World Literature Reading Group

Our World Literature Reading Group aims to showcase literature written outside of the anglophone world. On our journey we will make a variety of stops in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Oceania, tracking down the masterpieces that have otherwise been overlooked. In this eleventh group, we will read and discuss Sabahattin Ali’s Madonna in a Fur Coat.

A shy young man leaves his home in rural Turkey to learn a trade and discover life in 1920s Berlin. There, amid the city's bustling streets, elegant museums, passionate politics and seedy cabarets, a chance meeting transforms his life forever. Caught between his desire for freedom and his yearning to belong, he struggles to hold on to the new life he has found.

“Madonna in a Fur Coat is Ali’s most famous novel and has topped the country’s bestseller list for the past three years. [...] a tale of young love and disenchantment, of missed opportunities and passion’s elusive, flickering flame, [...] reminiscent of Turgenev’s First Love, with a hero every bit as gauche, and a twist every bit as bitter.” (Toby Lichtig, The Financial Times)

“The novel, initially overlooked by critics as just another love story, has since become a celebrated work in Turkish literature, lauded for its poignant exploration of love, longing, and the complexities of the human soul. [...] Madonna in a Fur Coat is a timeless tale that explores the human condition with sensitivity and depth. Ali’s masterful storytelling and profound insights into the human soul make this novel a must-read. The novel’s exploration of love, identity, and the search for meaning resonates with readers, making it a classic that continues to be cherished and rediscovered.” (Swapna Peri, The Asia Review)

Our previous selections include:

Human Acts by Han Kang
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli
A Grain of Wheat by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
Potiki by Patricia Grace
Explosion in a Cathedral by Alejo Carpentier
Men of Maize by Miguel Ángel Asturias
Tamas by Bhisham Sahni
Men in the Sun by Ghassan Kanafani
Egyptian Earth by Abdel Rahman al-Sharqawi
We Do Not Part by Han Kang