From the 17th edition of International Literature Festival Dublin in May 2015

The prolific writer and journalist Elif Shafak is one of the most significant voices in contemporary fiction. An outspoken campaigner and champion of minority rights, she is not afraid to tackle controversial subjects, from the Armenian genocide in The Bastard of Istanbul, to honour killings in Honour.

Her book, The Architect’s Apprentice, is a spellbinding magic-realist tale set at the height of Ottoman power and telling the story of the great imperial architect Mimar Sinan through the eyes of Jahan, a young stowaway who arrives in Istanbul with nothing but a white elephant in tow. Shafak discusses her work with Brendan Barrington, editor of The Dublin Review.