971 and lived in exile for eight years. He studied music in Stockholm, then lived in Paris and Athens, returning to Turkey in 1984. He was one of the founders of the Turkish-Kurdish Peace Movement and the initiator of the Campaign Against Violence in Turkey, and he has made significant contributions to the Greek-Turkish Friendship Committee. He was elected a Member of Parliament in 2002.Meryem, a fifteen-year-old girl, lives in a rural village on the shores of Lake Van in Eastern Turkey. Her simple life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes her. She is considered an outcast for shaming her family. When she is locked in a shed and left alone for days, she comes to the painful realization that her family expects her to hang herself with a length of rope left on the dirt floor. But she is defiant. As tradition still has it, a judgment must be made in the name of honor. Meryem is told she is to be taken to Istanbul, a shining city she envisions being just over the nearest mountain. Many girls from her village have "gone to Istanbul," and she assumes it must be a wonderful place since not one has returned. Those girls, however, have actually been the victims of "honor-killings." Cemal, Meryem's cousin, a commando in the army, has been fighting in the mountains against the rebels. On his return home, he is welcomed as a hero though he has been severely traumatized by his war experiences. His father, who had violated Meryem, charges Cemal with the task of executing his cousin's punishment. As he and Meryem begin their journey, they proceed through the marketplace where the townspeople have gathered, some weeping and others mocking her. In Istanbul, a Harvard-educated professor named Irfan lives an elite existence. He has published many books, hosts a radio show, and seems to enjoy success and jet-set freedom, but then rebels against the routine of his soulless life, deciding to leave his wealthy wife and Istanbul. Irfan charters a boat to sail the Aegean, and by coincidence, his path crosses with that of Meryem and Cemal. They all embark on a journey together that fills their hearts with hope and sets them free. Bliss juxtaposes the traditional and modern, drawing attention to human rights violations against women in the Middle East. "Livaneli is an essential force in Turkey's musical, cultural and political scene."Orhan Pamuk, author of the national bestseller, Snow
"A brutal rape and the subsequent death sentence on the defiled girl draws one into the disparate worlds of traditional and modern Turkey. This exciting, sensitively written novel educates and illuminates not only the plight of women but also a society in conflict."Barbara Goldsmith, Author and Historian "Livaneli's novel paints a picture of contemporary Turkey and its archaic culture and shows how torn this country and its people are . . . Livaneli reveals the beauty and violence of this country, as well as how much collective obedience, respect and honor mold people and keep them from their happiness. This novel is smart, honest, and a singular occurrence in Turkish literature. It allows us to understand Turkey and its people a little better and sympathize with them."Necla Kelek, German-Turkish sociologist and author of the bestsellers The Foreign Brides and The Lost Sons "Lyrical, poetic, and magical . . . Livaneli is an extraordinary writer and a master of language, who describes in this book an incredibly violent but at the same time magical, almost surreal world. I like the way he depicts the real and the unknown life of the simple people who live deep within the East with their own age-old codes of life
they show their own truth about life and death, their own views about right and wrong . . . You will read this book in one breath, without a pause."Mikis Theodorakis, composer of Zorba the Greek A writer, composer, and elected member of the Turkish parliament, Livaneli offers readers a fascinating look at the diversity of Turkey today in his American debut. The story is told from the perspective of three main characters. Cemal serves in Turkey's army, fighting the Kurds, though he hails from a village where Turks and Kurds have lived in peace for generations, often intermarrying. His younger cousin Meryam is content with the changeless village life until she is raped at 15 by Cemal's father. Irfan is a Harvard-educated professor and frequent television talking head who with his wealthy wife spends his evenings at the hottest restaurants and clubs. When Cemal returns from his service, he is charged with taking Meryam to Istanbula euphemism for murdering Meryam somewhere so that the crime is not traced back to the family. In the meantime, Irfan longs for the simple life he dreamed of as a boy and heads to sea in a rented boat. Eventually, the three characters meet, a significant event that affects them all. Highly recommended.”Debbie Boggenshutz, Cincinnati State Technical & Community College Library, Library Journal Left in the barn to hang herself as a consequence of her uncle raping her, 15-year-old Meryem defies local tradition and refuses to do it. Her cousin Cemal, recently a soldier in the army, who grew up with her in a tiny village in eastern Turkey, is sent to take her to Istanbul and is told to kill her on the way. On the train, Meryem's eyes are opened to city women who wear modern-day dress and speak and eat in front of men. Cemal cannot kill her, and after a short stay with his brother in Istanbul, he goes to a war buddy who gives them a place of temporary refuge, a fish farm on a cove in western Turkey. Here they meet a professor who has run away from his privileged life in Istanbul and is living on a large sailboat. He invites the two cousins to join him as his crew and companions. The dynamics created by this union give these three characters a new direction in which to take their lives. Teens will be drawn to the plight of a girl who has been raped and is then treated as the perpetrator of the crime. Livaneli shows village life and modern city life as two separate realities that coexist in Turkey today. Students interested in human rights and global studies will also appreciate this novel.”School Library Journal Turkey's wildly disparate and clashing cultures, from isolated Muslim fundamentalism to jaded secularism, collide in this romantic yet clear-eyed translation from a noted Turkish composer and politician, now a member of that country's Parliament. Her village family ostracizes teenage Meryem after she is raped. When her older cousin Cemal returns from fighting in the Turkish army against the Kurds, his father, the family's religious leader (and Meryem's secret rapist), orders him to take Meryem to Istanbul and make her disappear, the typical fate of defiled village girls. Meryem innocently enjoys the journey to Istanbul, unaware of Cemal's orders. To his mortification, Cemal cannot bring himself to kill Meryem. His army buddy Selahattin, a devout Muslim and genuinely good man, shows Cemal that the Koran can be interpreted as promoting love and peace, not vengeance. Meanwhile, Irfan, a professor with a TV show and a rich wife, escapes the meaningless of his life in Istanbul by sailing the Aegean Sea in an old boat. He hires Meryem and Cemal as his crew and introduces them to modern ways. Drawn to her budding intelligence, Irfan teaches Meryem to read. As Meryem blossoms, Cemal grows resentful, yet he, too, loses his desire to return to his father's village. Tensions rise in an idyllic seaside village where they stay with a former ambassador who has withdrawn to his orange orchard to escape the ugliness he has witnessed in the world. Meryem falls in with a kind family who run a restaurant. Cemal and Irfan confront each other with truths neither wants to face. Irfan sails away after giving Meryem all his money. She goes to the restaurant full of hope, leaving Cemal to find his own way.Livaneli deftly folds his philosophical and political questioning into the psychology of his characters. Eye-opening and deeply moving-essential for anyone looking for decency in the world today.”Kirkus Reviews The paths of three characters converge to illustrate . . . the conflicts of contemporary Turkey. Raped by her uncle, the sheikh, 15-year-old villager Meryem has shamed her family. To save the family name, Cemal, the sheikh's son, a soldier home from his tour fighting Kurds in the Gabar Mountains, is ordered by his father to take Meryem to Istanbul and to murder her. When Cemal and Meryem reach Istanbul, they are shocked by the cosmopolitan city, full of women wearing low-cut blouses and children who disobey their parents. Cemal falters at the moment of decision and, instead of murdering Meryem, travels with her to the seaside, where they encounter Irfan, a successful Istanbul professor who, plagued by insomnia and anxiety, has fled his cushy life to set sail in the Aegean Sea. Irfan offers them jobs on his boat and forges a tenuous mentorship with Meryem, but Cemal, whose psychological torment is richly captured early in the book, is soon reduced to a glowering presence. Livaneli, a former exile who was elected to Turkey's Parliament in 2002, takes great pains to reveal his country's complex culture.”Publishers Weekly
Review
"I loved this book so much that I sent a fan letter to the publisher, and demanded to be introduced to the author when I went to Istanbul.
Bliss is fresh, original, and warm-hearted, the work of a cosmopolitan insider and multi-talented artist."
--Louis de Bernieres, author of Corelli's Mandolin
"Livaneli is an essential force in Turkey's musical, cultural and political scene."
--Orhan Pamuk, Nobel Prize Winner and author of Snow
"The intersecting destinies of the three heroes present a portrait of Turkey at once tender and compassionate. I am sure they will have a deep influence upon French readers just as they have conquered the hearts of more than a hundred thousand of your compatriots."
--President Jacques Chirac of France, in a letter to the author
"A gripping contemporary story that gets behind stereotypes of exotic Islam to reveal the diversity in individual people and the secrets and lies, cruelty and love, in family, friendship, and public life. This will make a terrific bookclub selection when it reaches paperback."
--Booklist
"Eye-opening and deeply moving--essential for anyone looking for decency in the world today."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred)
"A lyrical novel."
--The Wall Street Journal
"With lush scenes of Turkish life and nuanced depictions of the [characters'] inner lives. . . .a convergence of lost, likable souls."
--Entertainment Weekly
"Livaneli offers readers a fascinating look at the diversity of Turkey today in his American
debut."
--Library Journal
"A compelling premise, set in a part of the world that many American readers are curious about. . . hard to put down"
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
"A brutal rape and the subsequent death sentence on the defiled girl draws one into the disparate worlds of traditional and modern Turkey. This exciting, sensitively written novel educates and illuminates not only the plight of women but also a society in conflict."
--Barbara Goldsmith, Author and Historian
"Livaneli's novel paints a picture of contemporary Turkey and its archaic culture and shows how torn this country and its people are . . . Livaneli reveals how much collective obedience, respect, and honor mold people and keep them from their happiness. This novel is smart, honest . . . It allows us to understand Turkey and its people a little better and sympathize with them."
--Necla Kelek, German-Turkish sociologist and author of the bestsellers The Foreign Bride and The Lost Sons
"Lyrical, poetic, and magical . . .Livaneli is an extraordinary writer and a master of language . . .I like the way he depicts the real and unknown life of the simple people who live deep in the East with their own age-old codes of life...You will read this book in one breath, without a pause."
--Mikis Theodorakis, composer for Zorba the Greek
"Teens will be drawn to the plight of a girl who has been raped and is then treated as the perpetrator of the crime. Livaneli shows village life and modern city life as two separate realities that coexist in Turkey today. Students interested in human rights and global studies will also appreciate this novel."
--School Library Journal
Synopsis
Meryem, a fifteen-year-old girl, lives in a rural village on the shores of Lake Van in Eastern Turkey. Her simple life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes her. She is considered an outcast for shaming her family. When she is locked in a shed and left alone for days, she comes to the painful realization that her family expects her to hang herself with a length of rope left on the dirt floor. But she is defiant.
As tradition still has it, a judgment must be made in the name of honor. She is told she is to be taken to Istanbul, a shining city she envisions being just over the nearest mountain. Many girls from her village have gone to Istanbul, and she assumes it must be a wonderful place since not one has returned. In fact, those girls have been the victims of honor-killings.
Cemal, Meryem's cousin, a commando in the army, has been fighting in the mountains against the rebels. On his return home, he is welcomed as a hero though he has been severely traumatized by his war experiences. His father, who had violated Meryem, charges Cemal with the task of executing his cousin's punishment. As he and Mereym begin their journey, they proceed through the marketplace where the townspeople have gathered, some weeping and others mocking her.
In Istanbul, a Harvard-educated professor named Irfan lives an elite existence. He has published many books, hosts a radio show, and seems to enjoy success and jet-set freedom. He revolts against the routine of his soulless life, deciding to leave his wealthy wife and Istanbul. He charters a boat to sail the Aegean . By coincidence, his path crosses with that of Meryem and Cemal. They embark on a journeytogether that fills their hearts with hope and sets them free.
Already an international bestseller, this lyrical and moving tale juxtaposes the traditional and modern and draws attention to human rights violations against women in the Middle East.
Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Meryem lives in a rural village in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Her simple, conventional way of life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes her--and condemns her to death for shaming the family. Asked to carry out the "honor killing" is his son Cemal, a commando in the Turkish army. So begins a long, mystifying voyage for Meryem as her shell-shocked cousin ushers her to the shining metropolis of Istanbul where another troubled soul, the Harvard-educated professor Irfan, embarks on his own journey of transformation--one that catapults him into the heart of Meryem and Cemal's conflict. The crossed-paths and interwoven destinies of these three characters makes for an affecting, by turns brutal and life-affirming portrayal of traditional and modern-day Turkey that no reader will soon forget. "Livaneli is an essential force in Turkey's musical, cultural, and political scene."--Orhan Pamuk, Nobel Prize Winner and author of Snow
"Bliss is eye-opening and deeply moving."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred)
"Compelling [for] American readers ...hard to put down."
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
"With lush scenes of Turkish life and nuanced depictions of the [characters'] inner lives. . .a convergence of lost, likable souls."
--Entertainment Weekly O. Z. Livaneli, one of Turkey's most prominent authors, is also an accomplished composer, and previously served as an elected member of the Turkish Parliament. For more information about his background and books, visit his website at www.livaneli.net.
Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Meryem lives in a rural village in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Her simple, conventional way of life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes her--and condemns her to death for shaming the family. Asked to carry out the honor killing is his son Cemal, a commando in the Turkish army. So begins a long, mystifying voyage for Meryem as her shell-shocked cousin ushers her to the shining metropolis of Istanbul where another troubled soul, the Harvard-educated professor Irfan, embarks on his own journey of transformation--one that catapults him into the heart of Meryem and Cemal's conflict. The crossed-paths and interwoven destinies of these three characters makes for an affecting, by turns brutal and life-affirming portrayal of traditional and modern-day Turkey that no reader will soon forget. Livaneli is an essential force in Turkey's musical, cultural, and political scene.
--Orhan Pamuk, Nobel Prize Winner and author of Snow
Bliss is eye-opening and deeply moving.
--Kirkus Reviews (starred)
Compelling for] American readers ...hard to put down.
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
With lush scenes of Turkish life and nuanced depictions of the characters'] inner lives. . .a convergence of lost, likable souls.
--Entertainment Weekly O. Z. Livaneli, one of Turkey's most prominent authors, is also an accomplished composer, and previously served as an elected member of the Turkish Parliament. For more information about his background and books, visit his website at www.livaneli.net. O.Z. Livaneli is one of Turkey's most prominent and popular authors as well as an accomplished musician and composer, whose works have been recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra. He was held under military detention during the coup of March 12, 1971 and lived in exile for eight years. He studied music in Stockholm, then lived in Paris and Athens, returning to Turkey in 1984. He was one of the founders of the Turkish-Kurdish Peace Movement and the initiator of the Campaign Against Violence in Turkey, and he has made significant contributions to the Greek-Turkish Friendship Committee. He was elected a Member of Parliament in 2002.Meryem, a fifteen-year-old girl, lives in a rural village on the shores of Lake Van in Eastern Turkey. Her simple life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes her. She is considered an outcast for shaming her family. When she is locked in a shed and left alone for days, she comes to the painful realization that her family expects her to hang herself with a length of rope left on the dirt floor. But she is defiant. As tradition still has it, a judgment must be made in the name of honor. Meryem is told she is to be taken to Istanbul, a shining city she envisions being just over the nearest mountain. Many girls from her village have gone to Istanbul, and she assumes it must be a wonderful place since not one has returned. Those girls, however, have actually been the victims of honor-killings. Cemal, Meryem's cousin, a commando in the army, has been fighting in the mountains against the rebels. On his return home, he is welcomed as a hero though he has been severely traumatized by his war experiences. His father, who had violated Meryem, charges Cemal with the task of executing his cousin's punishment. As he and Meryem begin their journey, they proceed through the marketplace where the townspeople have gathered, some weeping and others mocking her. In Istanbul, a Harvard-educated professor named Irfan lives an elite existence. He has published many books, hosts a radio show, and seems to enjoy success and jet-set freedom, but then rebels against the routine of his soulless life, deciding to leave his wealthy wife and Istanbul. Irfan charters a boat to sail the Aegean, and by coincidence, his path crosses with that of Meryem and Cemal. They all embark on a journey together that fills their hearts with hope and sets them free. Bliss juxtaposes the traditional and modern, drawing attention to human rights violations against women in the Middle East. Livaneli is an essential force in Turkey's musical, cultural and political scene.--Orhan Pamuk, author of the national bestseller, Snow
A brutal rape and the subsequent death sentence on the defiled girl draws one into the disparate worlds of traditional and modern Turkey. This exciting, sensitively written novel educates and illuminates not only the plight of women but also a society in conflict.--Barbara Goldsmith, Author and Historian Livaneli's novel paints a picture of contemporary Turkey and its archaic culture and shows how torn this country and its people are . . . Livaneli reveals the beauty and violence of this country, as well as how much collective obedience, respect and honor mold people and keep them from their happiness. This novel is smart, honest, and a singular occurrence in Turkish literature. It allows us to understand Turkey and its people a little better and sympathize with them.--Necla Kelek, German-Turkish sociologist and author of the bestsellers The Foreign Brides and The Lost Sons Lyrical, poetic, and magical . . . Livaneli is an extraordinary writer and a master of language, who describes in this book an incredibly violent but at the same time magical, almost surreal world. I like the way he depicts the real and the unknown life of the simple people who live deep within the East with their own age-old codes of life...they show their own 'truth' about life and death, their own views about right and wrong . . . You will read this book in one breath, without a pause.--Mikis Theodorakis, composer of Zorba the Greek A writer, composer, and elected member of the Turkish parliament, Livaneli offers readers a fascinating look at the diversity of Turkey today in his American debut. The story is told from the perspective of three main characters. Cemal serves in Turkey's army, fighting the Kurd
Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Meryem lives in a rural village in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Her simple, conventional way of life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes her--and condemns her to death for shaming the family. Asked to carry out the "honor killing" is his son Cemal, a commando in the Turkish army. So begins a long, mystifying voyage for Meryem as her shell-shocked cousin ushers her to the shining metropolis of Istanbul where another troubled soul, the Harvard-educated professor Irfan, embarks on his own journey of transformation--one that catapults him into the heart of Meryem and Cemal's conflict. The crossed-paths and interwoven destinies of these three characters makes for an affecting, by turns brutal and life-affirming portrayal of traditional and modern-day Turkey that no reader will soon forget. "Livaneli is an essential force in Turkey's musical, cultural, and political scene."--Orhan Pamuk, Nobel Prize Winner and author of Snow
"Bliss is eye-opening and deeply moving."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred)
"Compelling [for] American readers ...hard to put down."
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
"With lush scenes of Turkish life and nuanced depictions of the [characters'] inner lives. . .a convergence of lost, likable souls."
--Entertainment Weekly O. Z. Livaneli, one of Turkey's most prominent authors, is also an accomplished composer, and previously served as an elected member of the Turkish Parliament. For more information about his background and books, visit his website at www.livaneli.net.
Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Meryem lives in a rural village in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Her simple, conventional way of life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes her—and condemns her to death for shaming the family. Asked to carry out the “honor killing” is his son Cemal, a commando in the Turkish army. So begins a long, mystifying voyage for Meryem as her shell-shocked cousin ushers her to the shining metropolis of Istanbul where another troubled soul, the Harvard-educated professor Irfan, embarks on his own journey of transformation—one that catapults him into the heart of Meryem and Cemals conflict. The crossed-paths and interwoven destinies of these three characters makes for an affecting, by turns brutal and life-affirming portrayal of traditional and modern-day Turkey that no reader will soon forget. “Livaneli is an essential force in Turkeys musical, cultural, and political scene.”
--Orhan Pamuk, Nobel Prize Winner and author of Snow
“Bliss is eye-opening and deeply moving.”
--Kirkus Reviews (starred)
“Compelling [for] American readers …hard to put down.”
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
“With lush scenes of Turkish life and nuanced depictions of the [characters] inner lives. . .a convergence of lost, likable souls.”
--Entertainment Weekly O. Z. Livaneli, one of Turkeys most prominent authors, is also an accomplished composer, and previously served as an elected member of the Turkish Parliament.
About the Author
O. Z. Livaneli, one of Turkeys most prominent authors, is also an accomplished composer, and previously served as an elected member of the Turkish Parliament.
Reading Group Guide
READING GROUP QUESTIONS
1. Discuss the reasons why the author may have chosen the title Bliss for his novel. What is its significance?
2. Did you have any ideas or opinions on Turkey before reading the novel? Take a moment to talk about your collective knowledge of Turkish history and culture before and after reading Bliss.
3. Who is your favorite character in Bliss and why? Are there those you like who are, in fact, "unlikable?" Take a moment to talk about the cast of characters----and range of personality types----in the novel.
4. Discuss the two distinct settings of the novel----the small rural village and the larger-than-life city. What does each locale mean to each of the main characters?
5. In what ways do Meryem and Cemal's encounters with different people on the train shed light on the problems of identity that characterize contemporary Turkey? Also, in what ways is sailing the Aegean Sea symbolic for them both?
6. What are the themes of tradition and modernity, religion vs. secularity, and male domination and female empowerment that resonate throughout Bliss?
7. Each of the main protagonists in Bliss experiences tragedy on a profound, indeed existential level. How would you describe each character's personal transformation? What unites them in their struggle to overcome their demons?
8. How do you interpret Irfan's final resolution at the end of the novel about what kind of a life he's to lead? And what about Meryems?
9. How would you describe Irfan's relation to Hidayet, a character who never appears in the novel but who's always in Irfan's thoughts?
10. One of the chapters in the novel is titled "At Night Don Quixote, Sancho Panza in the Morning." Were there times in your life when you felt the same? Please discuss.
11. At one point in the novel Irfan likens himself and all Turkish intellectuals to "trapeze flyers." Why?
12. Why is Irfan's relationship with his parents marked with deep feelings of guilt?
13. What are the differences between Irfan's and Cemal's attitudes about national identity and belonging?
14. Discuss the ambassador's comment that there are three phases in the life of an individual: camel phase, lion phase, and childhood phase.
15. There are numerous references to mythical figures and stories in the novel. Why do you think the idea of myth has such an important place in Bliss?