Elif Shafak

Elif Shafak is a Turkish-British novelist and essayist who writes in both Turkish and English. She is best known for novels such as The Forty Rules of Love, The Island of Missing Trees, and The Bastard of Istanbul. Much of her work features Istanbul and explores Eastern and Western culture and the roles of women in society. Legal action from Turkish authorities over her treatment of politically sensitive subjects prompted her to emigrate to the United Kingdom. She holds a PhD in political science.