My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of My Name is Red with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk, an intricate murder mystery set in 16th-century Istanbul. The story is told from myriad perspectives, including the murderer, their victim and the paintings of the country’s most talented artists, and raises a number of philosophical questions about the nature of art, its purpose and its relationship with religion. Orhan Pamuk is a Turkish writer whose works have been translated into more than 60 languages, making him one of his country’s most prominent novelists. He has spoken out on a number of political issues, including the Armenian Genocide, which led to criminal charges being issued against him in 2005, sparking international outcry. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006.

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This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:

• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection

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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: May 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9782808001861

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Turkish novelist and screenwriter

Born in Istanbul in 1952.

Literary awards:

Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger (French award for Best Foreign Book), 2002 (for My Name is Red)

International Dublin Literary Award, 2003 (for My Name is Red)

Nobel Prize in Literature, 2006

Notable works:

The White Castle (1982), novel

Snow (2002), novel

Istanbul: Memories and the City (2005), memoir

Orhan Pamuk is a novelist, playwright and academic, and currently teaches comparative literature and writing at Columbia University. He initially studied Architecture at Istanbul Technical University, but abandoned his studies to pursue his true passion of painting. He later obtained a degree in Journalism from the University of Istanbul, although he never actually worked as a journalist. Instead, he devoted himself to literature, and has said that this decision was inspired by his love for the works of Albert Camus (French writer, 1913-1960), Jorge Luis Borges (Argentinian writer, 1899-1986) and Franz Kafka (Czech-born writer, 1883-1924).

Pamuk’s literary career began in the 1970s, although his work did not gain widespread recognition until the publication of his novel The White Castle in 1982. Even so, Pamuk’s reputation as a significant figure in the literary world was only truly cemented when My Name is Red was published in 1998.

Pamuk is far from a reclusive figure: his political comments have often landed him in the media spotlight, and he has even had to move to the United States on a number of occasions after receiving death threats. However, this time in the United States gave his literary career a boost, as his time in exile allowed him to devote himself to his craft without interruption. The most significant political statement he made was in